Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development

Madison, Wis. -- Secretary Linda Stewart today announced three top-level management appointments at the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD), one of state government’s largest agencies.

Orlando Canto, administrator of the agency’s Administrative Services Division, becomes Deputy Secretary. He replaces Bruce C. Hagen, who has served in that second-highest DWD position since early 1997.

Hagen becomes Unemployment Insurance (UI) Division administrator, replacing Maureen Hlavacek.

Hagen was the administrator of that division for eight years before his appointment as Deputy Secretary.

The division administers the first-in-the-nation jobless-benefits program. It collects UI taxes from employers and pays jobless benefits to workers losing work or work time through no fault of their own.

Hlavacek replaces Canto as head of the unit which provides a variety of management services to the other divisions. She has headed the UI Division since Hagen’s appointment as Deputy Secretary.

The changes are effective immediately, Stewart said. Salaries will be confirmed soon.

In addition to UI, the other major divisions of the agency are Connecting Education and Work, Economic Support, Equal Rights, Vocational Rehabilitation, Worker’s Compensation, and Workforce Excellence.

The Department has an annual budget of $1.3 billion and about 2,400 staff. It was established in mid-1996 as part of a reorganization of state government. Many of its programs previously were assigned to the Department of Industry, Labor and Human Relations, which was abolished.