Last year, Greater Fort Wayne approached us with an idea to encourage local businesses to tap into a talent pool that is often overlooked. With our grant, they hired Kevin Morse as their Disability Employment Services Coordinator. This initiative benefits both individuals with disabilities that can and want to be employed, and employers that struggle to fill positions.

Kevin describes his role as matchmaker: “Once I know what a company is looking for in an employee, I can match them up with someone who has that skill set.” His employee talent pool is comprised of candidates who come from agencies like Benchmark, Turnstone and Easterseals Arc, who’ve typically had some skill-building under their belt. Often candidates with disabilities are fully qualified, but the hiring process can be cumbersome. Kevin teaches employers to think and interview more creatively to get to know these candidates. Once they are settled in, their job performance is rarely an issue.

Sometimes employers struggle to find qualified candidates when an immediate need arises. Kevin’s goal is to create a database of employees with details about their strengths and skills, as well as a list of companies seeking to fulfill jobs and their criteria. Think of Kevin as a matchmaker of employment. We look forward to seeing more of Kevin’s work in action and how it propels Greater Fort Wayne’s mission to grow our economy while enhancing the lives of those with disabilities.

If you think you can benefit from Kevin’s services, you may contact him at 260-203-5754 or kmorse@greaterfortwayneinc.com.