Acting chief named for Pa. Labor Dept.

HARRISBURG, Pa. - February 4, 2008 Gov. Ed Rendell named Sandi Vito to at least temporarily succeed Stephen Schmerin, who stepped down as secretary last month to return to practicing law in the Pittsburgh area.

Vito had been the department's deputy secretary for workforce development.

Rendell says she's proved that she has what it takes to help Pennsylvanians obtain modern job skills and better jobs. Rendell says the market penetration of the state's workforce development system has grown from 1 percent to 13 percent under Vito's leadership.