Ferguson has served as director of global talent acquisition for Henny Penny Corporation, where he led efforts to attract and retain top talent worldwide, as well as in senior leadership positions with USAA, Bon Secours Mercy Health, the Wendy’s Company, Google and General Electric.
“David’s career is a testament to his ability to connect talent with opportunity,” said Clark State President Jo Alice Blondin. “His proven track record in building high-performing teams, coupled with his dedication to military and veteran career pathways, will strengthen our mission to prepare students for in-demand careers and support the workforce needs of our region.”
Ferguson served for four years as an Active Duty Army Officer and six years as an Officer in the Ohio Army National Guard. He earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, graduating in the top 5% of his class, and a master’s degree in business from Xavier University.
“I’ve spent my entire career helping organizations identify, attract and develop great people,” Ferguson said. “At Clark State, I have the opportunity to bring that passion to a mission that directly impacts our students, our businesses and our community. We’re building programs that don’t just respond to workforce needs — they anticipate them.”
In his new role with Clark State, Ferguson will cultivate strategic partnerships with regional employers, industry leaders and community organizations to create, coordinate and deliver customized skills training for professional development and for-credit academic programs.
“The main service that a director of workforce provides is to enable Clark State to think strategically about how we best serve students, employers and community partners. How can we find points of alignment between these three groups and then design and deliver educational services to meet everyone’s needs?” he said.
Ohio had 269,000 job openings at the end of May 2025, Ferguson said, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
“It is reasonable to assume most, if not all industries, need workers,” he said.
Most industries need both entry level workers, as well as highly skilled and specialized workers, he said.
At Clark State, Ferguson said they have goals related to the number of students they serve, the hours of education those students receive, the certifications they earn, the employers they support and how they help them increase the skill level of their current workforce, as well as their efforts to connect with community partners
To help try and keep graduates in the county, Ferguson said the college is working with students, employers and community groups to make sure students have well-paying career options in the area , employers have a properly trained workforce ready for challenges and communities have educated citizens.
“By working together with employers, educators and community partners, we can create training solutions that open doors for individuals and strengthen the economic future of our region,” he said.
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