Michigan Works! Association Wayne County Commissioner Al Haidous 2023 Volunteer of the Year

LANSING, Mich. (Sept. 25, 2023) – The Michigan Works! Association honored Wayne County Commissioner Abdul “Al” Haidous as its 2023 Volunteer of the Year.  

“Commissioner Haidous has been a long-time, outstanding advocate for Michigan Works! and its resources,” said Michigan Works! Association CEO Ryan Hundt. “His leadership has greatly enhanced the effectiveness and public awareness of the Michigan Works! network. We are grateful for his commitment to improving the lives of others and are honored to name him our Volunteer of the Year.” 

Lebanon-native Abdul Haidous came to the City of Wayne 49 years ago, and quickly became a staple of the community, owning and operating Al’s Friendly Market with the help of his wife, Mary, for 35 years. In 1993, he became the city's first Arab-American elected official and in 2001, the city’s only voter-elected mayor. In 2014, he was elected to the Wayne County Commission for District 11 and is the Chair of the Committee on Economic Development, serves on the Committee of Public Services and Wayne County Airport Authority, and the Special Committee for Senior Citizens and Veterans Affairs. As a former business owner, he understands the needs of the private sector and continues to obtain knowledge through his substantial network. His leadership has greatly enhanced the effectiveness and public awareness of SEMCA Michigan Works! and its Southeast Governmental Alliance Board.

He supports and participates in events offered by the Michigan Works Association! and National Association of Workforce Boards, attending annual conferences and special events honoring those we serve. He has been a regular, very effective participant with legislative visits in Lansing and Washington, D.C. His deep commitment to public service includes serving on the boards of the Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART), Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG), previously on the Governors Workforce Development Board under both Governor Snyder and Governor Whitmer. In all these roles he has been an outstanding ambassador and advocate for Michigan Works!

The Volunteer of the Year award pays tribute to an individual from the private sector who is dedicated to the growth and promotion of Michigan Works!    

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Established in 1987, the Michigan Works! Association fosters high-quality employment and training programs serving employers and workers by providing support activities and a forum for information exchange for Michigan's talent development system. For more information, visit http://www.michiganworks.org, or call (517) 371-1100.