Local Goodwill Leaders Graduate from International Leadership Program

FORT MYERS, Fla. - Oct. 22, 2014 - PRLog -- Two members of the Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida team have graduated from the Goodwill Industries International (GII) Senior Leader Program.  Kirsten O’Donnell, director of public relations and marketing, graduated from the program in April.  Fred Richards, vice president of community support services, graduated in October.

Goodwill agencies employ more than 113,000 individuals across the United States and Canada. However, only 200 Goodwill leaders have completed the Senior Leader Program since its inception in 2008.  GII’s corporate university, The Helm, also offers an executive development program as well as a management development program.

“It’s great to work for an organization that invests in the professional development of its employees,” says O’Donnell.  “I’m glad for the opportunity.”

Senior Leader Program participants must complete a rigorous six-month training program which includes two week-long in-residences near the GII headquarters in Rockville, MD.  Participants also must complete a team capstone project and present to a panel of Goodwill CEO’s and other leaders.

O’Donnell’s team capstone project focused on talent acquisition techniques.  She partnered with Goodwill leaders from Ohio, Virginia, and North Carolina on the project, entitled “Acquiring talent for Our Future: Recruitment Best Practices and Strategies to Elevate Goodwill as an Employer of Choice.”

“The capstone project gave me an opportunity to research and apply knowledge in an entirely new area,” explains O’Donnell. “I’m already working with our human resources team on implementing some of our research conclusions here in Southwest Florida.”

Richards’ capstone project focused on sustainability.  He and his partners from Oregon and Ohio presented “Impacting the Bottom Line: Championing the GII Sustainability Program.”

“The Senior Leader Program provided me with insight into my current leadership style,” explains Richards.  “The six month process requires intensive self-reflection, vulnerability and honesty. The program identifies your strengths and areas of improvement which is essential for continued professional growth as a leader.”

Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that serves Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Hendry and Glades Counties by offering life-changing opportunities to achieve independence for people with disabilities and disadvantages. Goodwill’s mission-related programs include Job-Link resource centers, community outreach, disability-accessible housing, the Goodwill SWFL MicroEnterprise Institute, and the Goodwill L.I.F.E. Academy charter school.

For more information about Goodwill’s programs in Southwest Florida, visit http://www.goodwillswfl.org.

More information about Goodwill Industries International is available online at http://www.goodwill.org.