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Goodwill Industries International Appoints New President and CEO

Jim Gibbons to Take Office April 7, 2008

February 19, 2008

Rockville, MD – The Board of Directors of Goodwill Industries International, Inc., has selected Jim Gibbons as the organization’s new president and CEO, effective April 7, 2008. Gibbons will succeed George W. Kessinger, who is retiring after 35 years of distinguished service to Goodwill at the local, national, and international levels.

Gibbons has served as president and chief executive officer of National Industries for the Blind (NIB) since October 1998.  NIB is a national organization dedicated to providing employment opportunities and upward mobility for people who are blind.  Under Gibbons’ leadership, NIB increased employment for people who are blind year-over-year; deployed innovative new business solutions in the e-commerce and electronic digital document conversion markets; and grew its federal contract sales from $250 million to $525 million.

“Gibbons shares Goodwill’s passion for improving the economic and personal independence of people who are having a hard time finding a job,” says Bob Dugas, chair of the Board of Directors of Goodwill Industries International, Inc.  “As a proven leader in creating and expanding employment opportunities for thousands of people, Gibbons’ appointment is a big win, not only for Goodwill and the people who benefit from our programs, but also for employers seeking a quality workforce.” 

“I am honored that the Board of Directors has given me its vote of confidence to lead the nation’s premier provider of education, training and career services for people with disabilities and disadvantages,” Gibbons says. “I look forward to working with the top-notch team of professionals dedicated to giving people everywhere the tools they need to reach their fullest potential. The Goodwill mission is one I
wholeheartedly believe in: Every person deserves the chance to achieve their dreams and contribute to society.”

Before NIB, Gibbons served as president and CEO of Campus Wide Access Solutions, a wholly owned subsidiary of AT&T.  An employee of AT&T for over a decade, Gibbons held leadership positions in operations, product management and mergers and acquisitions.

Gibbons earned his bachelor of science degree in industrial engineering from Purdue University, and attended the Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration, where he was the first blind person to graduate with a Master’s in business administration. He has served on the Harvard Business School Alumni Association Board of Directors and Executive Committee; as a board member of the National Association for the Employment of People Who Are Blind (NAEPB); president of the World Blind Union (WBU) North American/Caribbean Region; member of the Executive Committee, WBU; chairman of the Employment Committee, WBU; and is a member of the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO).

Gibbons grew up in Indianapolis, IN, and now lives in Fairfax Station, VA, with his wife and three children. 

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