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Goodwill International's CEO Elected to Global Board of Directors

Workability International Calls on Goodwill Expertise

December 13, 2005

Rockville, MD – Workability International, a global association of organizations that provide career services to people with disabilities, has elected George W. Kessinger, President and CEO of Goodwill Industries International, to its Board of Directors.  Kessinger took the position on December 8 and will serve a one-year term.

“It is an honor to sit at a table with representatives of international agencies who want to exchange knowledge and resources to improve the workforce development systems that support job seekers with disabilities,” says Kessinger.  “I look forward to sharing Goodwill’s experience and, through my affiliation with Workability International, hope to enhance the global network of employment resources for people with disabilities.  At Goodwill Industries, we know that a good job and career advancement opportunities are cornerstones to an individual’s economic independence.”

Kessinger will draw on his 35 years of Goodwill experience to support Workability International’s mission of championing everyone’s right to work and establishing international standards for the delivery of employment services.  Founded in 1902, Goodwill Industries trains people for careers in fields such as financial services, computer programming and health care.  To mark its Centennial Anniversary in 2002, Goodwill launched its 21st Century Initiative, a pledge to help 20 million people and their families around the world achieve economic self-sufficiency through work by the year 2020.  Under Kessinger’s leadership, Goodwill is exploring new entrepreneurial ventures, identifying areas of opportunity, and building relationships with like-minded organizations. 

Before taking the helm of Goodwill Industries International, Kessinger served as President and CEO of Goodwill Industries of Orange County (Santa Ana, CA), where he helped expand that agency’s workforce programs, grew revenues, and oversaw the launch of www.shopgoodwill.com, the first and only Internet auction site owned and operated by a nonprofit.  Kessinger holds an MBA from the University of California, Irvine, a Master’s of Divinity from Drew University (Madison, NJ), and a Bachelor’s in Sociology and Psychology from the University of Missouri (Columbia).  Throughout his years at Goodwill Industries, Kessinger has garnered the organization’s most prestigious awards for excellence in management and leadership.

Goodwill Industries International is a network of 205 community-based, independent agencies in the United States, Canada, and 22 other countries.  In 2004, more than 723,000 people benefited from Goodwill’s career programs. Its revenues totaled $2.39 billion in 2004, and 84 percent of its revenues were returned directly into programs and services. 

Founded in Sweden in 1987, Workability International is the world’s largest body representing providers of work and employment services for people with disabilities.  Since January 2002, Workability International’s membership has grown to more than 106 members in 32 countries.