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Phoenix Goodwill CEO Honored with 2007 Kenneth K. King Management Award

Goodwill Industries International Recognizes Keith Mason’s Leadership Philosophy

June 25th, 2007

Rockville, MD — With a personal motto of “to build a ‘customer-first’ culture, you must put them second,” one Goodwill Industries CEO has spent his tenure assembling a passionate and talented staff and Board of Directors first so that his organization can serve more than 10,000 individuals annually with the highest quality workforce development services. His distinctive leadership philosophy has earned Keith Mason, CEO of Goodwill Industries of Central Arizona (Phoenix), the 2007 Kenneth K. King Management Award from Goodwill Industries International.

Mason has shown a consistent commitment to the improvement of planning, people and processes. While implementing quality improvement initiatives such as Kaizen and Six Sigma, the CEO has also spent an equal amount of effort implementing recruitment and staff development processes to ensure only the most talented and dedicated staff work as his organization.

“Keith is the kind of leader that sets the bar for all leaders of local Goodwill agencies,” says George W. Kessinger, President and CEO of Goodwill Industries International. “His Goodwill succeeds because his people are successful in their jobs. Great teams like Keith’s emerge from great leadership.”

A few of Mason’s accomplishments include:
•    3,500 percent growth in the number of clients benefiting from Goodwill programs;
•    an increase from six to 94 commercial services contracts in three years;
•    geographic expansion of workforce development, retail and commercial services to include Prescott and Yuma counties, and 13 municipalities;
•    50 percent improvement in public perception following a targeted marketing campaign; and
•    financial stability through increased productivity and decreased costs throughout all levels of the organization.

“Using strategic planning at the board, senior management and department levels, our organization now shares a common vision for growth and success,” says Veronica Armstrong-Kareem, Board Chair for Goodwill Industries of Central Arizona (Phoenix). “Keith acts as a visionary leader and then steps aside for staff to guide the operations.”  Mason has also been an active leader throughout the Goodwill network, lending his expertise and counsel to other Goodwill agencies and their leaders.

This award is presented to a Goodwill Industries executive in recognition of outstanding management abilities and accomplishments. The award recognizes a CEO whose performance consistently demonstrates strong organizational impact related to mission, excellence and sustainability. It is named for the late Kenneth K. King, who endowed the Kenneth K. King Management Award for Executive Excellence Trust.