Leader’s Entrepreneurial Spirit Sets Example for Others
ROCKVILLE, MD — After 19 years as president and CEO of Goodwill Industries of Central Texas (Austin), Jerry Davis has developed a reputation for being an innovative, entrepreneurial leader who is committed to staff development and community collaboration. For his successes in furthering Goodwill’s mission, Davis has been awarded the 2012 Kenneth K. King Management Award for Executive Excellence from Goodwill Industries International.
Davis and his team set an annual strategic objective to be in the top 10 percent of all Goodwill® agencies in overall revenues. They’ve achieved that objective every year since Davis joined the Austin Goodwill. Revenues increased 54 percent between 2007 and 2011, from $37 million to $57 million.
The CEO has perfected several strategies to ensure donated goods retail success: reducing transportation costs, placing stores in donor-rich areas; building award-winning, appealing stores to attract and keep customers; and diversifying the types of stores — such as outlets, boutiques and computer stores — to reach other markets.
Davis led the Goodwill enterprise’s Going Green Initiative for several years and brokered a free computer and electronic recycling partnership with Dell that today includes more than 118 Goodwill member agencies and 2,600 donation drop-off locations in the U.S. and Canada.
Within his own organization, Davis has created a learning environment that encourages staff to grow their skills and move up the career ladder. All levels of staff are encouraged to pursue higher degrees under a tuition reimbursement program. The agency’s internal promotion rate is 70 percent.
“Jerry leads by example and has served as a mentor to many CEOs within the Goodwill enterprise,” said Jim Gibbons, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries International. “He’s instilled in his staff and board that ‘good’ isn’t good enough. Jerry works tirelessly to ensure his organization is doing great things.”
Earlier this year, Davis won GII’s P.J. Trevethan Award for commitment to staff development. In 2011, he was honored with GII’s Matthews Entrepreneurial Award.
The Kenneth K. King Award for Management Excellence 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. The award is the highest honor a Goodwill president and CEO can receive.
