Long-Term Ohio Goodwill® President and CEO Receives Distinguished Career Award

ROCKVILLE, MD — After more than 40 years of leading and growing Ohio Valley Goodwill Industries (Cincinnati), Goodwill Industries International is pleased to award Joseph Byrum the 2019 J.D. Robins Jr. Distinguished Career Award. The award recognizes a Goodwill CEO for outstanding career contributions and dedication to the advancement of the Goodwill Industries® enterprise over a span of at least 25 years, with at least 15 years as a CEO.

Under Byrum’s leadership, the Cincinnati Goodwill organization has seen expansion of its community programs and services, consistent economic growth, and placement among the top three percent of rehabilitation facilities in the United States. The organization has served more than 100,000 men and women, including military veterans, individuals with disabilities and others who face challenges to finding employment, and it has expanded programs and services as warranted by community need.

In the early 1990s, the organization launched the Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program (HVRP) to help the growing number of veterans who were unemployed and experiencing homelessness to find employment in their communities. In 2018, HVRP served nearly 600 veterans and helped place nearly 400 into jobs.

In addition, faculties and services for individuals with developmental disabilities have grown exponentially over the past 30 years. In collaboration with Hamilton County Developmental Disabilities Services and Mental Health and Recovery Board, the Goodwill provides vocational rehabilitation case management and case service funding for individuals with developmental disabilities and/or persistent mental health diagnoses. Entering its eleventh year in 2019, this project brings $1.2 million into the community to provide vocational rehabilitation and employment services.

Ohio Valley Goodwill Industries has built additional cooperative relationships with a total of four County Boards of Development Disabilities in Southwest Ohio, including Hamilton, Butler Clermont and Warren County Boards of Developmental Disabilities.  Through these additional long-term partnerships, almost 600 individuals annually are provided individualized services which reflect their personal goals.

Ohio Valley Goodwill Industries has also opened six satellite work training centers during Byrum’s tenure; initiated the launch of a recreation/leisure program in Butler County; supported the development of the Placement Assistance Center (PAC) program, which provides job placement assistance to individuals who have no funding source for services; and, most recently, initiated a new summer youth program in collaboration with Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities.

Since Byrum’s inception in 1980, the organization has increased revenue by $37.7 million, which is more than 1000 percent. This has given the organization capacity to provide services to community residents when funding streams are reduced. Goodwill’s economic impact in the local community is more than $64 million annually, making it one of the largest employment and training centers — as well as business enterprises — in the Southwest Ohio region. In 2015, Cincinnati Business Courier recognized Byrum as Nonprofit Executive Director of the Year as a result of Ohio Valley Goodwill’s overall economic impact to the Greater Cincinnati community.

“Joe’s role as president and CEO for Ohio Valley Goodwill over the past almost 40 years has served to help thousands of individuals with disabilities and our nation’s veterans to move towards economic self-sufficiency and achieve personal success,” said Charlie Wright, chairman of the Goodwill Ohio Valley Board of Directors. “It is this lifetime of service and the individuals who have benefited that provide testimony to Joe’s appropriateness for the 2019 J.D. Robins Distinguished Career Award.” 

Byrum has served on the legislative committee for the Ohio Association of Goodwill Industries and Greater Cincinnati Rotary for a number of years. He is also a previous board member of the leadership development committee for Goodwill Industries International, and a previous member of the National Rehabilitation Association, the Ohio Rehabilitation Association and Southwest Ohio Rehabilitation Association.

Byrum received his award at the February 2019 Goodwill Annual Meeting of the Conference of Executives.

CONTACT:
Sharon Hannon
Marketing Director
Ohio Valley Goodwill Industries
(513) 771- 4800, ext. 6364
[email protected] 

CONTACT:
Savanna Mickens
Public Relations Specialist
Goodwill Industries International
(240) 333-5293
[email protected]

ABOUT THE J.D. JR. ROBINS DISTINGUISHED CAREER AWARD
The J.D. Robins Jr. Distinguished Career Award recognizes one CEO for outstanding career contributions and dedication to the advancement of the Goodwill Industries enterprise over a span of at least 25 years, with at least 15 years as a CEO. The award was renamed in 1999 to honor the late J.D. Robins Jr. for his career-long impact and influence on Goodwill management and process improvement.

ABOUT OHIO VALLEY GOODWILL INDUSTRIES
Ohio Valley Goodwill Industries is a private, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to helping individuals with disabilities and other barriers to employment to obtain jobs, skill training and personal development opportunities.

Celebrating more than 100 years of service to the Greater Cincinnati community, Ohio Valley Goodwill Industries helps people to achieve personal success. For more information, visit www.cincinnatigoodwill.org. Follow us at https://www.facebook.com/cincigoodwill; https://twitter.com/GoodwillCinci; https://www.instagram.com/cincigoodwill/

ABOUT GOODWILL INDUSTRIES INTERNATIONAL
Goodwill Industries International (GII) is a network of 161 community-based, autonomous organizations in the United States and Canada with a presence in 13 other countries. GII is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that is recognized by GuideStar with its Platinum Seal of Approval, the organization’s highest rating for charities. For the past three years, Goodwill was ranked in the top five brands that inspired consumers the most with its mission in the World Value Index, commissioned by the creative agency, enso. Goodwill has been on Forbes’ list of top 20 most inspiring companies for three consecutive years, the only nonprofit featured on that list.

Local Goodwill organizations are innovative and sustainable social enterprises that offer job placement and training services, and other community-based programs by selling donated clothing and household items in more than 3,300 stores collectively and online at shopgoodwill.com®.

Goodwill helps people facing challenges to finding employment, including people with disabilities, veterans and military families, youth and young adults, older workers, people reintegrating into society, and others working to advance their careers. Local Goodwill organizations build revenues and expand employment opportunities by contracting with commercial, state, government and non-government organizations to provide a wide range of business services, including janitorial and grounds maintenance, flexible staffing, food service, manufacturing and contracts packaging, reverse logistics, document imaging and shredding, and laundry services.

Last year, local Goodwill organizations collectively placed more than 288,000 people in employment in the United States and Canada. In addition, more than 38 million people used computers and mobile devices to access Goodwill education, training, mentoring and online learning services to strengthen their skills, and more than two million people received in-person services.

Goodwill is both an icon and accessible neighbor: more than 82 percent of the U.S. population resides within 10 miles of a Goodwill location.

For more information or to find a Goodwill location near you, visit goodwill.org, or call (800) GOODWILL. Follow us on Twitter: @GoodwillIntl and @GoodwillCapHill, and find us on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube: GoodwillIntl.