ROCKVILLE, MD — Anne Richards, president and CEO of Goodwill of Greater Cleveland and East Central Ohio, has been elected to serve as board chair on the Goodwill Industries International (GII) Board of Directors. Richards replaces board chair Edgar “Ned” Helms, grandson of Goodwill® founder Rev. Edgar J. Helms.
Richards leads one of the largest nonprofit organizations in Northeast Ohio, which is comprised of 24 stores and 28 mission programs that served more than 18,600 people in 2022. In her role as CEO, she creates and guides the strategic direction and mission for the $44M organization, which currently employs more than 700 individuals in 10 counties throughout Ohio and West Virginia. Richards has served as a member of the GII Board of Directors for the past two years, including serving on several committees.
“With more than a decade of experience working at Goodwill and with prior service on the board, Anne possesses rich experience invaluable to Goodwill Industries International,” said Steven C. Preston, GII president and CEO. “As our organization continues to evolve in a rapidly changing environment, Anne’s combination of local insights and national perspective will be critical in helping GII support local Goodwill organizations to meet the needs in their communities.”
Before joining Goodwill in 2012, Richards held several human resources leadership roles for the Timken Company, a $5B Fortune 500 global industrial leader, including guiding and supporting domestic and international initiatives. She has been elected to numerous community boards of directors, serving as an officer on most of them. Richards is a graduate of Leadership Cleveland, Leadership Stark County and Cleveland Civic Leadership. In addition, she is a founding member of the Cleveland Chapter of the Private Boards Association.
“It is a great honor to be selected as the board chair for Goodwill Industries International and follow in the footsteps of the esteemed Ned Helms,” said Richards. “Goodwill is a social enterprise that provides people across the globe with life-changing skill-building programs and services. I am honored to help lead the efforts of this great organization that impacts the lives of so many individuals.”
Richards earned her master’s degree in counseling and human development from Walsh University and her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Kent State University, graduating from both with honors. She is also a graduate of the 2017 GII Executive Development Program (EDP) as well as a Certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and a Society of Human Resources Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP).
Richards and her family reside in Massillon, Ohio.
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ABOUT GOODWILL INDUSTRIES INTERNATIONAL
Goodwill works to enhance the dignity and quality of life of individuals and families by strengthening communities, building bridges to opportunity, and helping people in need reach their potential through learning and the power of work.
For more than 120 years, Goodwill® organizations across North America have helped people find jobs, support their families and feel the satisfaction that comes from working. There are 155 local Goodwill organizations that assist people through a variety of employment placement services, job training programs and other community-based services. Thousands of people receive employment and other human services through Goodwill and, in 2022, they helped more than 2 million people build skills, access resources and advance careers.
Goodwill sells donated items in nearly 3,300 outlet and retail stores in the U.S. and Canada and online at shopgoodwill.com®, the first nonprofit internet auction site, and other online marketplaces. The revenue creates job placement and training programs to help people earn paychecks and build their careers.
For more information or to find a Goodwill location near you, visit goodwill.org. Follow us on Twitter: @GoodwillIntl and @GoodwillCapHill, and find us on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube: GoodwillIntl. Register for our Legislative Action Center via advocate.goodwill.org.
