Goodwill® Employee Wins Grand Prize in the Undercover Boss Employee of the Season Contest on CBS.com

ROCKVILLE, Md., June 28, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Anthony Cornell, an employee of Goodwill Industries of Northwest North Carolina, has won the Undercover Boss Employee of the Season grand prize of $5,000 on CBS.com. Cornell is the manager of a JobLink/Career Connections Center in Winston-Salem, NC. He and his staff help people in their local community receive the services they need to earn jobs and build fulfilling careers. Through Anthony's hard work and leadership, he has helped more than 400 people earn jobs in his community in the last year.

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Cornell was nominated for the CBS.com contest by colleague and friend Tanika Hawkins. "His dedication inspires us all to do more, and that is what makes him a valuable employee," said Hawkins in her nomination video.  

Cornell was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at the age of two years old. He started working at the Winston-Salem Goodwill 14 years ago as a part-time employee and worked his way up to his current position as manager. He and his staff work with people in the community who are expanding their skills and looking for employment. The services offered at the center include resume writing assistance, personalized career counseling, help with cover letters, job search assistance, networking workshops, interviewing skills training, and access to computers and Internet.

"Many of our friends and neighbors are still feeling the effects of the economy and unemployment. Goodwill employees like Anthony Cornell are working tirelessly to help these people earn jobs," said Jim Gibbons, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries International. "Anthony is just one of the many hardworking and dedicated Goodwill professionals around the country who are helping people in their communities grow their careers and strengthen their families."

Cornell was named a contest finalist for the month of April. He was one of seven finalists to be part of the second round of voting.

"On behalf of Goodwill Industries of Northwest North Carolina, I offer my heartfelt congratulations to Anthony for representing how Goodwill's social enterprise serves the community," said Thomas Royal, Multimedia/Public Relations Specialist. "His dedication and work is the embodiment of Goodwill's mission of helping people find and earn jobs."

To view Anthony's CBS.com video entry, click here http://bit.ly/anthonywins. To view a video about Goodwill featuring Cornell, click here.  

"I would like to offer my sincere thanks to everyone who voted for me to be the Undercover Boss Employee of the Season grand prize winner," said Anthony Cornell, JobLink/Career Connections Center manager at Goodwill Industries of Northwest North Carolina. "Along with my team, I will continue to do my best to make sure people have access to the resources they need to find jobs and get back on their feet."

ABOUT GOODWILL INDUSTRIES INTERNATIONAL

Goodwill Industries International is a network of 165 community-based, independent agencies in the United States and Canada with 14 affiliates in 13 other countries. Goodwill is one of the nation's top five most valuable and recognized nonprofit brands as well as a leading social services enterprise (Source:  Cone Nonprofit Power Brand 100, 2009). Goodwill agencies are innovative and sustainable social enterprises that fund job training programs, employment placement services and other community-based programs by selling donated clothing and household items in more than 2,500 stores and online at shopgoodwill.com. Local Goodwill agencies also build revenue and create jobs by contracting with businesses and government to provide a wide range of commercial services, including packaging and assembly, food service preparation and document imaging and shredding. In 2010, more than 2.4 million people in the United States and Canada benefited from Goodwill's career services. Goodwill channels 84 percent of its revenues directly into its programs and services. To find your local Goodwill, use the online locator at http://goodwill.org or call (800) 741-0186.

SOURCE Goodwill Industries International