Goodwill NYNJ Board Chair Henry Gooss retires after 27 years of service

NEW YORK, Sept. 23, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- After 27 years of service to Goodwill Industries® of Greater New York and Northern New Jersey, Inc. Henry E. Gooss announced, at the end of the fiscal year last June, his retirement as Chair of its Board of Directors and that he would remain as board member through December 31, 2021. Mr. Gooss joined the board in 1994 and was named Chair in 2015. Board Members Donald G. Huber and Douglas A. Hand have been appointed Chair and Vice Chair respectively.

During Mr. Gooss's tenure in the board, Goodwill NYNJ became one of the leading employment agencies in the NYC metropolitan region and organization that people looked up to in times of emergency and economic distress. When the US government enacted the 1996 welfare reform laws, Goodwill NYNJ partnered with the City of NY to create customized training and placement services for individuals who were unemployed or under-employed. After the attacks of 9/11 and Hurricane Sandy in 2012, the agency organized large-scale job fairs. During the Great Recession of 2009, the nonprofit was instrumental in the recovery of the local economy by partnering with the federal and local governments to create programs to re-train and place the thousands of people who had lost their jobs. Goodwill successfully ensured that the Goodwill Terrace Apartments in Astoria Queens would remain affordable housing after the sale in 2018.

During the pandemic that brought economic devastation to our region since early 2020, Goodwill NYNJ kept 90% of its programs operating, pivoted to tele-services, and developed a hybrid social service model.  Goodwill NYNJ has improved our thrift-stores, with the changing shopper climate, ensuring a new life for pre-loved goods that helps the environment and our mission. As Goodwill NYNJ begins a new chapter in Brooklyn with recently launched innovative programs like the Bridge to Technology pilot to prepare people who seek the skills required for advanced technology training programs that help them get on-demand tech jobs.

"My longstanding support for Goodwill NYNJ reflects an unwavering commitment to its core mission of preparing people with disabilities and other barriers for productive employment and independence," said Mr. Gooss. "Goodwill has been my most gratifying charitable board. I have no doubt that Don and Doug will work successfully with Katy and her management team to take Goodwill GNYNJ to new heights!"

"We owe tremendous gratitude to Henry Gooss, chairman for the last six years and board member for 27 years," said Donald G. Huber. "Hank most recently led Goodwill through this challenging pandemic period, and helped deliver a three year plan that should drive strong and sustainable growth based on our core competencies. Hank's leadership, steady focus and sense of humor will be missed." Huber added, "I'm delighted and honored to be stepping into a leadership role for this tremendous organization. Our mission 'to empower individuals with disabilities and other barriers to employment, to gain independence through the power of work' has never been more critical given the impact the pandemic has had on this population. The opportunities to expand our mission services are tremendous, as are our opportunities to support sustainable fashion through our stores.  I look forward to working with Katy and the superb Goodwill NYNJ staff, and continuing to work with our very strong and active board of directors."

Donald G. Huber is a senior vice president and portfolio manager at Franklin Templeton, where he manages institutional and retail global equity portfolios. Prior to joining Franklin Templeton in 2002, Mr. Huber was with JPMorgan Chase and predecessor organizations, where he focused on portfolio management, strategic planning and relationship management in private and corporate banking. Mr. Huber holds a B.B.A. from the University of Michigan.

Mr. Huber has served on the Goodwill NYNJ board for five years, and in that time has served as the chairman of the development and human resources committees.  In addition to serving on Goodwill's board, Mr. Huber serves on the board of The Downtown Little School in NYC.

"I'm immensely proud to be elected to the Vice Chair position of the Goodwill NYNJ Board of Directors. As many retailers have, Goodwill has faced a challenging environment, but, given its unique position of having a mission of championing social programs while at the same time providing an environmentally sustainable purchase option for apparel and housewares," said Douglas A. Hand, Jr. "The future of Goodwill NYNJ is bright. I'm thrilled to be involved with the organization during this propitious moment of delivering on both our social mission while advancing a more circular economy that's ecologically responsible."

Mr. Hand is a founding partner of HAND BALDACHIN & ASSOCIATES LLP, a law firm focused on fashion and lifestyle industries. He is also an Adjunct Professor teaching courses on fashion law at both New York University School of Law (where he also sits on the Fashion & Luxury Council) and Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law (where he also sits on the Board of Advisors for the Fashion, Arts, Media and Entertainment (FAME) Law Center).

Mr. Hand is a member of the Business Advisory Committee of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), as well as the Board of Directors of the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) Foundation; Fashion Group International (FGI), The Kitchen, an interdisciplinary experimental arts organization. He has authored numerous articles and two published books, The Laws of Style, by the American Bar Association Publishing, and The Business and Law of Fashion and Retail, by Carolina Academic Press.

Mr. Hand obtained a B.A. with Honors from Vassar College in 1992, J.D. from New York University School of Law and M.B.A. from New York University School of Business in 1997.

"We are grateful to Henry G. Gooss for his forward-thinking leadership throughout his tenure," said Katy Gaul-Stigge, Goodwill NYNJ President and CEO. "Since Hank joined Goodwill three decades ago, we have improved our sustainable thrift-stores and implemented innovative programs that provide customized training for our neighbors to ensure that nobody is left out of the power of work. Gaul-Stigge added, "I join our entire Goodwill NYNJ team in welcoming Don and Doug – we are eager to execute our 3-year double impact strategic plan to grow and deepen the impact of mission programs on people served, funded by a robust and sustainable retail enterprise, adopt a person-centered approach to mission impact throughout the agency, and to tell the Goodwill story of impact."

About Goodwill NYNJ:
Goodwill Industries of Greater New York and Northern New Jersey, Inc. (Goodwill NYNJ) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that operates retail stores throughout the region powered by donations of clothing and household items. Goodwill NYNJ translates those donations into workforce development services for people with disabilities and the unemployed, and job training leading to employment. Annually, Goodwill NYNJ services build better lives for thousands of New York City Metropolitan Area residents and their families. For more than 106 years, the agency's mission has been to empower individuals with disabilities and other barriers to employment to gain independence through the power of work. Learn more about Goodwill NYNJ at  http://www.goodwillnynj.org; follow us on Twitter: @GoodwillNYNJ; and find us on Facebook or Instagram: GoodwillNYNJ.

Contact: Jose Medellin | [email protected] | (646) 238-9133 mobile

SOURCE Goodwill NYNJ

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