ORLANDO, Fla. (December 21, 2022) – Earlier this month, Goodwill Industries of Central Florida (GICF) recognized seven outstanding leaders within the company at its GICF Leadership Conference 2022. On December 7 and 8, approximately 90 employees across a variety of divisions within the organization – including retail, missions and facilities – gathered at the Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Orlando to celebrate the honorees.

In honor of their successful efforts to forward Goodwill’s mission and provide exemplary leadership, the following individuals received “Champion” awards:

• Mark Mumley, Winter Garden Store Manager – Work Experience Champion
• Rhonda Yeager, S. OBT Store Manager – Work Experience Champion
• Ron Kozik, Port Orange Store Manager – Pay It Forward Champion
• Zach Leichering, Construction Project Manager – Beyond the Call of Duty Champion
• Donald Lee, Clermont Store Manager – Great Place to Work Champion
• Gary Hughes, Supply Chain Manager – Innovation Champion
• David Watson II, Prosperity Planner – Building Lives that Work Champion

“Goodwill’s leaders are the driving force behind our programs and the success of the greater organization,” said Ed Durkee, President and CEO of Goodwill Industries of Central Florida. “Our service awards honor the individuals who go above and beyond to serve our community and put Goodwill’s mission into action. We’re very grateful for their hard work.”

Rick Whitted, Chief Executive Officer of U.S. Hunger and author of the book, “Outgrow Your Space at Work,” was the keynote speaker at the event, sharing best practices for creating a thriving workplace culture and building a successful career. The conference also included a Poverty Simulation, designed to generate awareness about root causes of poverty. Additional breakout learning sessions focused on building trust and communicating as a leader.

GICF has dozens of job opportunities available, ranging from entry-level to managerial-level positions across several different sectors, including retail, human resources and finance. The nonprofit offers generous, best-in-class benefits, including health, dental and vision insurance, a tuition scholarship program, and one-on-one coaching through the organization’s Prosperity Planning initiative, which provides participants with time, support and resources to reach their goals. For more information about job openings or to fill out an online application, visit www.GoodwillCFL.org.

About Goodwill Industries of Central Florida, Inc. (GICF)

For more than 60 years, Goodwill Industries of Central Florida has provided vocational and job placement services to tens of thousands of people living in Central Florida. Through 31 retail/outlet stores and 16 Donation Xpress locations in Orange, Seminole, Osceola, Brevard, Lake and Volusia counties, Goodwill will divert more than 20 million pounds of clothing and household items from landfills in 2022. Goodwill Industries of Central Florida directly channels more than 90 percent of its annual revenue into programs that enable individuals to secure meaningful employment, achieve their personal goals and thrive economically.