Goodwill SOLAC CEO is set to retire
After 20 years leading the nonprofit, Janet McCarthy will step down Jan. 6; Kimberly Hall will succeed her
Janet McCarthy has lived and breathed the Goodwill Mission for the past 30 years in Long Beach, the last 20 as president and CEO of Goodwill SOLAC.
That long run will officially end on Jan. 6, when McCarthy will retire.
A successor already has been selected. Kimberly Hall, most recently at the Southern Mississippi
Goodwill, will take the helm of Goodwill, Serving the people of Southern Los Angeles County, arriving in December to spend some time with McCarthy.
“I am honored to have led this extraordinary organization, as we’ve taken this journey to provide a ‘hand up’ to those we serve,” McCarthy said in the leadership change announcement. “I’ve had the joy of working collaboratively with many valued colleagues and community, statewide and national partners, to ensure that every individual in our community has the opportunity to thrive.”
McCarthy has been active in
Long Beach, serving on nonprofit boards during her tenure, including the Community Action Partnership, the Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce and Leadership Long Beach. Earlier this year, she was given the P.J. Trevethan Award by Goodwill International for her notable contributions to training programs for both managers and staff at Goodwill organizations.
Under McCarthy’s leadership, the agency grew annual revenues from $8 million to nearly $30 million, employing an average of more than 400 people in its headquarters and 18 stores in the 22 cities Goodwill SOLAC serves. Those cities include Torrance, Manhattan Beach, Rancho Palos Verdes and Redondo Beach.
The workforce development program has expanded to include certified nursing assistant training, the only program of its kind in the Goodwill network. Goodwill also operates the LiNKS Sign Language & Interpreting Services, also the only one of its kind.
Larry DeJarnett, who chaired both the Goodwill SOLAC and Goodwill International boards, said McCarthy was a star.
“The Rev. Edgar Helms, founder of the Goodwill movement, said, ‘Friends of Goodwill, be dissatisfied with your work
until every handicapped and unfortunate person in your community has an opportunity to develop to his fullest usefulness and enjoy a maximum of abundant living,'” DeJarnett said.
“Every day at Goodwill SOLAC, Janet was the heart and soul of Dr. Helms' admonition,” he added, “as she led her teams to bring high-quality work skills, job preparation and training, and good jobs to the workdisadvantaged persons of southern Los Angeles County. In Goodwill parlance, Janet was a shining star.”
Brad Ward, the longest tenured board member and another past chair for Goodwill SOLAC, pointed out that McCarthy led the agency through the coronavirus pandemic successfully.
“She not only leaves an agency that survived, but one that is thriving and prepared to meet the increasing needs of the communities we serve,” Ward said. “Janet's legacy is seen in the success of the overall mission of Goodwill SOLAC, but more importantly, it can be witnessed in the individual lives of thousands of people who have experienced the power of work.”
McCarthy declined to talk about the past, focusing on future goals for Goodwill.
“I'm probably the most pleased with the implementation of our health care training programs and its growth over the last five years,” McCarthy said. “And I really hope that the licensed vocational nurse program will continue to be pursued.”
Goodwill SOLAC's board completed a sevenmonth nationwide search to find McCarthy's successor.
Hall was tapped to move across the country from Goodwill Industries of
South Mississippi, where she was leading workforce development, service contracts and more as the chief workforce and economic development officer. Before that, she had worked for one of the largest Goodwills in the country — Goodwill of Central and Northern Arizona in Phoenix.
“Our board is enthusiastic about its selection of Kimberly Hall to assume the position as Goodwill's next president and CEO,” board chair Anitra Dempsey, who led the search, said. “She brings enormous passion and significant experience in advancing workforce transformation. With her leadership, we can achieve our agency's next strategic path forward to equip people in the southern Los Angeles County area with the tools to advance economic mobility through access to employment and the power of work by 2030.”
Hall has a master's degree in the science of leadership from Grand Canyon University after earning a bachelor's degree in human service management from the University of Phoenix. She exhibited a passion for resolving homelessness issues while in Phoenix, including launching a grassroots nonprofit called the Hope Project.
“I wholeheartedly believe in the mission and vision of the organization,” Hall said in the release announcing her hiring. “Simply put, the power of work can transform individuals, families, and communities. I look forward to building upon the great work of Janet McCarthy and all Goodwill employees to provide employment and advancement opportunities to those we serve.”
Goodwill SOLAC states its mission as transforming donated goods into job training, education and placement services for individuals with barriers to employment. For more information, go to ThinkGood.org.