Blogs

Julie O'Malley

Julie joined Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin, Inc. as Manager of Sales and Business Development in 2013. She brings more than 15 years of management experience in the healthcare and consumer packaged goods industries. She received her MBA from the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University and her undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin.

FIRST Robotics Wisconsin Regional Competition

Posted by Julie O'Malley on May 31, 2018

As we entered the UWM Panther Arena, we immediately felt the energy of a big athletic event. The cheering fans, lights, banners, mascots and loud music all made it seem as though an NCAA basketball game was about to begin. Instead, it was the 2018 FIRST Robotics Wisconsin Regional Competition. We were invited to attend by Debby Oakes, a Mentor for the combined Brookfield East and Brookfield Central High Schools FIRST Robotics Competition Team 2202 'BEAST Robotics.'

Project SEARCH interns sharpen their interview skills

Posted by Julie O'Malley on May 17, 2017

So, tell me about yourself. What are some of your short term goals? What have you enjoyed most about your internship? What was your favorite rotation?

Our Project SEARCH interns have been preparing for questions like these. They're in the home stretch of their internship year at the Milwaukee County Zoo and finding a good job in the community is a top priority. Being ready to put your best foot forward during the interview is key to getting hired. As the interns have learned throughout the program, you get better through practice. Thanks to our friends at Baird, they had a great chance to build their interview skills in a real world setting. Read More

It’s all about perspective

Posted by Julie O'Malley on September 7, 2016

I have a Hallmark greeting card hanging above my desk from a retired Goodwill employee. It features a picture of two dinosaurs on a rock surrounded by water and in the distance is an ark with several pairs of animals visible. One dinosaur is saying to the other, “Oh Crap! Was that today?” The inside of the card reads, “A bad day is all about perspective.”

Working together for the greater good, Goodwill & MHVI

Posted by Julie O'Malley on April 6, 2016

Last month, I had the opportunity to visit the one-stop-shop for those who have served our country and their families, The Milwaukee Homeless Veterans Initiative (MHVI). They have helped 2,600 veterans and families since it was formed in 2008. This year, MHVI launched VetsNet to dramatically increase the number of veterans served and to fill gaps not being met through other organizations. According to MHVI, there are 300-400 homeless vets in the Milwaukee area. VetsNet makes it their mission to decrease this number and support those who have served our nation.

Annual Event Advances Goodwill's Mission

Posted by Julie O'Malley on September 23, 2015

The annual “Retro Rendezvous” is Goodwill’s biggest event of the year. Our theme this year is Instant Replay and there’s a full lineup of entertainers—memorable moments of songs and entertainment-- for what promises to be an outstanding evening.

Driving Growth and Innovation

Posted by Julie O'Malley on August 26, 2015

Admittedly, I have very little experience fishing. But it was easy to get hooked on the strategic insight from a successful business leader with a serious love of the sport. To him, fishing is a way of life. So he naturally drew from his on the water expertise while speaking to our group about how to drive growth and innovation in an organization.

Gain a Competitve Advantage with Goodwill Manufacturing

Posted by Julie O'Malley on July 22, 2015

Last year over 42 million units were packaged and assembled by Goodwill Manufacturing for our business partners. There are many reasons companies choose to outsource work to Goodwill. Whether we’re handling engine parts or hand soap, it’s important to have a firm grasp of the underlying issues we can help tackle. It could be improved operational efficiency, talent shortage, faster turnaround time, space constraints or equipment capabilities. Whatever the problem, our goal is to help our business partners solve it to gain a competitive advantage.

Goodwill's New Headquarters Take the Spotlight

Posted by Julie O'Malley on June 24, 2015

“Reinforces the Goodwill brand message”
“Strong Mission presence”
“Great to be part of the Greendale community”
“Welcoming environment”
“Matches our culture”
“Very inviting, lively design”
“Wonderful place to see the mission in action every day”

That’s a sampling of comments shared by employees and visitors about our new Goodwill Center for Work and Training – Southwest Campus in Greendale. It’s a special place with a rich history in the community.

Goodwill and the Star Spangled Banner

Posted by Julie O'Malley on May 27, 2015

The Pulitzer Prize winning photo of the flag-raising on Iwo Jima remains a national icon. Our treasured Star Spangled banner is proudly planted at the North Pole, and on the Moon. This past Monday, Old Glory flew at half staff from sunrise until noon in honor of Memorial Day.

Quality Workforce: Strong Competitive Advantage

Posted by Julie O'Malley on April 22, 2015

It is a great feeling to see everything come together and cross the finish line on a new venture. That was the case when a key customer’s large, new project was launched this month. The excitement was taken up a notch when our customer needed a small order of kits to ship out the day prior to the formal production startup. They were terrific to work with and have made us feel like a part of their company from the start, so it only seemed fitting that we’d work side-by-side on the production line to get this initial batch out the door.