Milwaukee Goodwill^® Hosts 2021 Annual Meeting

Conference to generate $1 million in economic impact for local community

July 26, 2021

Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin, Inc. is hosting nearly 300 executives from Goodwill organizations across North America in downtown Milwaukee from July 25 – 27, 2021.  An additional 160 virtual attendees from Goodwill leadership will also be in attendance for the Goodwill Industries International annual conference of the Delegate Assembly.  

“It’s an exceptional time to host the annual meeting in Milwaukee,” said Jackie Hallberg, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin and Metropolitan Chicago. “As we celebrate the success of the Milwaukee Bucks, we look forward to showcasing more of Milwaukee and the region to this dedicated group of workforce development leaders from across the Goodwill network.”  

According to Visit Milwaukee, the conference is expected to create $1 million economic boost for the community. Area hotels, restaurants, suppliers and other venues will experience the impact of the visitors from Goodwill. An evening event at the newly renovated American Family Insurance Amphitheater Founder’s Club will showcase entertainment from two local bands - The Cerfus Project and The Olen Franklin Experience. The Goodwill Delegate Assembly keynote speaker is local award-winning author and certified business coach, David Cooks.  

This year’s conference theme, Rising Together™, aligns with the first-of-its-kind coalition of the same name, which was recently launched by Goodwill Industries International and aims to empower one million people to access sustainable careers by 2025 and drive an equitable economic recovery. The Rising Together™ coalition provides a combination of holistic workforce services and supports as well as builds and expands upon programs that address the inequities and systemic barriers facing workers in our society the most. Coalition partners include the Anthem Foundation, Coursera, Google, Indeed and Lyft.

“We are thrilled to hold our largest meeting of CEOs and board members in Milwaukee, a city that is rich in history and culture, and home to the our newest NBA champions, the Milwaukee Bucks. Goodwill leaders will share their experiences and best practices in leading social enterprises, which provide training and job support to more than one million job seekers and directly employ more than 120,000 people,” said Steve Preston, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries International. “We extend our sincere appreciation to Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin and Metropolitan Chicago – one of our largest employment providers in the country – for graciously serving as our host and showcasing the wonderful attributes of Milwaukee to our Goodwill leaders.”

As the governing body of the Goodwill network, the Delegate Assembly is comprised of all Goodwill presidents and CEOs, their respective board representatives and the private sector members of the Goodwill Industries International Board of Directors. The group comes together annually to learn from one another, share ideas, challenge thinking and celebrate achievements.  

Despite the closure of all non-essential operations during the pandemic, Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin and Metropolitan Chicago supported nearly 40,000 people and made more than 4,300 employment placements across its territory of Southeastern Wisconsin and Northern Illinois in 2020. This was made possible by the organization’s continued operation of essential businesses serving the community including its commercial laundry and linen operation; a full-service staffing and recruiting agency; its Workforce Connection Centers, and a home-delivered meal program. It also provided support to U.S. Navy Sailors and Recruits through Goodwill Great Lakes.

Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin and Metropolitan Chicago is a nonprofit social enterprise providing employment, training and support for people experiencing challenges to finding employment. The organization also has an impact on environmental sustainability, recovering the value in almost 140 million pounds of clothing and household items from landfills in 2020. Revenue generated from Goodwill store and donation centers helps to fund workforce services the organization provides for job seekers.