OUR MISSION

Goodwill Industries of the Inland Northwest helps people build independence within the communities we serve.

(Photo courtesy of Andy Smith, Information Technology, Goodwill Industries of the Inland Northwest.)

OUR VISION

We at Goodwill Industries of the Inland Northwest will be satisfied only when every person we serve has the opportunity to achieve his or her fullest potential as an individual, enriching our communities.

OUR VALUES

Respect

We treat all people with dignity and respect.

We put people first and believe in the potential of individuals to make positive changes in their lives.

We pursue and celebrate diversity.

We continually seek to exceed the expectations of all of our stakeholders: donors, customers, participants, employees, volunteers, and community partners.

Quality

We provide programs that are high quality, effective, and relevant to the changing needs of the communities we serve.

We place a high priority on safety in all that we do.

We embrace innovation, continuous improvement, creativity, collaboration, and change.

Responsibility

We continually strive to meet the highest ethical standards.

Stewardship: we honor our heritage by being socially, professionally, financially, and environmentally responsible.

We believe in our accountability to our constituents, each other, and ourselves.

From Yesterday to Today: OUR HISTORY

In 1902 Dr. Edgar J. Helms, a Boston minister, conceived the idea of collecting unwanted household goods and employing jobless men and women to refurbish them for re-sale in simple storefronts. Dr. Helms famously said he wanted to give people “a chance, not charity.” The Goodwill concept of self-help worked and the movement gradually spread west across the country.

Indebted in Spokane In 1939 a Goodwill was established in Spokane, opening with $43 in debt, two helpers, and the Superintendent. All of them worked at Goodwill for six months without any pay.

As Goodwill expanded from its primitive “musty, dusty” stores filled with boxes and bins of stuff Piled high to light-filled attractive and organized retail facilities, its services expanded to meet the needs of more individuals each year. Today Goodwill Industries operates 21 locations in two states, serves more than 5000 people each year, employs more than 500 individuals, and puts more than $19,000,000 back into the communities we serve. Today Goodwill’s regional headquarters in Spokane showcases the many awards our agency has won, most recently the 2010 nonprofit Organization of the Year Award presented by the Spokane Chamber of Commerce.

OUR LEADERSHIP

Clark M. Brekke, President/CEO

Clark Brekke has been continuously involved with Goodwill since 1994, most recently serving as Chief Operating Officer before his appointment as President/CEO in 2008. A graduate in Business Administration from the University of Montana, Mr. Brekke received his Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership from Gonzaga University. He is a Certified Executive through Goodwill Industries International and also is a graduate of its Executive Development Program where he serves as a mentor to aspiring Goodwill executives.

The President/CEO is assisted by his senior team.

• Merrilee Plowman, Chief Financial Officer
• James Stailey, Senior Director of Operations
• Wade Rooks, Senior Director of Human Resources
• Michele Harris, Director of Workforce & Family Services
• Heather Alexander, Director of Marketing & Fund Development
• Douglas Ross, Associate Director of Information Technology

2013 Board of Directors

Bruce McEachran, Business/ Real Estate Development, Board Chair

• Richard Storro, Secretary
• Alan Curryer, Treasurer
• Loretta Bombino
• Mike Church, General Counsel, Goodwill Industries of the Inland Northwest
• Jeffrey Maichel, CPA, CIA
• Amy Talley
• Lee Tate
• Homer Todd
• James Whanger

2012 REPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY 

Another important way we measure the quality of our services is receiving accreditation by CARF (the national nonprofit Rehabilitation Accreditation Commission).

Goodwill Industries of the Inland Northwest has consistently received the maximum period of accreditation—three years—-for the following services:

Community Employment Services: Job Development Community Employment Services: Job Supports Community Employment Services: Job-site Training Comprehensive Vocational Evaluation Services Employment Planning Services

Goodwill’s current accreditation was awarded in September 2011 following an intense examination by CARF surveyors who scrutinize operational aspects of the organization, from management to safety to service delivery.

Read All Of Our News Articles Now

Goodwill® Named One of America’s Most Inspiring Companies by Forbes

Forbes recently released a list of America’s 25 Most Inspiring Companies that included Goodwill® this year for the first time. The list was based on results from consulting firm Performance Inspired, Inc., which surveyed 2,175 consumers online to identify these “most inspiring” companies. These consumers responded by explaining the five companies they found most inspirational… Read More

Goodwill CEO combines passions for business, community

Clark Brekke, President/CEO

Clark Brekke, CEO of Inland Northwest Goodwill Industries, wants customers to expect great deals – prices at least 70 percent below what items would sell for new…. Read More

Goodwill worker finds $38,000 in checks, $1,500 in cash 

Taide Gonzalez

EAST WENATCHEE – It’s not uncommon for sorters at Goodwill Industries to find some change or a few bucks in donated items. But Taide Gonzalez (pictured left) was in for the surprise of her life Tuesday afternoon when she opened a gray… Read More