Aug 17, 2016
Rochester, NY – Goodwill of the Finger Lakes announces three promotions in Donated Goods/Retail Administration. Donated Goods/Retail Administration oversees the Goodwill retails stores, including the Goodwill Clearance Center, donation locations, and warehousing operations. Donated Goods/Retail is the way Goodwill takes in donations of gently used clothing and other no longer needed items. The donations are then sold in Goodwill stores to support our mission services such as ABVI, 2-1-1/LIFE LINE and job preparation programs for individuals in our community who have barriers to employment.
“We have gone through many changes over the last several months in our Donated Goods/Retail operation. These changes have been implemented to grow our organizational ability to support our mission of changing people’s lives through the power of work, including the lives of our team members,” says Warren Ballard, VP of Donated Goods/Retail at Goodwill of the Finger Lakes. “With this, these three employees have taken on a bigger role in the administration of our Donated Goods/Retail operation.”
Jacqui Zacek has been promoted to Assistant Director of Retail Operations.
Jacqui Zacek came to Goodwill in 2012 bringing her 25 years of retail management experience in “big box” stores to her new role as store manager. Two years later, she was promoted to Area Manager. This role initially included responsibility for four of Goodwill’s stores in the Rochester area. Her responsibilities expanded and now cover all of the retail stores in Goodwill’s 20-county territory.
“Jacqui knows that she could not be successful without help from those around her. She enjoys being in the stores and getting to support all team members; giving them a voice when decisions that impact them directly are being made. This mindset has been valuable as she continuously reinforces a culture of development in our retail division,” says Ballard.
Rob Nurse has been promoted to Assistant Director of Logistics and Post Retail
Rob Nurse came to Goodwill in 2005 from retail management and professional basketball. In 2014, while serving as an Area Manager, Rob completed the Senior Leadership Development Program through Goodwill Industries International.
“Rob’s leadership of the warehouse and logistics team has been invaluable, especially as we have moved warehouse locations, expanded our business throughout the Greater Rochester area, into the Syracuse market, and opened our Clearance Center,” says Ballard, adding: “This vast experience has prepared him for his expanded role of overseeing the Clearance Center and continuously improving our logistics operation.”
Melissa Spade has been promoted to Retail Administration Manager
Melissa Spade brought her 10 years of retail experience to Goodwill in 2009, serving first as an Assistant Manager before working her way up from Operations Manager to Store Manager. Over the last seven years, Spade has been instrumental in many retail imperatives – opening new stores and implementing a new ERP/POS system, including the procedures and reporting that go with that new system.
More recently, Spade has been assisting the Donated Goods/Retail Administration team with new goods acquisition. In her new role, Spade will be leading the buying, receiving, and allocation of new goods to stores along with additional inventory responsibilities.
“Melissa knows that her experience and hard work managing the day-to-day operations of our stores is paramount as she takes an even larger role in supporting the entire Donated Goods/Retail operation,” says Ballard.