New CEO takes over at Goodwill Industries Manasota

Fifty years ago, Bob Rosinsky decided to try a job at Goodwill while he was pursing a PhD in psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

He wanted to evaluate his life's direction and Goodwill offered new territory for him.

"The first couple of weeks was a different experience," said Rosinsky, who at 25 had never been surrounded by those who were born with a disability, or who had suffered through a tragic car accident, or who had been hooked on drugs or alcohol.

"I was seeing people who had bad things happen to them," he said. "It gives you a different perspective on life."

It was a perspective that was attractive to him in pursuing a career at Goodwill and eventually which saw him becoming president and CEO of Goodwill Industries Manasota in 2013.

"All the things that frightened me had gone away," he said. "I didn't see people with disabilities. I just saw people. After that I was enthusiastic."

The enthusiasm continued through July 1 when he called it a career after 50 years.

Bradenton's Rosinsky walked through the Bradenton store July 1 alongside Donn Githens who has taken over as president and CEO after serving under Rosinsky as director of operations.

"I've never felt Goodwill was work," Rosinsky said. "I love what I do, and if this was my business, I would do it until I die."

He said Githens is extremely qualified to take his place and he noted Goodwill Industries Manasota is positioned for success in terms of serving the community.

"When I took over our headquarters near the Sarasota Bradenton International Airport). It was built in 1972 and it had more problems than we have time to talk about.

"This building was built in 2014. This certainly is a better place and our financial position is much stronger than ever in our history. Donn will have a lot more options in strategic planning."

Rosinsky, 73, said Goodwill did an excellent job of navigating the pandemic, keeping a core of its workers even when "Gov. Ron DeSantis closed Florida."

"You need to have a board of directors willing to trust you to work through COVID," Rosinsky said.

He also noted the $10 million donation from MacKenzie Scott, the former wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.

But most of all, he said Goodwill is in good hands.

"Donn is a good husband, a good father, a good son, a good brother, and a good friend," he said. "He has tremendous expertise and he has a passion for what we do. He has an intuitive way of building teams and for encouraging them to produce outstanding results. He's a wonderful human being."

Two years ago Rosinsky suggested to the board that Githens should be groomed to take over. A year ago, the board decided Rosinsky work his final year to prepare him for the job.

Githens has worked for Goodwill since 2006.

"I was working in Tallahassee for Blockbuster as a regional manager," he said. "My oldest son Tommy (now 16) was on the way. I had two offers and one was from Goodwill. My Aunt Barbara (Shay) said, "Goodwill ... that's what you have to do."

Githens said his Aunt Barbara held a special place in his life so he followed her advice. He also said his grandmother, Brigid Shay, and grandfather, James Shay, lived in Middle Island, New York and worked collecting donations and items for a church.

He eventually moved to Goodwill in Atlanta and moved up as an executive.

Nine years ago, Rosinsky recruited him to the region and they immediately became friends. He has been the director of operations since 2015.

They have done much traveling together around the nation to improve Goodwill's operations.

It is all work?

"When we travel, we hang out," Sarasota's Githens said. "We like to fish. He probably is my best friend and he has been a fantastic mentor. We have great, spirited conversations on a lot of things."

But even on a lake, the conversation turns to Goodwill.

"If we hook a fish, we talk about fish," Githens said. "But then it's, 'Hey, what about this salvage thing?'"

Rosinsky said Githens will face new challenges in taking over, but the principles remain the same as when Goodwill was founded in 1902. 

"I didn't know the founder," Rosinsky said with a laugh.

But he does know the mission after five decades.

"There is a lot of stuff going on in the world that makes us unhappy," he said. "We can't do much about it. But we can change one person at a time by loving them, giving them direction. It is Milieu therapy where the environment creates the cure. The beauty is we really are working for the people who are working for us and with us."

Githens said addressing the current challenges includes enhancing Goodwill's social media.

"We have to be out in the community," he said. "How do we get the word out there? We're going to teach you about Goodwill. We will have a monthly lunch and learn."

He said Goodwill continues to outpace the minimum wage by $2 per hour for new employees. Those employees, though, can't afford housing in the area and that is another challenge.

Rosinsky said Goodwill will find a way.

"The entire business retail environment will be more more difficult," he said. "But we see opportunities to multiply and amplify everything Goodwill does," he said. "Job creation has been our mission since 1902 and we have gotten here by being very agile. I've gone through depressions, and recessions, and we have survived and grown."