London Inc. December-January 2024 - 20

10 Minutes With
AFFORDING OPPORTUNITY
Bev Kobe, Goodwill's new president and CEO, talks
about career transitions, why mentoring matters and
the transformational power of work
BEV KOBE IS the new president and CEO of Goodwill in London, officially
known as Goodwill Industries, Ontario Great Lakes. She grew up in Tavistock,
moved to London in 1987 and graduated from Fanshawe College in 1990 as a
child and youth counsellor. She began her career at London Health Sciences
Centre (LHSC) and later earned a certificate in psychosocial rehabilitation,
studying part-time at Mohawk College.
She joined Goodwill in 2008 and has held several positions, including
director of workforce development, vice-president and, most recently, chief
mission advancement officer.
She lives in Lambton County and will work out of the London office.
" However, I will be out in our communities across the province engaging with
our employees and strategic partners. "
Kobe has two sons, both of whom recently graduated from college and
launched their own careers. Benjamin works in cardiac critical care at Kingston
General Hospital; Jacob is a powerline apprentice with Hydro One.
Congratulations on your appointment as president
and CEO. Looking back, does this feel like a natural
progression since you joined Goodwill 15 years ago?
I've always been committed to my professional development,
and as I would participate in various leadership
development offerings and as Goodwill continued to grow,
there definitely were opportunities to advance. Goodwill
prides itself on developing people, and there were always
one or two mentors I could tap into and garner helpful
feedback and coaching along my path.
What prompted you to join Goodwill originally?
In all honesty, it was my life circumstances at the time. I
had left my full-time position at LHSC as I started to have
children, and after a few years when ready to return full
time to my career, the opportunity with LHSC was not
there. Looking back, it was time for a change. I needed to be
challenged.
How was the organization, and the environment in
which it operates, changed since then? The organization
has grown to over 1,200 employees. We've opened more
locations and, in doing so, have created more jobs. There
is more focus on the health and well-being of our workforce,
and we have invested significantly in programming,
supports such as employee coaches and other offerings
20|londonincmagazine.ca|DECEMBER / JANUARY 2024
to address needs and develop resiliency in our teams. As
we look to innovate and increase our collective impact,
whether it be around stewardship of the environment
through recycling and remanufacturing, social issues,
etcetera, Goodwill has increased the number of community
partners we work with and we value these relationships.
You're succeeding Michelle Quintyn, a respected
community leader. Did you seek any advice from
her? Absolutely! Michelle has been a mentor to me for a
number of years, working alongside me, coaching, sharing
her experiences and connecting me to various opportunities.
Michelle has great insights and instincts, and I am
grateful to have had the opportunity to learn from her.
You've discussed the organization's desire to
grow in the coming years. How does " growing our
business " benefit the people who rely on Goodwill?
As Goodwill grows, we are able to increase access to
affordable goods for community members. More stores
translate into easier access for both donors and shoppers.
Job creation is another positive outcome of our planned
growth. And Goodwill commits to hiring those who are
typically shut out of the labour market. We believe work is
transformational and that second chances are important.
Also, as revenue increases, we are able to reinvest
London Inc. December-January 2024

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