August 5 - 9, 2012
Overview
At Goodwill Industries International’s (GII’s) Summer Conference, Goodwill® professionals can network with their peers and delve into six major areas that strengthen our business: finance, information technology, marketing, retail, contracts and business development. Learn about Goodwill best practices in each discipline, as well as trends beyond the Goodwill network.
There’s No Stopping Us Now
Goodwill agencies continue to innovate as sustainable social enterprises that fund job training, employment placement services and other community programs supported by revenue from the sale of donated goods, contract services, private and public grants, and individual giving. In 2011, donations grew by 7%, the number of new stores increased by 6%, revenue from contracts grew 1% and the number of people employed throughout the Goodwill enterprise increased by 6.4%. There really is no stopping us now
In order to maintain this trajectory of growth, we need to remain agile and respond to the changes in our economy, with technological advancements including social media as well as remain sensitive to demographic changes and how that changes the dynamics in the workplace. This year, we have designed a learning experience that will enable you to explore different viewpoints and move beyond agreeing with presenters’ conclusions. During the conference, attendees will explore critical components to local success, including collaboration; leverage the enterprise through our brand, national footprint and talent; and strengthen our teams, grow donated goods and harness the power of social media. This year’s conference will focus on these issues while addressing the core competencies that have contributed to Goodwill’s success.
CEO - $475
Don't forget about the scholarship program, which provides support for local Goodwill representatives to attend the various GII-sponsored events including the Spring and Summer Conferences, Conference of Executives and Delegate Assembly. Scholarships are awarded primarily on financial need. Click here to download the scholarship application.
Member Marketplace Tradeshow
Tradeshow features you are used to:
• Networking opportunities with over 120 organizations in varied business areas
• Breakfast, lunch and coffee breaks within the tradeshow floor
• Several opportunities to win great prizes
New Exciting Features this year:
• Dedicated 15-minute vendor presentations
• 'Reversed Tradeshow' where Goodwill staff can schedule 15-minute un-interrupted meetings with exhibitors for detailed discussions
• GII demonstrations featuring MyGoodwill, EMIS, IT Capabilities Database and more
• Several opportunities to network with vendors and colleagues over cocktails at the 'Tradeshow Night of Receptions'. .
Over the next couple of months, stay tuned for exciting conference news on GoodwillTODAY, the Marketplace Connection and list-serve messages.
For more information on the tradeshow, send an email to marketplace@goodwill.org
Scholarships:
Attend the first-timers’ session on Monday, August 6, 2012, from 3-4 p.m. to learn how to get the most out of the event, meet Goodwill colleagues and GII team members, and learn about the many GII resources and programs available to your Goodwill.
Twitter has become a popular forum for conference attendees to communicate with each other before, during and after events. Many of your colleagues will be tweeting before, during and after the Summer Conference; and you are invited to join in on the conversation. The official event twitter is: www.twitter.com/GIIEvents. The official event hash tag (to facilitate searches on Twitter) is: #GIIEvents. Learn more about Twitter.
Below you will find instructions on how to set up your twitter account so you will get messages from your colleagues and continue the conversations online during the Summer Conference in Miami.
Sending and receiving updates through Twitter while at the Summer Conference helps you stay up-to-date and remain engaged with the conference. If you’re not already on Twitter, start by signing up for an account at https://twitter.com/signup.
Once you’ve signed up, there are a few ways to get started using Twitter on the go:
- Many new smartphones come with a free Twitter application (or app) already installed. Look for the blue Twitter bird to see if your phone is already Twitter-ready.
- If you have a smartphone but don’t have Twitter installed, visit https://twitter.com/#!/download on your phone and download the free app straight to your phone. Once it’s installed, just open the app and log in with your Twitter username and password. (Learn more about installing apps on Blackberry, iPhone and Android devices).
- If you don’t have a smartphone or don’t want to go the app route, you can sign up to receive Twitter updates as text messages (or SMS). Visit Twitter’s help center page to learn how to set up your phone to receive messages via SMS. Each Twitter message will count as a text message, so be sure you know what your plan looks like with your mobile provider.
Regardless of how you access Twitter, be sure to follow or subscribe to updates from the official event Twitter at http://twitter.com/GIIEvents. Want to tweet a message to the GII events team? Start your tweet with @GIIEvents and include the hashtag #GIIEvents.
Questions
