LOUISVILLE, Ky. (March 25, 2014) — Amy Luttrell has been named the incoming president and CEO of Goodwill Industries of Kentucky. She will begin her duties by July 1.
Luttrell, a Lexington native and current president and CEO of Goodwill Easter Seals Miami Valley (GESMV) in Dayton, Ohio, will replace Roland R. Blahnik, who is retiring from Kentucky’s Goodwill after 30 years.
“I am so pleased that Amy has agreed to join us at Goodwill Industries of Kentucky. Her accomplishments in Dayton and nationally exhibit her passion for Goodwill’s mission and dedication to those we serve,” said Bob Shaw, board chair of Goodwill Industries of Kentucky. “Her experience, incredible leadership abilities, and recognition as a national leader in Goodwill by her peers will provide a strong platform for our Goodwill’s continued success. Our board could not be more excited about having Amy lead us into the future.”
Luttrell began her career with Goodwill in 1979 in Nashville, Tennessee, before taking the helm at Goodwill Industries of the Conemaugh Valley in Johnstown, Penn. For the past 16 years, Luttrell has led GESMV through significant growth in services to people with disabilities or other disadvantages, including mergers with Easter Seals of West Central Ohio in 1999 and neighboring Goodwill Industries of Lima (Ohio) in 2007. Last year, she received the prestigious Kenneth K. King Management Award for Executive Excellence from Goodwill Industries International.
“I’m very excited to be coming back to my home state. While I haven’t lived here for many years, this is an opportunity to combine my belief in Goodwill as a force for good with my love for Kentucky,” Luttrell said. “Roland has done so much to advance Goodwill’s mission, and it’s an honor to follow in his footsteps. I look forward to working with the board and staff to offer a ‘hand-up’ to more and more Kentuckians who want to build better lives.”
Upon Luttrell’s installation, Blahnik will be named President Emeritus and remain as a consultant to ensure a smooth transition. He leaves Goodwill after leading the Louisville-based nonprofit through three decades of unprecedented expansion in services and geographic footprint.
“It has been my privilege to experience Goodwill Industries of Kentucky’s growth in services for 30 years,” said Blahnik. “There is not even a pause in growth of services on the horizon for this Goodwill. The board of directors has found a new leader who is very capable of continuing that growth. Amy brings a wealth of experience that will let her move forward with a very short learning curve.”
In 1984, Blahnik took the reins at a struggling Goodwill organization with only two stores and 23 employees. Today, in addition to operating 63 donated goods centers that create jobs and hands-on training, Goodwill Industries of Kentucky provides employment counseling, adult literacy programs, and job search assistance to thousands of people each year. In 2013, the organization placed 2,470 in jobs outside of Goodwill and paid nearly $18 million in wages to people with disabilities or other barriers to employment.
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