The work of Goodwill of the Heartland and NE Iowa

Pat Airy is a dedicated, passionate, visionary leader who has devoted her career to Goodwill of the Heartland. She has been told that she “bleeds Goodwill blue”. She began her Goodwill career in 1985 as a Job Placement Specialist, providing job seeking skills training, job placement and follow-up services to individuals with barriers to independence. Pat served as the organization’s first Human Resources Director and was responsible for setting up the HR systems for the organization, including the hiring system, new employee orientation, the performance appraisal and compensation system. Pat was promoted to Vice President of Human Resources and Cedar Rapids Operations in 2004. She led the organization’s facility contracts team to ISO certification, a prestigious quality management certification. Under Pat’s leadership, the organization developed the Walgreens community-based retail program. In 2012, Pat was promoted to the position of President and CEO. Under Pat’s leadership over the past five years, the organization increased revenues by 21%, grew the number of services to people with barriers to independence by over 100% and grew community job placements by 65%. Goodwill of the Heartland was recently named one of the Best Workplaces in Iowa.

Pat successfully graduated from Goodwill Industries International’s Executive Development Program, a two-year program to prepare future Goodwill CEOs. Pat believes strongly in community involvement. She has served on the Board of Directors of Trees Forever and the Parent Education Consortium, and has served on the United Way of East Central Iowa’s Community Investment Committee. She chaired a capital campaign for her church building project, raising $3.4 million, and has volunteered in many roles in her church. She has taught Junior Achievement classes, tutored at the Catherine McAuley Center, is a Boy Scout merit badge counselor and a member of the Downtown Cedar Rapids Rotary Club.

Pat received her Bachelors of Business Administration degree from Iowa State University.