Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont has chosen Dr. Tony Zeiss, president of Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte, as the recipient of the 2012 Jack Callaghan Cornerstone Award. The highest honor given by Goodwill, the award is presented annually to an individual who has demonstrated a passionate commitment to helping people who face barriers to employment, independence, and self-sufficiency.
Zeiss will receive the award at Goodwillâs annual Cornerstone Celebration, presented by Wells Fargo, on Thursday, May 24. The event will take place at The Westin Charlotte, beginning at 11:45 a.m. Established in 1994, the Cornerstone Celebration luncheon honors individuals and corporations for their support of Goodwillâs mission.
The Cornerstone Award is named after Jack Callaghan, the first recipient of the honor. Callaghan was a television personality at WSOC-TV and station manager. He played a leadership role in numerous local, state and national community service organizations, including Goodwill. Callaghan contracted polio later in his life, and became a passionate advocate for people who experience barriers to employment and independence.
Also during the event, Elizabeth Cobb will receive Goodwillâs Volunteer of the Year Award. Since 2007, Cobb has generously given more than 400 hours of her time as an Achieve Global trainer in Goodwillâs Occupational Skills Training (OST) courses, directly impacting nearly 1,000 students. Last year, Cobb was awarded a paid leave-of-absence by Wells Fargo, and she chose to spend six weeks with Goodwill, working tirelessly to advocate for Goodwill graduates.
The organizationâs Corporate Champion awards will be given to Microsoft Corporation and Chartwells â UNC Charlotte. Microsoft awarded Goodwill with an Elevate America grant, which funded the organizationâs Operation Independence programs for military veterans and their families, and has continued to provide software, funding and training to help Goodwill equip individuals with basic and more advanced technology skills.
Chartwells, a member of Charlotte-based Compass Group North America, provides dining services for UNC Charlotte as well as 230 other higher education establishments across the country. The organization has been working with Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont since 2008, and has hired more than 35 individuals with disabilities with the help of the organizationâs Vocational Coaching Services program.
Edwin Vazquez, Allen Taylor and Lisa Obeid will be honored with Good Work! awards.
About the CPCC/Goodwill Partnership
For more than 40 years, CPCC has served as a strategic partner with Goodwill in developing community workforce development programs. Together, CPCC and Goodwill have served nearly 600 individuals through a joint construction training program since 2007. The organizations also partner to serve area military veterans and their family members through the Operation Independence program, which is delivered on-site both at Goodwillâs Career Development Center and through CPCCâs Veterans Resource Center. The two organizations also partner to offer GED preparation courses.
