Goodwill Leadership

James K. Stiff is the President of Goodwill Industries of Middle Georgia and the Central Savannah River Area. The territory consists of 31 counties in Georgia and four in South Carolina.

Mr. Stiff began his tenure in March 1994 in Georgia and broadened the service population in 1995 from only people with disabilities to include people with other barriers to employment. The result was the creation of Job Connection career centers that offer a variety of services via Goodwill and partner organizations.

In 2007, Mr. Stiff launched Helms College, the first licensed, nationally accredited and federal financial aid eligible post-secondary school in the Goodwill network. Under his leadership, Goodwill’s operating revenue has increased from $1 million to more than $40 million. During the past five years, our local Goodwill placed 30,811 people into jobs and created more than $888.9 million in new payroll purchasing power.

Mr. Stiff received the P.J. Trevethan Award for outstanding contributions to the training and development of Goodwill Industries personnel, the Matthews Entrepreneurial Award from Goodwill Industries International, as well as The Distinguished Alumni Award from Grand Valley State University.

Prior to being recruited to Georgia, Mr. Stiff served at the Goodwill Industries of Greater Washington for seven years.  Mr. Stiff received his Bachelor of Philosophy in Human Services from Grand Valley State University and holds a Masters in Education and Religious Studies from Notre Dame Institute. He has served on many boards, including Goodwill Industries International Board, Goodwill Global Board, Downtown Macon Rotary Club (where he is Past President), the Macon-Bibb County Workforce Investment Board, the Georgia State Workforce Investment Board, Grand Valley State University Alumni Board, and the Knight Foundation Advisory Board.

Between Mr. Stiff and his wife Meredith Bishop Stiff, they have seven children: Sarah, Anna, Rebekah, Philip, Clare, Valerie Rose, and Mary Margaret.