Former Goodwill Hawaii President/CEO Laura Smith Inducted Into Goodwill Industries International Hall of Fame

Honolulu, Hawaii — Former Goodwill Hawaii president and CEO Laura Smith was recently inducted into the Goodwill Industries International (GII) Hall of Fame in recognition of her exemplary contributions to the Goodwill mission. Smith, who led Goodwill Hawaii from 1994 to 2020, is only the 6th female to receive the honor from GII.

“Laura dedicated her life’s work to serving people in need, and her steadfast leadership and passion for helping others has touched tens of thousands of lives here in Hawaii,” said Katy Chen, Goodwill Hawaii president and CEO. “The legacy that she built at Goodwill Hawaii has left an indelible mark on our organization and set a foundation that will allow us to continue the work she started for many years to come.”

Smith joined Goodwill Hawaii in 1982 as Director of Rehabilitation overseeing programs for adults with disabilities and was named president and CEO in 1994. Through her leadership, she expanded Goodwill’s economic engine into a diverse statewide network statewide of retail stores, donation centers, and service programs to provide employment opportunities for people with employment barriers. She also focused on building a solid financial foundation through the development of long-term assets such as Goodwill Hawaii’s Kapolei Career and Learning Center and the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Honolulu Career and Learning Center.

While president & CEO of Goodwill Hawaii, Smith also served on more than two dozen national, state, and city boards and committees, including the Goodwill Industries International Board, State of Hawaii Public Housing Authority, City and County of Honolulu Mayor’s Taskforce on Homelessness, and is a founding member of the Hawaii Waiver Providers Association (HWPA) and Hawaii Alliance of Nonprofit Organizations (HANO).

As part of the GII Board of Directors, Smith worked with the committee that hired current GII CEO Steve Preston and was part of the group that helped Goodwill Hawaii to secure a $5 million donation from MacKenzie Scott in December 2020.

The Goodwill Industries Hall of Fame recognizes retired Goodwill CEOs, staff, volunteers and others for exemplary contributions to the broader Goodwill mission. Begun in 1991, the Hall of Fame’s initial class of inductees included Goodwill founder Dr. Edgar J. Helms.

For more than 65 years Goodwill Hawaii has been serving the state with a variety of employment and training programs. The nonprofit organization provides job training, education and placement services for at-risk youth, adults with disabilities, low-income families, individuals transitioning out of incarceration, immigrants and others with employment challenges. Other services include financial education, tax filing assistance and transportation. For more information, visit GoodwillHawaii.org.