Goodwill Keystone Area President & CEO Ron Kratofil has been appointed by Governor Tom Wolf to the Pennsylvania Workforce Development Board. In that role, he will work with the board and community businesses to connect members of the workforce to the needs of local employers. The state board is comprised of business and elected officials from across Pennsylvania.
“It is truly an honor to serve on the PA Workforce Development Board,” Kratofil said. “I’m proud to represent Goodwill, a social enterprise that has always helped individuals overcome barriers to go to work. I am excited about joining private industry, labor officials and government leaders to help connect skilled workers to employers across the Commonwealth.”
Kratofil has been with Goodwill for more than three decades. Prior to becoming the President and CEO, Kratofil was the Executive Vice President and COO of Goodwill Keystone Area (GKA). He earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, M.Ed. in rehabilitation counseling from the University of Pittsburgh, and MBA from Pennsylvania State University.
The Pennsylvania Workforce Development Board is the governor's principal private-sector policy advisor on building a strong workforce development system aligned with state education policies and economic development goals. Its members are appointed by the governor and represent a cross-section of business executives, labor officials, education leaders, economic development practitioners and local elected officials. Additionally, the cabinet secretaries of five state agencies, as well as four members of the general assembly, serve on the board.
The board's mission is to ensure that Pennsylvania's entire workforce system, covering many programs in multiple departments and agencies, meets employers' needs for skilled workers and workers' needs for career and economic advancement. Additionally, the board is responsible for providing policy guidance and direction, evaluating performance and recommending continuous improvements.
The mission of Goodwill Keystone Area, a nonprofit, is to support persons with disabilities and other barriers to independence in achieving their fullest potential as workers and as members of the broader community. Goodwill operates more than 40 thrift stores in 22 central and southeastern Pennsylvania counties. Goodwill also provides business services such as custodial, document shredding, packaging and assembly to businesses and government. Proceeds from Goodwill stores and business services fund job training and employment programs to support people with disabilities and barriers to independence. Goodwill’s philosophy is that work is a building block of community and that when people are given an opportunity to work, their self-esteem increases and other problems are minimized. Last year, more than 4,300 people received life-changing services from Goodwill Keystone Area.
Learn more about Goodwill Keystone Area President & CEO, click here.