We are excited to have Bob Pedersen as this year’s keynote speaker. Bob has been President and CEO of Goodwill North Central Wisconsin since 1991. Combined with his tenure at Goodwill NCW, Bob has had 34 years of non-profit leadership experience with a variety of organizations.

Bob’s keynote address will focus on a period beginning in 2003 when “a trusted, 27-year employee cunningly embezzled more than half a million dollars from Goodwill Industries of North Central Wisconsin, Inc. over a seven-year period” (Betrayal,2004). Bob’s account of this story will provide us with an opportunity to think about how we can “navigate through challenge” and make the best of difficult situations.

To gain additional context and meaning from this address, all conference participants are strongly encouraged to read, Betrayal, which is an account of the embezzlement. The short book can be accessed by visiting the following site:

http://www.goodwillncw.org/Betrayal.pdf