Susie Buffett, now ex-donor, calls Goodwill CEO’s defense of pay ‘outrageous’

[Omaha Steve]

Source: Omaha World Herald

By Henry J. Cordes

Snip: The statements from McGree and the board were blasted by Susie Buffett, whose Sherwood Foundation pledged $140,000 this year for a Goodwill program training youth in construction skills.

“I think his statement is outrageous,” Buffett said in an interview. “I think the board should be embarrassed. I think (McGree) should have been fired Monday or earlier. I don’t know why he’s still there.

“They will never get another penny from the Sherwood Foundation. There is my statement.”

Capping a four-month investigation, The World-Herald reported this week on McGree’s corporate-styled pay package, which in 2014 included a $519,000 retention bonus that pushed his total pay close to $1 million. Even without the bonus, his pay was more than double that of Omaha’s other prominent social service nonprofits and the Goodwill affiliates in our region most comparable in size.

FULL story at link.

Also see: Goodwill Omaha executive pay: An investigative series By Henry Cordes and Matthew Hansen: http://dataomaha.com/media/news/2016/goodwill/

Goodwill Omaha statement regarding The World-Herald's investigation into the charity's executive pay: http://www.omaha.com/news/metro/goodwill-omaha-statement-regarding-the-world-herald-s-investigation-into/article_031ab9e8-9bad-11e6-bc7d-4726d0b56948.html



Read more: http://www.omaha.com/news/metro/susie-buffett-now-ex-donor-calls-goodwill-ceo-s-defense/article_8a3f3ac0-9bbc-11e6-9651-d35471a141c5.html

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Susie is the daughter of billionaire Warren Buffet.

Read though all the face book replies at the bottom. I have one.

[LittleGirl]

1. Thanks for sharing.

I've heard rumors about goodwill being this way and I'm happy to see it in print. This is a problem all over the country, not just there. I think the Feds need to look into this.

[Omaha Steve]

4. Goodwills are run like franchises

Omaha is a bad apple. Most Goodwill cities have a fine record of helping-training the needy. Please keep that in mind.

OS

[Stuart G]

6. What you have said above is true. But, with respect I would like to add something.

This story has got national publicity. When I saw it, I thought they all must be run that way. But, you have pointed out the truth. Still, the damage is done, and will hurt all Goodwills. This asshole should have been fired immediately, but no they are investigating. Investigating my ass..........

[niyad]

9. maybe some of them, steve, but after dealing with the goodwill here, and finding out

how little employees are paid, and how much the ceo (national) gets, and how the local goodwill tried to screw up my neighborhood, etc. etc., I have no use for the organization at all.

[LittleGirl]

12. I heard these complaints from people in

Indianapolis and Tucson where I used to live so I thought it was nationwide. This needs to be addressed and looked into...nationwide.

[bucolic_frolic]

2. Thanks for posting, interesting

The Buffet's occupy the common sense, middle-of-the-road, astute
thinking, which is why they are able to prosper long-term and continue
to perform at a high level.

They may make a lot of money - but they know when something is
out of whack.

[sendero]

3. Remember folks...

... "non-profit" only means there are no shareholders. Since shareholder are often the last safeguard against outrageous behavior by corporate officers, being "non-profit" really doesn't mean much of anything beyond "no shareholders".

Many many (hell, maybe most) charities in this country are run basically for the benefit of the insiders, and not for the purported beneficiaries.

[bucolic_frolic]

10. Did the Red Cross

ever recover from their CEO pay fiasco in the 1990s?

[niyad]

5. have been boycotting goodwill for years, since finding out that some of their "employees"

(slave labour, actually) make as little as 22cents/hr. and for trying to sell their property to kum and go convenience stores here in our neighborhood (citizens actually won that one)

the organization is corrupt all the way around.

[athena]

8. I no longer donate to them.

I've found local organizations that do much more good in my community -- they actually provide counseling to people suffering from drug addiction and provide tutoring and other forms of help for those trying to pass the GED test.

If you look around, you will find very worthy organizations that also accept donations and have stores like Goodwill but are focused on helping others, not themselves.

(I don't mean you personally, I mean anyone.)

[ananda]

7. I've known about this for two or three years!

It's suddenly breaking now ... why????

[camelfan]

11. I donated my television...

to the Salvation Army a few weeks ago, along with an old iMac and some printers. And then my friend told me they have issues with homophobia. Sigh. Sometimes it seems as though you can't win even by doing the right thing.