FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  
Date: May 4, 2021 

LOUISVILLE, KY: After almost two decades of service to Workwell Industries, the nonprofit organization’s President and CEO, Phil Berry, is retiring May 31.  

“For nearly 20 years, Phil has served our community with great passion and dedication to help others overcome barriers to employment,” said Thomas Wobbe, Workwell Board Chairman. “Through his selfless hard work, Phil has improved the lives of countless individuals, and for that, all of us at Workwell are extremely grateful.” 

During Berry’s career at Workwell, he guided the organization through numerous changes, including a rebranding in 2016 to develop the Workwell name and brand of today. A champion for Workwell’s mission, he was dedicated to providing meaningful work and job training for those facing barriers to employment. Under his leadership, Workwell improved Foreign Trade Zone status, increased capital, and expanded warehousing capabilities, all of which provided greater service for client partners and even more specialized job training opportunities for employees.  

Berry has been working closely with the board of directors to develop a leadership transition plan to ensure the continued success, mission, growth, and quality service of Workwell Industries. Kenya Freeman, is currently Interim President at Workwell, and after a search in the coming months, the Board of Directors will name the new President and CEO of Workwell. Phil Berry will stay on as President Emeritus with a position on the Board to support the transition. 

“Under Phil’s leadership, Workwell Industries pulled through some of its most challenging days,” said Freeman. “The community has benefited from his hard work and efforts, and he has led Workwell to a prosperous future for its employees.”   

As Warehouse Manager at Workwell Industries, Sean Dillon enjoys helping his team overcome challenges. Overseeing forklift safety, shipping and receiving, and inventory operations is a big part of his job, but what he loves most is developing other people along the way. At Workwell, he helps train and support team members that would typically have trouble finding employment elsewhere.  

“Workwell Industries gives me the opportunity to help people turn their lives around and be successful,” says Sean. “Whether the individual grows with the company or grows personally and professionally and is able to secure a better position elsewhere, it is fulfilling to know that I helped them along in their journey.”  

Organized Warehouse = Efficient Workflow

Sean applies his logistics expertise in a way that helps others learn, grow, and succeed. He helped Workwell move from high risk to low risk through the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s risk assessment, strengthening the organization’s international supply chain. He is also dedicated to the finer details of making sure accurate orders deliver on time to best serve customers’ needs. He supports his team members in learning what it takes to create an organized warehouse with efficient workflow, and managers and customers have taken note.  

“When day–to–day operations run with satisfied customers and minimal interruptions, I know all the hard work and effort is paying off,” Sean says. “I want to help leave the world a better place than I found it.” 

When he is not working, Sean loves traveling, playing video games, and cheering on Philadelphia sports. 

LOUISVILLE, KY: Workwell Industries announces the installment of Thomas Wobbe as chairman of its board of directors. Wobbe has been a member of the board since 2010 and succeeds Mike Taylor in service as chairman.

Wobbe brings a wealth of leadership experience in the insurance industry, where he is the director of major accounts for The Underwriters Group. He is passionate about Workwell’s mission of creating jobs for people with barriers to employment.

 “Steady employment and hard work are foundational to success,” he said. “To be a part of an organization whose mission is so crucial to human success, that’s exciting.”

Wobbe first became involved in Workwell during a volunteer event 15 years ago. Now he looks forward to leading the board in its efforts to grow the nonprofit organization and increase its clients, customers and reach.

“Workwell is something of a hidden gem in the city of Louisville,” Wobbe said. “It provides a tremendous service to our community. We need to grow this service so we can keep people working, so they can enjoy success and have dignity in the pride of their work.”

CEO Phil Berry is pleased to announce the promotion of Kenya Freeman to General Manager. Kenya has years of professional experience with the best-known names in the logistics industry, but when he first arrived at Workwell in 2017, he found a diverse and positive environment unlike any he had ever seen. During his service as Director of Operations, he used his talents to increase organizational efficiency and develop the members of his team. Thanks to the unique mission of Workwell, Kenya works directly to help people overcome obstacles and better themselves, whether they envision learning job skills to use elsewhere, or advancing their careers at Workwell over time. 

In his new, expanded role, Kenya takes joy in creating an environment where workers of all backgrounds can learn and grow. This includes folks with criminal records, people with disabilities, refugees, and others with barriers to typical employment. 

Helping people move forward

“Sometimes people are embarrassed by their past, but Workwell gives them a place to get back into the workforce without being judged,” he said. “Our leadership understands that people are trying to get back on their feet, and we are here to help them positively move forward. The past is in the past.” 

In many ways, Kenya sees Workwell as a teaching warehouse, where he leads his team in learning to implement best practices to meet deadlines and finish quality jobs on time, every time. He brings professional structure and personal care to his work, teaching skills to help employees work consistently and confidently. Unlike many places in the corporate world, Workwell’s facilities are all manual – without flashy automation that can raise overhead costs and take away jobs. While this was a change for Kenya, he finds it works well for his team of all abilities, and it does not stop Workwell from doing great work to fulfill customers’ high demands and needs. 

“Here, you see workers coexisting, understanding roles, and contributing, even with a blend of different walks of life and different skill sets,” Kenya explained. “Whether people grow their career here over a number of years, or they use the skills they learn here as a steppingstone to another occupation, we’re here to support and encourage them.”