ISSA Hires Executive Director To Lead The ISSA Foundation

ISSA, the worldwide cleaning industry association, announced the appointment of Mike Gies as the executive director of the ISSA Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the association.

Since 2007, Gies has worked as an independent organization and management consultant, serving clients ranging from $1 billion global organizations to small proprietorships. He has handled everything from financial analysis, strategic planning, and program implementation to brand management, leadership cultivation, and support for major fundraising campaigns.

In his new role, Gies will ensure the charitable division of ISSA has a comprehensive strategy to further expand its reach and better achieve its mission of “Investing in Tomorrow.” This includes building new long-term partnerships and developing and executing plans for the foundation’s organization, operations, and growing its programs, as Cleaning for a Reason branch and Scholarships and Internships program. He will also work closely with the ISSA Foundation and ISSA boards of directors to spearhead fundraising initiatives and with the ISSA Finance Committee to ensure the foundation operates on a sound financial and budgetary basis.

Prior to founding his own consulting firm, Gies worked at Woodhead Industries where he held numerous executive management roles, including operating officer; subsidiary president; executive vice president of strategic planning, operational planning, and corporate development; and Europe region executive vice president.

“We are looking to take the ISSA Foundation to the next level, to make it more meaningful and expand the opportunities and benefits it offers our membership, the industry, and the communities in which we work and live,” said ISSA Executive Director John Barrett. “To do this, we need a talented, experienced leader to help us refocus our efforts. Given his obvious leadership skills and proven track record in both the profit and nonprofit arena, Mike is clearly the man for this job.”

Gies is not only up for the challenge, but excited by the opportunities he sees to make a difference to so many. “As the worldwide cleaning industry association, ISSA is uniquely positioned to make a positive and meaningful impact on the wellbeing of our society,” said Gies. “I look forward to growing the ISSA Foundation by partnering with the large and growing ISSA constituency, and through the foundation’s charitable programs, contributing to ISSA’s mission to ‘Change the Way the World Views Cleaning.’”