Goodwill North Central Texas announced today the promotion of four key leaders within the organization: Ruben Cruz to Senior Director, Donated Goods & Retail; Amber Tamplin to Retail Director; Mike Jones to Director, S.T.A.R.S. Program; and Cody Tovar to Senior Director of Information Technology. These promotions reflect Goodwill’s continued commitment to leadership development, operational excellence and mission growth across retail, workforce services and organizational infrastructure.
Retail Leadership Promotions
Ruben Cruz has been promoted to Senior Director, Donated Goods & Retail, where he will provide strategic leadership and operational oversight for Goodwill’s retail operations. In this role, Cruz is responsible for driving revenue growth, ensuring operational excellence, overseeing talent development and strengthening customer experience.
Cruz began his career with Goodwill in 2012 as a Production Supervisor and has steadily advanced through roles including Assistant Retail Manager and Retail Operations Manager before being promoted to Retail Director in 2020. Throughout his tenure, he has overseen store operations, hiring, training, budgeting and customer service initiatives. Cruz completed Goodwill’s Retail Leadership Program and is currently pursuing a a bachelor’s degree in information technology from Western Governors University. He is known for his hands-on leadership and commitment to team development.
Amber Tamplin has been promoted to Retail Director, where she will oversee retail operations within her assigned territory, ensuring strong financial performance, operational consistency and employee engagement. She will work closely with senior leadership to develop sales strategies, manage large-scale budgets and support Store Managers in achieving revenue, production and customer service goals.
Tamplin joined Goodwill North Central Texas in 2006 and has served in progressive leadership roles including Cashier, Retail Keyholder, Assistant Retail Operations Manager, Retail Operations Manager and most recently Donated Goods/Retail Specialist. She holds an Associate of Business Management from the University of Phoenix and was named Retail Team Member of the Year in 2022. Tamplin is recognized for her operational expertise, cross-functional collaboration and dedication to strengthening retail performance across multiple locations.
S.T.A.R.S. Program Leadership
Mike Jones has been promoted to Director, S.T.A.R.S. Program, where he will provide leadership and operational oversight for all S.T.A.R.S. sites. In this role, Jones will manage multi-site operations, ensure regulatory compliance, oversee program budgets and payroll, and drive program growth and expansion to meet evolving community needs. S.T.A.R.S. (Skills Training Achieves Results) is a unique day-habilitation program serving adults with significant or multiple disabilities, equipping participants with life skills to achieve greater independence.
Jones joined Goodwill in 2013 and played a key role in planning and developing the S.T.A.R.S. program. He has served as S.T.A.R.S. Program Manager in Grapevine and previously held responsibilities overseeing facility-based contracts and operations. A longtime advocate for individuals with disabilities, Jones has volunteered with Special Olympics and special education programs since his youth and currently serves on the Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) Council of Tarrant County.
Information Technology Leadership
Cody Tovar has been promoted to Senior Director of Information Technology, following the retirement of Mike Hennig, Vice President of IT. In this role, Tovar will provide strategic direction and oversight for Goodwill’s technology infrastructure, network systems and enterprise applications, ensuring secure, efficient and scalable IT operations across the organization.
Tovar joined Goodwill in 2013 as a Desktop Technician and has held multiple roles including eCommerce Auction Lister, Information Systems Technician, System Administrator and Director of Information Systems and Technology. He completed CompTIA A+ and Network+ certifications through the North Texas Institute for Career Development and is currently pursuing a degree in Applied Technology at Brigham Young University.
“Each of these leaders represent the strength of our internal talent and our commitment to developing people who are passionate about our mission,” said David Cox, President & CEO of Goodwill North Central Texas. “Their leadership will help drive continued growth in our retail operations, expand services for individuals with disabilities and job seekers and strengthen the technology infrastructure that supports our work across North Central Texas.”
About Goodwill North Central Texas
Goodwill is more than a thrift store. The largest employer of people with disabilities in the world, Goodwill provides education, training and job placement and believes that it’s worth celebrating!
Goodwill North Central Texas is based in Fort Worth and serves 18 counties in the region. The nonprofit’s 27 area retail locations provide revenue through the sale of donated goods to support Goodwill’s mission to CREATE lives of independence and BUILD a stronger local community. Education, training and job placement programs for individuals with disabilities, the formerly incarcerated, at-risk youth, our veterans and people experiencing homelessness are guided by the organization’s vision of a North Central Texas where every person has the opportunity for maximum independence and abundant living. For more information, please visit www.GoodwillNorthCentralTexas.org.
