Solara Sain's Mission Moment

Transforming Potential into Opportunity: Solara’s Story

Solara Sain, Vice President of Retail Operations, Goodwill Industries of the Greater Chattanooga Area

During the Bosnian war in the early 1990s, many Bosnian citizens sought safety. Thankfully, Solara Sain and her husband, Dusan, were granted the opportunity to move to the U.S. through a Lutheran Church refugee program. With an English vocabulary of just 200 words, Solara courageously began building a new life.

Solara was eager to work, so she stopped in a Goodwill store to inquire about a job. She was placed in a sales associate position, and after just one year, she was promoted to assistant store manager. She was later promoted to store manager and then to the position of Regional Director of Donor Services. From there, Solara served other Goodwill organizations as a Vice President of Donated Goods Retail and then as a Chief Operating Officer. Solara is now the Vice President of Retail Operations for Goodwill Industries of the Greater Chattanooga Area.

Solara’s story is just one of many stories about how Goodwill helps people transform their potential into opportunity. We are thankful to have Solara here at our Goodwill!

(excerpts from Refugee to “C” Suite, Goodwill Dallas)

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