William “Bill” Huebner, 77, Manatee County
For 77-year-old Goodwill Manasota team member Bill Huebner, Goodwill has provided him with so much more than a paycheck and purpose – it is also where he found love.
Bill, who was born in Ohio, grew up in a military family. His father was a four-star Air Force General and his mother was a Commander in the Navy; his sister was a Captain in the Navy. Growing up in a military family on bases around the country, he learned a lot about discipline, respect, hard work, and setting and achieving goals.
In 1968, at the age of 18, Bill enlisted in the Marine Corps – he says he wanted to carry on the family tradition of service to others. That same year, he made the rank of Corporal, becoming the youngest of his unit to do so. He was in Vietnam from 1968 to 1971, earning two Purple Hearts, a Bronze Star, and a Unit Citation for his unit’s performance during the war. At the time of his retirement, he attained the rank of Sergeant Major.
When his tour of Vietnam was over, he returned to the U.S. and served as a Drill Sergeant to new Marine recruits. Bill also practiced and taught martial arts for 25 years. His last job prior to Goodwill was with JCPenney but, after his retirement, Bill decided he was bored at home and asked the Veterans Administration to help him find a job. The VA sent him to Bradenton-based nonprofit Turning Points, which guided him to apply at Goodwill, and he was hired.
Since becoming a Goodwill team member, he has worked as a cashier at the Manatee Avenue location and was then transferred to work on the sales floor at Goodwill’s Cortez location. It was here that Bill met his wife, Mary, who started working at this location as a cashier in 2021. The two got married in 2023 – Bill’s first marriage.
With his strong family background, his military service and a lifetime of work experience, Bill finds himself in a position to share his wisdom with younger co-workers.
“My time spent in the military taught me to take deliberate actions. Work with intention and to the best of your ability,” he says. “If a new hire has questions, I am happy to answer and to mentor them. The trick is for them to be open to new experiences, to learn to adapt, and to learn from any mistakes.”
His discipline and work ethic doesn’t mean he doesn’t have fun on the job, though. “I once wore a tutu miniskirt and danced around the back room– hoping to make others laugh for a moment,” he says.
When asked if he could offer one piece of advice to younger employees just starting their careers at Goodwill, he responded: “I would say develop your sense of work ethic. Like many things in life, you get out of work what you put in,” adding, “I would say just do your best and stay open to continuous learning.”
Bill does not anticipate retiring (again) – ever. He affirms that working keeps him active; he said he will work as long as he physically can, for as long as Goodwill will have him.
“I am glad that Goodwill hires older people – the older team members are a great investment,” Bill says. “We are confident, know the value of a good day’s work, and understand the nature of the busine
