Excerpt From The Answer

“So the Secretary of Housing in urban development, prior to me, had left in April, and the housing crisis was sort of mushrooming. I got a call from the White House to say, we’d like to talk to you about this role. The process moved extremely quickly just because of the urgency. You know, needing a housing secretary in a housing crisis. The president was interviewing me in the Oval Office. He said, ‘Why would you want to do this job?’ I started out by saying, ‘Well, you know, sir, a lot of people thought I was crazy when I took the SBA job.’ And he said, ‘You were!’ He has a terrific sense of humor.

He said, ‘I think this is why we’re here. Right?’ I mean, what more could you ask for than to be in a situation where you’ve developed certain skills and capabilities, and it matters in this place. What a great opportunity for us, even though it’s hard. Interestingly, the SBA job had prepared me further for HUD.

When I came to the SBA, I didn’t understand the federal machinery. I didn’t understand the media. So those two years ended up being an additional educational experience for me to be able to move into the HUD role, which certainly, stepped up the temperature even further.”

About Steve Preston

Steven C. Preston is the president and CEO of Goodwill Industries International, which provides services to 155 local, independent Goodwill organizations which together represent the leading provider of workforce training and development. In 2021, Goodwill served nearly 2 million people which range from lighter touch services to extensive training, career navigation and job placement support. Preston has served in numerous operational and financial leadership positions in both the public and private sectors. He headed two federal agencies during times of national crisis, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Small Business Administration (SBA); led successful turnarounds as the CEO of two private corporations, Oakleaf Global Holdings and Livingston International; and served as the CFO of two Fortune 500 companies during times of significant change and restructuring, Waste Management and ServiceMaster.

Preston served as HUD Secretary during the housing crisis of 2008, representing the federal agency on the board of the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). During his tenure, HUD dramatically increased Federal Housing Administration and Ginnie Mae capacity to meet exponentially rising demand. Under his leadership, the agency also expanded its ability to assist victims of natural disasters, advanced the rebuilding of mixed-income neighborhoods in post-Hurricane Katrina New Orleans, and improved financial literacy programs.

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