SEATTLE – A nonprofit thrift retailer highlighted for high-tech achievement?

That’s what happened March 21 when the Washington Software Alliance announced Tacoma Goodwill as a 2007 Industry Achievement Awards finalist for its online sales efforts. Tacoma Goodwill was in the category of “Best Use of Technology in the Government or Nonprofit.”

Tacoma Goodwill CEO Terry A. Hayes thanked WSA for being selected as a finalist. She noted the importance of donors in participating in Goodwill’s mission to change lives by helping people with disabilities or disadvantages go to work.

“A donor’s valued gift sold online obtains at least five times the dollar amount over an item sold at one of our 20 retail outlets,” she said. “This results in our ability to provide increased benefits to our region and the number of people we can serve.”

By clicking onto www.mygoodwillstore.com, buyers can find that one-of-a-kind item at any Tacoma Goodwill outlet on Amazon, eBay or shopgoodwill.com, where Tacoma Goodwill finished first in total sales in 2006 among more than 70 Goodwill agencies across the country. Tacoma Goodwill topped $1 million in sales last year after posting about 60,000 items online. shopgoodwill.com opened in 1999 and belongs to Goodwill Industries of Orange County, Calif.

“The Industry Achievement Awards honor the innovative spirit that continues to make Washington State one of the premier technology regions in the U.S.,” said Ken Myer, WSA president and chief executive officer, in a prepared statement. “We’re honored to bring together some of the top minds and forward-thinking companies in the state to celebrate their achievements.”

PTSO of Washington received the award in the category. The other finalist was the Olympic Public Safety Communications Alliance Network. Founded in 1984, WSA is the state’s oldest and largest technology trade organization with more than 1,000 members. This is the 12th year for the Industry Achievement Awards.