UPDATE: Goodwill of Heartland: CEO Resignation A "Personnel Issue;" Nock: "An Opportunity to Expand My Horizons"

Jeff Nock, the president and chief executive of Goodwill of the Heartland, has resigned.

The agency is declining to elaborate, calling it a personnel issue.

"I don't have any details. It's a personnel issue. Beyond the fact that he has resigned, it is all I can release," Dana Engelbert, the agency's vice president of marketing, told Patch.

A previous version of this article cited an agency official as saying Nock resigned today. However, in a phone call, Nock said he had been working with the board of directors and the resignation occurred last week.

"It wasn't immediate. It was a planned discussion. The board was gracious in how it was handled. The timing of how to do it was up to the board," Nock said.

He added, "It was a wonderful four years. The mission's in great shape. The staff is in great shape. I saw an opportunity to go on to new challenges. I have a couple things I am working on, but I can't discuss them in public yet ... Goodwill was in a great position. This is an opportunity to expand my horizon. I absolutely love Goodwill."

Nock said he expects to announce his future plans likely in a few months. Nock, who came to Iowa from Boulder, CO, said he would like to remain in the Iowa City area.

Nock said he and the board reached a separation agreement, but he declined to discuss the terms.

Nock was earning $137,459 in salary and an additional $29,066 in other compensation from the organization and related organizations, according to Goodwill's 2010 form 990.

Engelbert said the board of directors is still deciding plans for interim leadership and replacing Nock.

Nock noted the expansion of the territory the agency covers, as well as increasing the number of people served -- from 1,200 to 6,000 -- as the major accomplisments for Goodwill during his tenure.

Engelbert declined to comment about Nock or the nature of his departure.

"We are conscious of everyone's privacy, and we are going to respect his privacy," she said.

Goodwill of the Heartland covers 16 counties in Iowa, including Johnson and Linn, and three counties in Illinois.