East Goshen Township resident Bob Madonna has spent much of his career helping nonprofits find clarity, stability, and strong leadership. Now, that work is extending into the retail sector, with one of the most popular department store chains in the Mid-Atlantic region.
Madonna, the Managing Partner of Diversified Services LLC and a longtime nonprofit advisor, executive coach, and recruiter, has been named to the board of directors of family-owned and Reading-based Boscov’s.
The appointment makes him one of the few non-family members to serve on the board of the more-than-$1 billion business.
“I started out working with a Boscov’s store manager in Maryland, then coached one of their executives,” Madonna said. “Eventually, (Chairman and CEO) Jim Boscov sat down with me and asked if I’d consider joining the board. I was honestly surprised — and honored.”
While Madonna jokes that his retail experience previously amounted to simply being a customer, he believes his value to Boscov’s lies elsewhere, particularly in leadership development, succession planning, and family-business dynamics.
“I believe they brought me in because of my background,” he said. “I’ve worked with various family-owned businesses.”
He points to his current work with an HVAC company founded by a father with 10 children — seven of whom now work in the business — as a recent example of navigating multigenerational leadership.
“That kind of complexity is familiar to me,” Madonna said. “And Boscov’s is a family business that has managed to scale while keeping its culture intact.”
Founded in 1914, Boscov’s operates more than 50 stores and is known for its value pricing, loyal customer base, and deep community ties. Madonna said one of the most striking moments came after he shared news of his board appointment on social media.
“I had 30, 40, maybe 50 people comment with stories about shopping at Boscov’s with their parents or grandparents,” he said. “At the next board meeting, I read some of those comments out loud and told them, ‘Your brand is truly revered.’”
Madonna believes that loyalty, among both customers and employees, has helped Boscov’s navigate an increasingly challenging retail landscape. He also noted the company’s investments in sustainability, including solar installations and comprehensive recycling efforts, as well as its ongoing expansion of e-commerce and marketing initiatives aimed at reaching younger shoppers.
“That next generation is the key,” Madonna said. “Once people see the value, they get it.”
Outside of Boscov’s, Madonna continues to lead Diversified Services LLC, where he has earned a reputation as what he jokingly calls a “nonprofit whisperer.”
Madonna has built a strong following by providing executive recruitment, coaching, and advisory services to nonprofits throughout the Greater Philadelphia region.
“There are tens of thousands of nonprofits in this region alone,” he said. “My message is simple: stop acting like a nonprofit and start acting like a business.”
That philosophy includes investing in marketing, leadership development, and fundraising infrastructure — lessons Madonna frequently shares through workshops and coaching engagements.
“No organization wants to be the best-kept secret,” he said. “If you’re doing good work, people should know about it.”
Madonna sees his board role at Boscov’s as a natural extension of that mindset.
“I’m hoping to be an asset over time,” he said. “Whether it’s leadership, culture, or long-term planning, my goal is to help organizations stay strong, relevant, and true to who they are.”
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Editor’s Note: This post first appeared on VISTA Today in December 2016.
