Enterprise Development

The Office of Enterprise Development (OED) was created to further efforts to reduce recidivism and increase public safety for all Ohioans. OED's mission is to reduce idleness of inmates through the creation of training programs and jobs for inmates and restored citizens through partnerships with private sector businesses. OED works in collaboration with various state agencies to expand the number of partnerships with private sector businesses with the primary goal of developing training for inmates in transferrable job skills and providing job opportunities for restored citizens.

Spotlight

JBM

Learn more about how one company heard about  working with incarcerated individuals and how that translated into the employment of dozens of restored citizens following their release from prison.

Hiring from Within

Learn more about the benefits of employers hiring restored citizens and the company-wide benefits participating employers have experienced.

Union Supply

Learn more about how one collaboration is tranforming communities and restoring hope for justice-involved individuals.

OED Advisory Board

The OED Advisory Board serves as an objective review and approval body for business proposals submitted to OED. The Advisory Board will make the final determination whether pursue full implementation of each project.  The Advisory Board consists of several appointed members and an ex-officio member assigned by the correctional institution inspection committee. Each member, appointed by the Director of the Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, has experience and/or in-depth knowledge about labor relations, marketing, business management or business.

Current OED Advisory Board Members

William Eleby, Administrator and Advisory Board Chair, OED, ODRC                                                                  Ronette (Roni) Burkes, Deputy Director, Office of Reentry and Enterprise Development, ODRC              Roberta Banks, Program Administrator, ODRC                                                                                                                  Kevin Shimp, Ohio Chamber of Commerce                                                                                                                  John Coleman, Chief, Ohio Penal Industries, ODRC                                                                                                      Chris Ferruso, Legislative Director, National Federation of Independent Businesses                                      Charlie Adams, Correctional Institution Inspection Committee                                                                                      Jennifer Sanders, Interim Superintendent, Ohio Central School System, ODRC                                                            John Rush, President and CEO of Clean Turn                                                                                                              Kevin Stockdale, Deputy Director, Office of Administration, ODRC                                                                          Fred Wilkes, Aryes Staffing                                                                                                                                                Julie Poling, Communications and Events Manager, Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation                  Cynthia Dungey, Director of Community Engagement and Reentry, DYS                                                                Erica Johnson, DRC Legal Services

 

OED Approved Programs and Partnerships

OED has partnered with various private sector businesses in order to further the mission of successful offender reentry.  For a list of current OED programs and partnerships, click here.

OED continues to seek opportunities to partner with private sector businesses.  To establish a partnership, email a completed Partnership Proposal to DRC.OMJEmployer@odrc.state.oh.us.

Restored Citizens Program

The Restored Citizens Program, a collaboration between the Ohio Departments of Rehabilitation and Correction and Job and Family Services, is a secured database of resumes of currently incarcerated individuals and restored citizens. Access to the secured database is offered to approved employers who wish to participate in the program. The program is voluntary and participants may opt in or out at any time. All resume and employer information remains confidential and is only known by the employers who are vetted and by the individuals who opt into the program. Employers and individuals who are part of this initiative also maintain full access to the all of the tools within OhioMeansJobs.com without being publicly identified as part of the Restored Citizens Program.      

To learn more about the Restored Citizens Resume Program, watch this brief video. For more information about the Restored Citizens Resume Program, email DRC.OMJEmployer@odrc.state.oh.us.