Pioneer Wins WA State Governor’s Employer Award

We won! The Governor’s Committee on Disability Issues and Employment awarded Pioneer with the 2015 Large Non-Profit Employer of the Year Award. The 23rd Annual Washington State Governor’s Employer Award event was in Bellevue and Karen Lee, CEO and Mark Behrends, VP Pioneer Enterprises were there to accept the award.

As a social enterprise, Pioneer trains and employs people with criminal histories, including many with mental health and substance abuse issues. Employment is key to a successful reintegration back into society after incarceration.

Pioneer’s diverse line of businesses provide on-the-job training and work experience, while generating revenue to help fund our social mission. One of the enterprises, Pioneer Industries, is an award winning, full-service sheet metal fabrication and machine shop that manufactures for the aerospace and commercial industries. With three plants in Seattle, we employ a highly skilled and versatile workforce. In 2014, Pioneer shipped more than 1.7 million parts to our customers across the United States and Canada. Also, over 65% of the employees in our three manufacturing plants have a criminal history or are in recovery.

Listen to Daryl Atkinson’s amazing speech on mass incarceration, rebuilding reentry and the impact on our communities.  He is from the Southern Coalition of Social Justice and was the keynote speaker at Pioneer’s Inaugural ChangeMaker Dinner. Daryl was recently selected as the first ever 2nd Chance Fellow by the U.S. Department of Justice. He will be serving as a member of the Federal Interagency Reentry Council, as an advisor to the Bureau of Justice Assistance 2nd Chance Programs. Congratulations