Mike Carr

Going to prison might seem to be one of the worst things that can happen to someone, but for Mike, it turned out to be a blessing. Not only for him but for many other incarcerated men whose lives he helped transform through his educational work while serving his two-year sentence.

A graduate of Culver Military Academy, Mike knew the value of the leadership training he experienced. While incarcerated, Mike recognized that many did not have the opportunities he did and that he could offer his time and talent to men as they prepared to reenter communities in search of their second chance. Working with a local NAACP chapter, Mike developed and facilitated a 12-week reintegration program for African-American inner-city men aged 18-25, based on Culver’s Leadership Development curriculum.

As Mike confronted and addressed his own thinking errors through rehabilitative programming, he realized there were many others like him: men who had made mistakes, who were willing to hold themselves accountable and work hard, and who were deserving of a second chance at a productive life. Mike made it his mission to use his communication and leadership skills to help these men realize their potential.

Since his release in December of 2013, Mike has continued his mission of preparing men for reintegration by returning to Richland Correctional as a volunteer for the Toledo Diocese Prison Ministry Team.

Mike has a highly successful background as a top producer and regional director in the health insurance industry for Fortune 500 companies (Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, and Assurant Health), and has been a builder of markets as senior management with technology sector startups. Yet, it’s his role in changing lives that Mike experienced through his Leadership Development course at Richland Correctional Institution, along with his ongoing sobriety and alcohol recovery, that he views as his most rewarding and proudest achievements.

Mike’s work with Team Damascus will build and strengthen relationships in the community by utilizing his leadership and management skills and continuing that strong desire to carry his passion forward. As the Director of Sales and Operations, Mike meets with the corporate community to introduce them to the Damascus Model and to provide the roadmap to workforce solutions. 

 

Contact Mike Carr here.