2001 Annual Report - The Road to Success

In 1988 Atlas Phillips was dealing drugs in Beaumont, Texas. "The money was easy and it was easier than working," says Phillips. But it ended when he was convicted of drug trafficking and sentenced to nearly 13 years in the Federal prison system.

Today, newly released from prison and back in the community, Phillips is a changed man. He recently formed his own company, AP Computers, in Cleveland, Ohio. The company sells computers and provides system upgrades, repairs, and training to local schools, churches, and area residents.

Deciding to start a business was a major adjustment for Phillips, especially after spending years in an isolated environment where most of his decisions were made for him. He was also afraid -- especially of the rejection that typically awaits many ex-offenders from society, friends, and even family.

Phillips has been lucky. "My family has been different. Besides never giving up on me, they encouraged me while I was away, which helped me to stay focused on preparing to come home." He credits his sisters, his brother, and his "significant other" as those who have truly supported him over the years.

Phillips’ interest in computers began while in prison. He wanted to go home after release, to start his own business. He attributes his success to positive feedback given him by the Assistant Factory Manager at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI), Elkton, Ohio. "He was very inspirational in giving me the opportunity to learn how to troubleshoot and repair computers," says Phillips. "He was impressed by my desire to learn and my persistence. I would not have half of the knowledge that I have today if it wasn’t for the time UNICOR staff took to work with me." The positive influence they have had on a number of inmates who have come through the recycling factory at Elkton has been significant.

It has not been easy, but Phillips remains optimistic about his new life. "I still have a long way to go in building my business," he says, "because I don’t have the capital I need to get some of the equipment and merchandise to take AP Computers to the next level for myself and the community."

Phillips is determined, however, to rebuild his life, and "with God’s blessing and the support of my family and friends," he has laid the foundation for a new beginning for himself, for his business, and for the community he serves.

Demetrio "Dino" Ricciardone was a typical youth until he reached the age of 18.Then his world collapsed when he was arrested for assault and battery and attempting to murder his father. Why? "I was defending my mother from a severe beating by my father," he says.

Ricciardone was convicted and served nearly 2 years in the state penal system. Yet, his time in prison only hardened him and left him bitter. As a young inmate, he was often forced to defend himself against sexual "predators." This fact, along with a chip on his shoulder that "clouded my judgment and gave me delusions of invincibility," led to more trouble. He was later convicted of two Federal crimes that sent him into the Federal prison system for 17 years.

In 1995, while drawn to the prison chapel at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) in Fairton, New Jersey, to pray for his ill sister, Ricciardone had a spiritual conversion that "changed his life completely."

During his incarceration, Ricciardone spent time at the following Federal institutions, each of which had UNICOR cable factory operations: FCI Memphis, Tennessee; FCI Oxford,Wisconsin; and FCI Fairton, New Jersey. Ricciardone credits staff in each of the UNICOR factories, especially Fairton, for teaching him meaningful skills in the cable manufacturing process, enabling him to take a project from the drawing board to the customer."I found that I had a knack for reading and understanding blueprints and military specifications, and I enjoyed troubleshooting."

While working at FCI Fairton, Ricciardone was interviewed for a job by the owner of a cable manufacturing company called Power Connector, Inc., in Bohemia, New York. Up until this point,"I did not think a private employer in the cable assembly field would hire an ex-convict." The employer, however, had no such concerns. Within a week of release from prison, Ricciardone was hired as a Product Development Manager. Today Ricciardone is responsible for analyzing, costing and defining the bill of materials for cable and box assemblies and other company products. He is also directly involved in material procurement and quality assurance for the company.

"It is clear to us," says the company owner,"that the skills and methods Mr. Ricciardone is utilizing on the job were developed and acquired while he was working for UNICOR. It is a distinct advantage that Mr. Ricciardone brought these skills with him to the job rather than first having to acquire them upon his arrival. The range of skills he possessed, and their appropriateness, made ‘Dino’ a desirable candidate for our firm."

Ricciardone agrees. "UNICOR was able to teach me training skills in order to think outside the box, plan a career, and thereby open up a niche for me. I knew I could hold my own and not embarrass myself."