Leadership Summit – Day 2 – Catherine Rohr

Catherine Rohr is the CEO and founder of the nonprofit Prison Entrepreneurship Program. 

Catherine left a successful career on Wall Street, gave up everything to head to Texas and start a prison ministry, teaching prisoners about business. To empower them, and grow them up…

Catherine is bringing it: Society is contributing to the issues with prisoners not being able to get back into it (society). We send them to prison and ask them to pay their debt, but when we let them out, we call them ex-cons. We make them check a box on their employment application to call them out.

Catherine is a tremendous leader that has built relationships with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. She treats the TDCJ as a shareholder, a customer, which fosters a terrific partnership. She calls the TDCJ out as being a great risk taker allowing the PEP to run in their system.

PEP states: 4 years old, 1000 CEOs as volunteers, a single digit return to prison rate, 98% employment, 47 guys that have started their own business. 400 guys are graduating this year, with a goal of 1000 a year. PEP currently has a budget of 3.2 million, with a proposed budget of 10 million.

About fundraising: One of the saddest sales statistic is that only 47% of people ask for the sale at the end of pitch. If you believe in what you are selling, and are sold out, then its simple.

Catherine challenged all the leaders in attendance not to be wowed about her story and what she gave up to start this ministry, but instead, to ask God to ‘bring it’ and respond to His will for our lives. To give up everything to follow His direction for us.

To wrap it up, we heard from over 10 gentlemen that have recently been released from prison, and with the help of PEP, they are taking advantage of a second opportunity, to lead society, give back, be great parents to their children, and lead like Jesus.