Together, we can make a difference.

Current City Residing in:  Anamosa, IA

Who I was Then:

I started working at IMR as a young 19 year old kid, who was a bit cocky. I started as a correctional officer on second shift. After my probation, I started training as part of the response team to threats and crises, as well as physical cell extractions.  I soon became a gas team member and helped train new employees on many aspects of the job. As I worked in many daily positions throughout the facility, I met many prisoners along the way. I was trained never to trust prisoners in any way. That’s the way I handled myself. I treated staff and prisoners with respect and dignity. But, I had the thought that they were just prisoners and they needed to be treated the way they treated me. You treat me with respect and I will treat you with respect. When I caught a prisoner violating the rules I would write a report on him. He would go to the Adjustment Committee for a hearing and was given a sentence to serve. The sentence was anywhere from one night in lockup, to 30 to 60 days in solitary, and up to a year in lockup. This all depended on the seriousness of the violation. One of the ways you prove yourself in this environment is to show the staff and prisoners you are in control and you don’t put up with any crap or tolerate being treated with disrespect. I had to show them who I was and that they could not put me in any trap situation they could use against me. If I let them do that, I would be put into a situation where the prisoner would have the upper hand. If that happened, I would have it used against me and the prisoner would start to ask me to do things unethical. I would continue to work my way to the point prisoners and staff respected me and they knew who I was and how I handled myself. Things changed to the point I was hardly ever a target for the prisoners. If I was, it was usually a prisoner who didn’t know me, like a new transfer. Through the next 6 years I served as a correctional officer, I started to learn that not all prisoners were bad people, even though I was put in some harm’s way physically at times.  I had a prisoner try to stab me with a pencil, try to fight me, threaten me and threaten to kill my family. I was the lead officer in physical cell extractions, and I’ve had to get 5 stitches. The stitches were caused during a cell extraction of a prisoner who refused to comply.  When I went in the cell first, I hit my shin on the cement cell bunk. 

In 1988, I put in for an Iowa Prison Industries State Technician position within the facility. I was promoted to that position in the Laundry and Housekeeping Division.  My job changed from handling the daily correctional officer duties managing prisoners and security, to training prisoners a trade, with the top priority still being security. One day I was showing a prisoner how to mix a load of bleach to get ready to bottle in gallon jugs and I spilled some 25% bleach concentrate on myself. One of the lead prisoners told me to hurry up and rinse down with cold water. He said it will cut the bleach down instantly. I was still in the belief that you do not trust inmates. My supervisor came right out and said yes, get cold water on it right away, that the prisoner was correct.  It was at that time I started to learn to trust prisoners in certain ways, but still reluctant I was loosening my guard to an extent. It was this time in my career I was having prisoners train me in the processes of manufacturing, quality control, inventory control, and efficiencies. 

Who I am Now:

In 1992, I transferred from the Laundry and Housekeeping Division, to the Sign Manufacturing Division. There I learned a whole new trade with strict Department of Transportation sign regulations. There was a guy by the name of Keith Bruns, who was a prisoner in that division who really took to helping train me in so many different aspects of the job. This is where my career really made a drastic change. I was seeing the prisoners show a great deal of skill and ability with a wide range of knowledge. It started me thinking about how these guys would gain all these skills and knowledge while incarcerated, and not have anything to show for it after they leave. I wanted to change that. After going through some hoops, I started a recognition program I called our TPC program. I used training manuals from the Technical Publishing Company out of Illinois. Their training manuals were always up to date with the latest manufacturing standards. When I set the program up, I set it up thinking I could possibly use this program to create a Registered Apprenticeship Program. At this time the US Department of Labor denied the program. We now had prisoners leaving the facilities with certificates of training courses and a certificate of on the job training in a specific field of skill. 

My career changed from keeping these prisoners locked up to training and teaching them a new skill that could earn them gainful employment after release. In 1997, I was promoted to an Iowa Prison Industries Supervisor. I was supervising the Metal Furniture Division. In the next couple of years I was given added duties and supervised the Laundry and Housekeeping and License Plates Divisions as well. At this time I was asked to be in specialized training by the department heads. This was a 4 year training process that was part time; about 6 times a year. There were 34 of us supervisors throughout the Iowa Department of Corrections (IDOC). As part of the training we were split up in 5 different groups. The groups were to concentrate in a specific area within the IDOC. I was part of the group that concentrated on vocational training for prisoners. I brought up the idea of presenting our TPC program to the US Department of Labor (USDOL) again, but in a refined form. Long story short, they approved every part of our program as a valid apprenticeship program.

In February 2014, the USDOL approved our program.  We started a USDOL Registered Apprenticeship Program at the now called Anamosa State Penitentiary (ASP). Anyone who finished their apprentice program and became journeymen in their field, will now have a guaranteed certification to employers that they are fully trained and qualified in their field of work. The program was such a success that the IDOC Director asked me if I would take the program state-wide in all 9 correctional facilities. In July 2015, I became the IDOC Apprenticeship Coordinator. By the end of 2015, we had all 9 facilities up and running the program. The program grew with great success. We would hold many conferences at our correctional facilities with the help of each apprenticeship sponsor from each facility. We invited employers around the state to show them the untapped talent they could tap into for great, skilled employees. It worked!! Many returned citizens would land gainful employment before and after release. Some were hired before their release date.  I couldn’t be happier on how the program was working and the help it was doing for so many people. Our training team goals was, no more victims. I believe we accomplished that. These successful people were getting jobs and making new families, buying new homes, becoming happy and not victimizing anyone at their hands. In fact they are productive tax paying citizens. No longer being a tax burdens! 

I retired in 2017, but my passion I developed throughout the years would not leave my heart. After retirement, I was appointed to the Iowa Prison Industries Board by the IDOC Director, of which I am now the Vice Chair of the board. I may have retired, but my passion to help prisoners remains. I now mentor and help returned citizens find work and housing.  It is my belief that there is good in every individual if they are given the guidance and support to be successful. I always said, “If you want to go fast, go alone, but if you want to go further, let’s go together.” I am also involved with several groups and organizations to improve criminal justice reform, including life without parole reform in Iowa. 

That’s my journey through my career. I had a unique opportunity very few people get in their lifetime. I witnessed firsthand how much people (prisoners) change if they want to. I’ve seen young immature men and women, and even gang members turn themselves into mature adults and become very successful while incarcerated. It changed my life, it changed my career, and it changed my outlook on incarcerated individuals. I wish people could see what I’ve seen, in the way I’ve seen the good in the people who have been and are incarcerated. It’s not like the movies! Most of these people, if given a chance, are good people. I want to mention my beautiful wife Tammy Diesburg, who is also a big part of helping and supporting returned citizens. She also worked for IPI for almost 36 years. 

Conclusion

In conclusion, I had mentors Elwin and Maxine Pillard when I was in high school. I worked for them on their farms at the time my girlfriend became pregnant. I was married 4 days before my junior year in high school. They gave me a fulltime job, house for my family, milk, cheese, meat, and all the support I needed. They wanted to make sure I graduated from high school. I graduated in 1982.  I asked Elwin one day, “How can I ever repay you?” His reply, “Be a Christian and help people that need help during your lifetime” I hope I’ve made them proud and kept their memory alive!