A leading meal preparation company founder and CEO was arrested 17 times before he was 18 years old, but now he affords opportunities for others dealing with felony convictions, homelessness and substance abuse a chance to work at his $10 million company. Marco Piovesan, CEO of InfoMart, says the trend of considering those with criminal backgrounds for job opportunities is due to historic lows for unemployment and more job openings than job seekers. Initiatives like the Society for Human Resource Management’s (SHRM) The Getting Talent Back to Work, co-led with Koch Industries, has led hundreds of individuals and companies to sign a pledge to seriously consider qualified formerly incarcerated people for jobs. For those with concerns about repeat offenders, Tammy Cohen, InfoMart founder and chief visionary officer, said compliant background checks can “ensure specific types of ex-offenders are restricted from working in positions catering to vulnerable populations.”
