TAMPA, Fla. -- If twenty-five years in business have taught Tom Meehan anything, it is that business can be thrilling and all people can learn from mistakes. Most missteps made by Meehan have been in business, learning what works and what is an idea better left for another day, but he has also made his share of simple minor personal errors. None were of particular consequence but, like all with all individuals, the events shaped Tom Meehan and gave him the unique understanding that it takes work to rebuild. The process of rebuilding a life becomes doubly difficult when one has been arrested, it is a matter of regaining trust in personal life as well as rebuilding life as a productive member of society.

Understanding that employment opportunities are limited for anyone who has been arrested, Tom Meehan made a call to Goodwill Industries. His goal was to develop a viable plan by which residents of Clearwater, Florida with a record could be hired for either fulltime or part-time employment, without the fear of judgment that is attached to a record of incarceration.

The plan developed by Tom Meehan, and representatives from Goodwill Industries, opened a door to people with a record of incarceration. It provided people with limited options the opportunity to learn life skills, put a check in the bank and put a meal on the table. Tom Meehan said, “People need a chance to put their life back on the right track.”

Tom Meehan would like to see his efforts to offer individuals with a record of incarceration employment carry over to other employers in Pinellas County. He believes that the ONLY way people can learn from mistakes is to find an opportunity, and the only way this can happen is in an environment which will not perpetuate the stigma attached to an old arrest.

About Tom Meehan.
Tom Meehan is an entrepreneur from Clearwater, Florida, and is now celebrating his 25th year as a business owner. Businesses owned by Tom Meehan have been successfully improving the quality of operations for a variety of small business owners worldwide, as well as improving the quality of life for individuals for at least the same amount of time. His holdings offer a range of services. Tom Meehan hopes to expand his participation in Clearwater, Florida government and government as a whole over the next several years. His goal is to bring the practices of private business to government.