OBN Second Chance Initiative Team

Jim Monahan is a graduate of St. Joseph's College and has a B.A. in Secondary Education. After graduating from St. Joseph's,  Jim went on to serve in the N.Y.P.D. for 13 years where he finally retired as a sergeant.   

After his retirement, Jim was asked to join a startup company, called Panam Management Group. Panam  focused on development projects in the Caribbean. He would later become Panam's CEO. As it's CEO, Jim took it to a multi-million dollar company in a little over 1 year. 

In the late months of 2008, Jim knowingly made a bad decision to use investor funds in escrow to try and save a particular project the company was building. Jim knowingly signed off to allow the company to utilize these investor funds that were in escrow. He then authorized a letter to be sent to investors which included bank documents to support the use of the funds the company was taking to show investors their funds would be replaced. Unfortunately, this was a crime. Jim was charged with fraud, mail fraud and conspiracy to commit fraud. Jim served four years at Big Sandy Federal Prison located in Inez, Kentucky. 

While incarcerated, Jim met like-minded people who simply had a business mindset and wanted to do more to help others in prison. That more was to give back, provide second chances to those like Jim who have a criminal past. Jim, along with the other individuals saw the lack of programs and resources while in prison that they came up with OBN Second Chance Initiative. 

It's mission: Provide second chances to those individuals with a criminal past through educational and  entrepreneurial programing as well as provide worthwhile employment. 

As OBN Second Chance Initiative CEO, Jim has initiated several programs. One is an entrepreneurial small business incubator. This program takes those individuals with a criminal past that have that entrepreneurial spirt and helps them become small business owners. 

The other educational program Jim is currently working on with his partners is an Apprenticeship Program with one of the companies that graduated from the small business incubator program called Prison Break Brewery. The Apprenticeship Program will look to take 200 individuals who are already released or are being released from prison and have them attend an online certified craft beer courses with San Diego State University. These apprentices will also  receive on-the-job training with Prison Break Brewery and their partners.  Upon completion, they will be offered full-time jobs. 

The goal is to try and complete this task in about two-years time so the organization can look to expand it to other areas of California and the U.S.

Contact Jim @: jim@obnfoundation.org 

Kenneth Martin is currently the Senior Director of programs for OBN Second Chance Initiative. Kenneth is a hard worker and exuberates a passion to help others learn. 

Kenneth started his working career at the age of 10. He did various jobs as he was growing up to help support his family. As he got older, he was fortunate to land a position working at an auto mechanic garage where he excelled at his craft. He simply has a strong passion to work on cars.  

Kenneth’s strong desire to help others comes from being part of a large family. Kenneth has 3 brothers and 7 sisters and is the youngest. He was taught by his parents to work hard and be kind to others. 

Kenneth knows how difficult it is to find employment upon being released from prison. Kenneth served 13 years for firearm’s possession and knows the personal struggles every felon faces upon their release. Unfortunately, Kenneth lost his son 8 years after reporting to prison to serve his time. Not a day goes by that Kenneth does not reflect on that. 

Kenneth wants to help others like him upon their release. His hard work ethic coupled with his life’s journey from prison to the loss of his son to his time now at OBN Second Chance Initiative makes him the perfect fit to run all programs OBN Second Chance Initiative oversees. Starting with the Craft Beer Apprenticeship Program.  

Contact Kenneth @: ken@obnfoundation.org

Nicole Lee is currently the Senior Director for the Craft Beer Apprenticeship Program. Nicole is an extremely hard worker with over 20 years of experience in customer service and sales. 

Her bio is coming soon!