In 2016 the United States prison population totaled around 22 million people. That’s almost 16% of the total population! This issue has become increasingly troublesome as time goes. Mass incarceration has caused major issues for millions of individuals and families due to the exponential increase in difficulty finding a desirable job upon being released, inability to re-acclimate to living in society, etc. Many have turned to the government to provide an answer to this problem because clearly they’re the best, most efficient, most innovative institution perfectly designed to solve all of our problems… Although the government may eventually get around to revamping the policy surrounding this issue in the next 20-50 years, some individuals have taken matters into their own hands.

Central Kansas is home to one of the most successful prisons in the country. This success comes from an incredibly innovative idea that a man, Pete Ochs had the boldness to pursue. This venture began in 2009 when Ochs recognized the increasing prison population in his town and decided to do something about it. Mr. Ochs and his wife Deb grew up ingrained with Christian values of generosity and servanthood. After owning and managing a successful investment bank for a number of years, Pete recognized that no material gain would ever be enough to satisfy his desires.

Recognizing an increasing market for automobile seat, Pete Ochs opened a seat manufacturing facility within the barbed-wire gates of the maximum-security section of a prison in central Kansas. Seat King was born. Almost everybody involved thought Ochs must be crazy, even the inmates he was offering jobs thought he had a few screws loose.

Ochs opened this business with the vision to invest in redeeming the lost and forgotten people of his community and our society as a whole. His business would provide the inmates with hourly wages above the minimum wage that could be used to save for when the inmates were released. Employees also had the option to donate to charities of their choice with a promise that Seat King would match their donation dollar-for-dollar. These benefits have proven to be incredibly impactful as many inmates have chosen to donate significant amounts to charities associated with the victims of the crimes they committed.

Among these benefits, Ochs and his team of executives have developed education programs for the inmates to participate in. The curriculum includes personal finance, biblical manhood, generosity, and many others aimed at bringing about lasting change and redemption in these men.

Aside from the redemptive impact Seat King is creating, they are doing so with for-profit values in place. Since opening in 2009, the company has grown to almost $5 million in revenue. This story illustrates the impact that one person can have on a community and how the message of the Gospel applies to all people. Because the Gospel applies to all people Pete Ochs used his position as an entrepreneur to create opportunity for people who wouldn’t otherwise while also proclaiming the love of Christ to a community frequently characterized as lost.