Louie Wainwright Sr (September 11, 1923 – December 23, 2021)
On December 23, 2021, Louie L. Wainwright, Sr. passed away at 98 years old. He was the longest serving Department of Corrections leader in the U.S. and still holds that standing today having served from 1957 to 1986.
I met him in the mid-80’s in my twenties, when I began my career in the corrections field. From the time I met him until last month, we had a special personal and professional relationship, with him serving as a mentor, pal, and confidante. Last week, over 400 people gathered to pay him tribute and I was privileged to be one of the speakers who shared memories of this great man. I was asked to talk about what he meant to me personally and how his guidance shaped my career.
It was an honor to address those in attendance and if you have 10 minutes, please go to 17 minutes and 30 seconds on the video counter to hear my remarks here. I have a special passion for corrections issues and criminal justice reform, believing like Mr. Wainwright did that “they should be better when they come out than when they went in.” The “they” are those that are incarcerated. There are two prevailing criminal justice philosophies: either lock them up and throw away the key OR teach and educate them, be tough on them, and turn them into productive citizens. I aspire to the latter, believing that the cure to our workforce shortage lies behind the prison walls.
Florida has over 100,000 inmates behind bars – wouldn’t you think that at least 10% of those men and women could be contributors to our workforce now when there is such a shortage of talent? One way to get involved in this effort is to work through your local chamber of commerce. If you talk to your local law enforcement officials they will tell you they struggle to find jobs for at-risk youth, who often are at a pivotal point of turning to a life of crime or staying out of trouble. One way to make sure they follow the latter path is to help them secure work. Local CEOs of small businesses and members of local Chambers of Commerce, after working with law enforcement, can find talent and hire them based on recommendations of those who interact with these youth.
Senator Keith Perry and Senator Jeff Brandes are believers in providing second chances, so if you want to learn more, let me know. You will hear at the end of my brief remarks at the above link about how grace and mercy are what matters. When it comes to those who deserve a second chance, we can all share a little grace and mercy! And mercy and grace are at the forefront of the LMA family this morning as we send our heartfelt prayers and hopes to those suffering after the devastating tornadoes in southwest Florida this past Sunday.
Thanks so much for allowing me to start your week! Next up is the latest from the Florida Legislature and a helpful dose of other insurance and disaster recovery news and happenings.
LMA Newsletter of 1-18-22
