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360 TAKES
From CO to COO: Damon Hininger
Posted Oct 7, 2008
When Damon Hininger was appointed to serve as president and chief operating officer of our company in late July, it was a proud moment in my CCA career.
Damon joined CCA in 1992 – eight years before my arrival, when I was still involved in banking and finance and nearing a transition into public service as Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Finance and Administration.
When I met Damon, I was inspired by his dedication and obvious passion for this industry. Corrections came naturally to him. But he's no stranger to hard work. He grew up in small-town Leavenworth, Kan., home of the United States Penitentiary, hearing stories from neighbors and family of the local correctional trade. With a bachelor's degree from Kansas State University, Damon joined CCA's Leavenworth (Kansas) Detention Center five months after graduation in 1994 as an entry-level correctional officer (CO).
Since then, he has served in a variety of roles during his CCA career, including senior vice president, Federal and Local Customer Relations, vice president of business analysis, director of strategic planning, director of proposal development and training manager at Central Arizona Detention Center.
His advancement from CO to COO is not only inspiring but well earned. In our fast-paced society, how many of today's executives pursue a career in prisons, jails and detention centers – a career path where rewards come gradually, by working up the ranks? In this age, the idea of professional advancement in public service might seem unlikely or idealistic.
But Damon's commitment to a career in the field of private corrections is strong. And his story is proof that others can, too.
In fact, our company believes in promoting from within. We are fond of advancing "homegrown" professionals to positions of increased visibility and leadership. Many of our employees joined CCA as correctional officers and have moved up the ranks through the traditional security ladder and are now shift supervisors, unit managers, chiefs of unit management, chiefs of security, assistant wardens and wardens. Others have cross-trained and maneuvered into other areas, such as quality assurance, inmate programs and training.
How have you moved up the ranks with CCA? If you work in corrections in another sector or for a different company, feel free to share your advice on developing in this industry.
To view coverage of Damon's return to Leavenworth in August, please view the following article from The Leavenworth Times.
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