Manufacturing 2019 Manufacturing Week Bus Tour | Page 19

Pioneer Industries
Seattle
Pioneer Industries, a division of Pioneer Human Services, is a nonprofit social enterprise that manu-
factures aerospace and commercial parts while providing employment to justice-involved individuals.
In 2018, over 65% of the enterprise workforce was formerly incarcerated and/or in recovery.
Felicia Bowen rose through the ranks to
general manager after starting at Pioneer
Industries 20 years ago. She began as a
de-burrer after run-ins with the criminal
justice system. “I didn’t grow up thinking
I would be in manufacturing but I took
a wrong turn and ended up here. It
changed my life. Manufacturing helps
us help people help themselves. I see it
every day.”
Jacob Day, the shipping and receiving
group lead, is about to celebrate his
four-year anniversary at Pioneer
Industries. What does working at
Pioneer mean to him? “It saved my life,”
said Day, who has a conviction history
involving drugs. “It gave me something
to live for. Getting clean is one thing,
but having a reason to live is another
thing.”