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A WORD FROM CEO AARON THOMPSON
Like many young men in my neighborhood, I learned to box at an early age and eventually became a professional fighter. Driven by a desire to help others, I joined the Guardian Angels in my early twenties, rising to the rank of Special Forces Commander before stepping down after twenty-eight years of service. These experiences shaped who I am and taught me tremendous discipline, leadership, the value of serving others and how to give unselfishly.
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As a young adult, I also learned construction skills. I started out as a laborer and by working late hours and studying I progressed to become a master carpenter. That extra effort led me on a path to start my own construction and development business. Today, I’m a licensed general contractor with a successful business and over three decades of experience. The key to my success was understanding that if you’re disciplined and dedicated, there is no limit to what you can achieve.
As a former Guardian Angel protecting some of the toughest neighborhoods in the country, I understand the challenges young people are facing; the peer pressure of gangs and the desire to be tough. My objective in co-founding HTP Homes is to show that it doesn’t make you tough because you went to jail, it makes you tough when you stay out of jail. My goal is to bridge the gap, letting young adults and returning citizens know they have other options. I came from the same neighborhood, but I made different choices. I go the extra mile to show that I believe in them and I’m there to help. I have those discussions with our program participants and during my sessions with individuals nearing release from detention facilities. Making that simple connection is what shifts attitudes and changes lives.
Our Choices Shape Our Future
Paying It Forward
As a business owner I’ve hired at-risk young adults and returning citizens, into my construction business teaching them the skills they need to make a living wage. Many have gone on to start their own businesses, leveraging the foundational knowledge they learned and creating job opportunities for others.
It’s this effective, structured learn to earn model with proven results and successes that we are bringing to the HTP Homes training and workforce readiness program. I’ve seen it work because it worked for me. My vision is to place our program participants into full-time family-sustaining careers and to instill in them the same passion I have to pay it forward.
A Model For Success
I’ve dedicated my life to helping and inspiring others because I believe in their potential and I want them to believe in themselves. Over several decades, I’ve trained young men in construction trades, beginning with safety protocols and moving through multiple disciplines from demolition to carpentry. I expose trainees to business professionals in specialty areas like plumbing, electrical, and HVAC because I want them to know they can be self-sufficient at whatever they choose to do. The key driver of my training model is building relationships that go beyond the workplace. I talk about life and its pitfalls; I encourage fiscal responsibility – savings and investing. I set high expectations of these amazing individuals and I do not compromise. Creating an environment of comfort and trust allows for necessary breakthroughs and reassures the program trainees that I truly care.