Tom Vazzo

Thanks, Charles. Good to be with you.

Thanks, Charles. Good to be with you.

Thanks, Charles. Good to be with you.

Yeah, sure. I grew up a middle-class kid. My brothers and I are first-generation college graduates. I go right into graduate school from my undergraduate, and then I land in a small company up in Boston, a family-run business. At that time, it was about a $50 million business.

Yeah, sure. I grew up a middle-class kid. My brothers and I are first-generation college graduates. I go right into graduate school from my undergraduate, and then I land in a small company up in Boston, a family-run business. At that time, it was about a $50 million business.

Yeah, sure. I grew up a middle-class kid. My brothers and I are first-generation college graduates. I go right into graduate school from my undergraduate, and then I land in a small company up in Boston, a family-run business. At that time, it was about a $50 million business.

In my time there, we scaled to $300 million, run by the family, had all the attributes of a family-run business, a lot of other family members in there, but also bringing in professional managers. They sold to a bigger corporation in which then launched me into my corporate career. Ended over 26 years. My last eight years, I ran a $2 billion set of businesses for the corporation.

In my time there, we scaled to $300 million, run by the family, had all the attributes of a family-run business, a lot of other family members in there, but also bringing in professional managers. They sold to a bigger corporation in which then launched me into my corporate career. Ended over 26 years. My last eight years, I ran a $2 billion set of businesses for the corporation.

In my time there, we scaled to $300 million, run by the family, had all the attributes of a family-run business, a lot of other family members in there, but also bringing in professional managers. They sold to a bigger corporation in which then launched me into my corporate career. Ended over 26 years. My last eight years, I ran a $2 billion set of businesses for the corporation.

And now what I do is I do a nonprofit. And I run Homeboy Industries, which we're a nonprofit in Los Angeles, helping gang members and felons leave gang life behind and life of crime behind and heal and mainstream back out to society.

And now what I do is I do a nonprofit. And I run Homeboy Industries, which we're a nonprofit in Los Angeles, helping gang members and felons leave gang life behind and life of crime behind and heal and mainstream back out to society.

And now what I do is I do a nonprofit. And I run Homeboy Industries, which we're a nonprofit in Los Angeles, helping gang members and felons leave gang life behind and life of crime behind and heal and mainstream back out to society.

Yeah, you know, I sort of say it this way. I had my epiphany moment back, and if I can give you a little longer story to this. Back in 2008, which is now a while back, was the Great Recession of 2008. And our corporation, we were a private corporation for a number of years, then we went public. And then public for five years, then back to being private again. So I had the

Yeah, you know, I sort of say it this way. I had my epiphany moment back, and if I can give you a little longer story to this. Back in 2008, which is now a while back, was the Great Recession of 2008. And our corporation, we were a private corporation for a number of years, then we went public. And then public for five years, then back to being private again. So I had the

Yeah, you know, I sort of say it this way. I had my epiphany moment back, and if I can give you a little longer story to this. Back in 2008, which is now a while back, was the Great Recession of 2008. And our corporation, we were a private corporation for a number of years, then we went public. And then public for five years, then back to being private again. So I had the

Fortunate to be there for those transactions and did well for myself and my family. But now this is the first couple of years of being a private organization. Private equity owned us. And so we had to deliver upon our numbers. So the big 2008 recession comes along. Employment levels dropped by 10%, which means the businesses were in revenue dropped by 10%.

Fortunate to be there for those transactions and did well for myself and my family. But now this is the first couple of years of being a private organization. Private equity owned us. And so we had to deliver upon our numbers. So the big 2008 recession comes along. Employment levels dropped by 10%, which means the businesses were in revenue dropped by 10%.

Fortunate to be there for those transactions and did well for myself and my family. But now this is the first couple of years of being a private organization. Private equity owned us. And so we had to deliver upon our numbers. So the big 2008 recession comes along. Employment levels dropped by 10%, which means the businesses were in revenue dropped by 10%.

And all of us as executive leaders, executive officer of the corporation, have to do all we can to get our businesses right sized for the recession. And so at that time, my set of businesses, again, $2 billion on the top line, about $150 million of operating profit on the bottom line. That was the budget. I thought we did a good job.

And all of us as executive leaders, executive officer of the corporation, have to do all we can to get our businesses right sized for the recession. And so at that time, my set of businesses, again, $2 billion on the top line, about $150 million of operating profit on the bottom line. That was the budget. I thought we did a good job.