Up Close & Personal with CCA's 2011 Employee of the Year
Khalid Rentz, STG coordinator, Lake City Correctional Facility
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CCA 2011 Employee of the Year Khalid Rentz
It takes a lot to shake up Khalid Rentz. First of all, the 34-year-old senior correctional officer and security threat group (STG) coordinator is a big guy who still dabbles in sports and is even considering a return to semi-pro football.
Secondly, he spends his days at CCA's Lake City Correctional Facility in sunny Florida investigating and monitoring what people on the outside consider "bad guys" – young men in the prime of their youth who have fallen prey to gangs and gotten involved in the usual string of related activities – on the inside and on the streets.
As if that weren't enough, Rentz also runs a recording studio in his free time. Who books time for music sessions? Young men who fit the very profile of the gang members he encounters in his daily work at Lake City. They are rough around the edges, toughened by the streets and vulnerable due to a lack of positive real-life role models.
"It always seems like every young person between the ages of 19-35 wants to be a rapper or an R&B singer, so it's something I can get them in and start talking to them. A lot of them don't have fathers. I talk with them. I figure the more time they spend in the studio with me, the less time they will spend in the streets."
But the unflappable, level-headed Rentz practically broke down when he learned he had been named the 2011 CCA Employee of the Year.
"I do not know how it happened, but I surely am appreciative of it," he says with a laugh.
Rentz was notified about this major recognition on what he thought was a rather routine STG call.
"It took me by surprise because Mr. Hininger, Mr. Collins and Mr. Lappin were on the phone, and I thought it was a regular training call," he says. "Then I thought it was a joke or something. In fact, it kind of ruined my whole swagger because I'm this big guy, and I teared up a bit."
Rentz was selected from a competitive pool of more than 60 highly capable, productive and respected CCA employees – all of whom were named as their facility's employee of the year.
"I think it's great that this company takes the time to show the employees how much they matter," Rentz says. "There are a lot of people in this company who were probably way more deserving than me."
Rentz joined CCA in 1999 after working with the Florida Department of Corrections. He left briefly to pursue other opportunities and enroll in college, but returned to Lake City a couple of years later.
"Corrections kind of found me," he explains. "I didn't necessarily set out to be a CO. One day I was talking to a friend, and I tried it out. I feel like I'm a natural."
As an STG coordinator, Rentz really thrives off the ongoing excitement and endless opportunities to develop professionally in his role.
"It's really good when you enjoy the job that you do," he shares. "I do enjoy my post, I feel like I'm good at my job, and I never get tired of learning about so much of what it takes to be effective in STGs."
Perhaps what drives Rentz most is the impact he feels he can make in the lives of troubled young men who've made bad decisions.
"Every now and again, you can see yourself making a change with these guys," he says. "I remember where I was between 19-24. A lot of these guys are looking for father figures or people they can kind of pattern themselves after. With this age group, you can see yourself influence them over time, as they're doing time. Sometimes you'll see them years later in the streets, and they'll tell you they appreciate you and value what you did for them."
The Lake City native, who is an engaged father of two daughters, has big plans for his future with CCA – and in his personal life.
"I want to continue on with this company that doesn’t seem to have any glass ceilings," he says. "If you're good and you know what you're doing, the doors will open. I'm open to all types of advancement. Outside of work, my long-term goal is to see my daughters get married, have good men in their lives, and be an asset to my community, my company and my family."
From the January/February issue of InsideCCA, the magazine
Sound Out
Linda Sevison at Idaho Correctional Center:
What an amazing young man and an inspiration to everyone. We are lucky to have him on the CCA team!
Priscilla at unemployed:
Great work, Khalid, you never know the positive influence and how your strong support can help change lives. It takes courage and perseverence, but well worth it. That's why I liked working in corrections.
Have a great 2012!