Month: August 2026

OMAHA, Neb., August 21, 2026 /3BL/ — A $1 million grant from the Wells Fargo Foundation will expand access to construction education, increase student scholarships and strengthen affordable housing partnerships with Metropolitan Community College (MCC), helping students pursuing careers in Nebraska’s growing construction industry. In addition, a $250,000 grant from the Wells Fargo Foundation to HomeWoven, a nonprofit focused on housing stability, will support the construction of affordable homes in South Omaha while creating an expanded internship program with MCC, enabling students to learn on the job through hands-on housing development experience.

The investment comes as both employer demand and student interest in construction-related careers continue to rise. According to the Nebraska Department of Labor, the construction industry is among the five industries with the highest number of job openings, comprising 9.8% of all job openings statewide. At MCC, enrollment demand in construction-related programs continues to exceed available capacity, underscoring the need to expand educational opportunities for future skilled trades professionals. 

“Strong local economies need housing people can afford and workers with the right skills,” said Jason Rosenberg, head of Public Affairs at Wells Fargo. “Wells Fargo’s partnerships with Metropolitan Community College and HomeWoven focus on both training the next generation of trades professionals while helping Nebraska communities build more housing.”

The partnership with MCC, Wells Fargo and HomeWoven was announced during an event at the MCC Construction Education Center on the Fort Omaha Campus. A panel discussion featuring Mike Rowe, CEO of the mikeroweWORKS Foundation and best known as the creator and host of Dirty Jobs, focused on the need for growing the skilled workforce. 

“This generous investment from Wells Fargo comes at a critical time as demand continues to grow for skilled construction professionals,” said Scott Broady, MCC dean of Skilled Trades and Technical Sciences. “It will allow Metropolitan Community College to serve more students pursuing high-demand careers while helping remove financial barriers that can prevent them from accessing state-of-the-art education and training at MCC.” 

The MCC grant includes $750,000 for improvements supporting construction education and $250,000 in scholarships for students pursuing these programs.

“Affordability is at the top of minds for Nebraskans,” said U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb. “Wells Fargo, HomeWoven, and MCC are working together to make a difference. This generous investment provides more students at MCC an opportunity to earn a successful living. It will also help lower housing costs for Nebraskans. I appreciate this effort to support our communities and improve the Good Life.”

For several years, more than 100 MCC students annually have collaborated across disciplines to design and construct affordable homes in partnership with local nonprofits. The Wells Fargo grant is expected to help build on that work by preparing more students for construction careers while expanding opportunities to serve the community. 

Funding support will also help HomeWoven address the need for affordable housing and hands on construction experience by those looking to pursue careers in construction. In 2025, the organization served nearly 300 households through its home ownership, home preservation and workforce development programs. The organization has seen twice the need from the community in 2026 from individuals looking to buy their own affordable home. The organization is working to address this need by building homes in the South Omaha area. 

“We are grateful for the investment by Wells Fargo of our initiative to provide more affordable housing in South Omaha as well as educate our future construction workforce,” said Jim Clements, Executive Director of HomeWoven. “We are excited about partnering with MCC to provide more opportunities for students to gain skills while addressing the region’s housing needs. The funding from Wells Fargo is a meaningful jump start to expanding our work together.” 

The demand for affordable housing is linked to a growing need for electricians, plumbers, construction managers and other trades. Workforce development is key to helping more people afford to live where they work and in towns and rural communities they love.

Mike Rowe had this advice for students in the trades: “Stay curious. Keep learning. Master a skill that’s in demand but be flexible on your journey. One of the greatest advantages of a career in the trades, is the way one opportunity often leads to another – sometimes unexpectedly. And remember, the future for a skilled tradesman in America has never been brighter, or more secure than right now. Also, avoid unnecessary debt, and start saving, starting right now.”

About Metropolitan Community College
Metropolitan Community College, accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, is a comprehensive, public community college that offers affordable, quality education to all residents of Dodge, Douglas, Sarpy and Washington counties. Founded in 1974, MCC has the largest enrollment out of six community colleges in Nebraska and is the second largest postsecondary institution in the state.

About HomeWoven
HomeWoven plays a vital role in strengthening the Omaha metro area’s housing stability by developing quality affordable housing. providing critical home repairs and improvements, and affordable homeownership opportunities for hardworking families, older adults and immigrant and refugee homeowners with low to moderate incomes. Through our workforce development program HomeWoven provides internship opportunities to develop a skilled workforce needed to address the community’s affordable housing needs.  Our work preserves generational wealth and builds stronger, more resilient communities. HomeWoven serves the Omaha metro area including Douglas and Sarpy County and Council Bluffs, Iowa.

CONTACT:
Brian Ayers
Metropolitan Community College

531-MCC-2725, office
402-917-8967, cell

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Originally published on newsroom.marykay.com

DALLAS, August 21, 2026 /3BL/ – Mary Kay Inc., global iconic leader in beauty and entrepreneurship, announces transformative business milestones, inviting the next generation to engage with a modernized Mary Kay.

Statement from Ryan Rogers, Chief Executive Officer of Mary Kay:

“We are re-defining the moment for Mary Kay. We are investing in technology and research to create seamless digital experiences while preserving the personal connections and sense of community that have always set Mary Kay apart. From the launch of Mary Kay My Shop to next-generation product innovation and purpose-driven impact, each milestone reflects the momentum behind our transformation. Building on more than 60 years of entrepreneurial legacy, we are reimagining how consumers engage with Mary Kay, meeting them wherever they connect, shop and share, while expanding opportunities for our Independent Beauty Consultants to thrive in a fast-moving digital world. Led by transformational leaders across the organization, Mary Kay is turning bold ambition into strategic growth, creating lasting value for generations of stakeholders.”

To learn more about the transformational leadership team, visit Mary Kay’s global website.

MARY KAY MY SHOP: TRANSFORMING HOW ONLINE SHOPPERS ACCESS THE BRAND EXPERIENCE 

• Mary Kay My Shop is a digital evolution that optimizes consumers’ buying experiences to meet the needs of a digitally native generation who expect convenience, choice and seamless interactions. My Shop not only streamlines purchasing Mary Kay products directly online, it also makes it easy to connect with an Independent Beauty Consultant for personalized service.
• My Shop is a cloud-first integrated platform that also equips Independent Beauty Consultants with new personalized online storefronts connected to Mary Kay’s e-commerce, payment, fulfillment and social media capabilities, allowing them to meet customers where they are, whether in person, online, or through social platforms. That flexibility is essential in today’s marketplace, where mobile commerce accounts for over 62% of beauty sales. To explore, visit the Mary Kay website.
• Launched in the United States and Germany in 2025, My Shop expanded to Canada, Mexico and Spain in summer 2026 and is being progressively rolled out across global markets.

SMART, INCLUSIVE BEAUTY INNOVATION MEETING NEXT-GEN ROUTINES 

• Mary Kay is defining modern beauty with a portfolio designed for the way consumers live and get ready today. The Mary Kay lineup spans intelligent skin care, inclusive complexion innovation and makeup made for effortless self-expression and wellness solutions that complement any beauty routine, meeting next-gen consumers wherever they are in their beauty journey and daily lives.
• Skin care first: Mary Kay Clinical Solutions® Barrier Restore 1:1:3 uses a patented ratio of fatty acids, ceramides and cholesterol to support the skin barrier, while Mary Kay® Hydrating Cream Mask offers no-rinse moisture on the go. TimeWise® 3D Foundation delivers a true-to-you match performance in 36 skin tone-true shades and skin-first performance.
• An iconic eye duo: From bold definition to effortless removal, Lash Love Fanorama® Define+Lift Mascara, and Mary Kay® Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover help beauty lovers create, express, and easily refresh any look.
• Responsible product packaging and ingredient sourcing: Mary Kay is reducing plastic intensity, increasing recycled content and advancing recycle-ready packaging, including a TimeWise® Targeted-Action® Toning Lotion bottle with 94% post-consumer recycled. Mary Kay also supports responsible Shea and Palm oil sourcing through the Global Shea Alliance and the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil. Explore Mary Kay’s 2026 Sustainability Report here.
• Beauty Tech: To personalize product recommendations and enhance customer experience, Mary Kay’s AI-powered Foundation Finder uses advanced artificial intelligence to scan a customer’s face on their mobile phone and provide personalized foundation shade recommendations in just seconds with precise detection of 151 facial feature points.
• Available around the world, Mary Kay’s Foundation Finder has already garnered top-tier recognition.

MARY KAY GLOBAL SOCIAL SQUAD: ACTIVATING A GLOBAL COMMUNITY OF EMERGING SOCIAL CREATORS

• Launched in March 2026, the Mary Kay Global Social Squad is a strategic pilot empowering a new generation of digital storytellers and strengthening connections with beauty lovers worldwide.
• The program empowers Independent Beauty Consultants to become authentic social creators, sharing product education, beauty inspiration and the latest beauty trends through relevant, high-quality content. The inaugural pilot brings together more than 70 creators in 15 markets across four regions: North America, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Europe.
• By investing in creator education and community, Mary Kay is building a social-first network that expands brand and product discovery, bringing Mary Kay closer to consumers around the world.

ENTREPRENEURIAL RENAISSANCE

• Appealing to Next-Gen Entrepreneurs: Built on Mary Kay Ash’s belief in the power of women supporting women, Mary Kay connects consumers and entrepreneurs who want to grow, give back and be part of something bigger than themselves. Purpose-driven and blending digital and personal connection, the Mary Kay business opportunity aligns with Gen Z’s entrepreneurial ambitions, tech fluency and strong desire for community. Gen Z represented 9% of U.S. businesses started in 2025¹. More than half of Gen Z adults have seriously considered starting a business, highlighting a powerful appetite for flexible paths to entrepreneurship².
• Social First Events: Mary Kay continues to invest in iconic sales force events such as “Seminar” and “Leadership Conference” bringing the Mary Kay community together across markets to celebrate business achievements and strengthen meaningful connections. Events are also evolving into social-first, tech-enabled experiences built for beauty entrepreneurs. More than events, these are launchpads for the next generation, equipping independent sales force members with social media expertise, e-commerce education and smart digital tools to connect, grow and lead.

PURPOSE IN ACTION: PINK CHANGING LIVES^®

• A global beauty leader, Mary Kay fosters a vibrant community rooted in purpose, trust and belonging, resonating across generations and creating cultural relevance among the next generation.
• That purpose extends into communities through Pink Changing Lives®, Mary Kay’s global social impact program, which since 2008 has contributed more than $230 million in monetary and in-kind support to enrich the lives of women and their families by advancing cancer research, supporting survivors of domestic violence and creating opportunities for economic empowerment worldwide.

TOP TIER GLOBAL BRAND RECOGNITION 

• Mary Kay was named the #1 Direct Selling Brand of Skin Care and Color Cosmetics in the World³ by Euromonitor International for four consecutive years (2023-2026).
• Mary Kay ranked #2 on Forbes 2026 Best Customer Service list moving up from #93 in 2025⁴. Mary Kay is the only Beauty brand in the Top 15 and the only direct-selling company in the Top 50.
• Mary Kay ranked #8 out of 5,500 brands on Forbes’s 2026 Best Brands for Social Impact⁵ moving up from stellar #9 achieved in 2025. Mary Kay is the only beauty brand in the Top 15 and the only direct selling company on the list.
• Mary Kay ranked #13 on Happi’s Top 50 U.S. Companies 2026 Report⁶.

DID YOU KNOW: 

• 63% of the Executive Team, 64% of Research and Development Scientists, 79% of the Global Brand and Global Creative Team, 63% of our Global Workforce, and 60% of Leadership Positions in Mary Kay’s Top 10 Markets are held by women⁷. 

***

About Mary Kay

One of the original glass ceiling breakers, Mary Kay Ash founded her dream beauty brand in Texas in 1963 with one goal: to enrich women’s lives. That dream has blossomed into a global company with millions of independent sales force members in 40 markets. For over 60 years, the Mary Kay opportunity has empowered women to define their own futures through education, mentorship, advocacy, and innovation. Mary Kay is dedicated to investing in the science behind beauty and manufacturing cutting-edge skincare, color cosmetics, nutritional supplements, and fragrances. Mary Kay believes in preserving our planet for future generations, protecting women impacted by cancer and domestic abuse, and encouraging youth to follow their dreams. Learn more at marykayglobal.com. Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

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Mary Kay Inc. Corporate Communications
Newsroom.marykay.com
972.687.5332 or media@mkcorp.com

1. For the First Time Ever, Gen Z Entrepreneurs Outnumber Baby Boomers in New Business Starts, According to New Report from Gusto
2. The 2026 LendingTree study
3. “Source Euromonitor International Limited; Beauty and Personal Care 2026 Edition, Value Sales at RSP, 2025 Data”
4. Alan Schwarz (October 14, 2025). Forbes – Best Customer Service 2026. https://www.forbes.com/lists/best-customer-service/
5. Alan Schwarz (March 17, 2026). Forbes – Best Brands For Social Impact 2026. https://www.forbes.com/lists/best-brands-social-impact/
6. Happi’s Top 50 Report. https://www.happi.com/top-companies-reports/top-50-us-companies/
7. Women Representation and Leadership at Mary Kay (May 2026).

Entergy New Orleans partnered with Rebuilding Together New Orleans to help residents stay safe and cool during the summer months through a series of home weatherization events.

Through three volunteer “Beat the Heat” events, Entergy volunteers helped weatherize two homes in District C and one home in District B. Volunteers helped improve the homes by caulking windows and doors and installing Hardie board siding. These improvements help reduce energy consumption and lower monthly electricity costs while making homes more comfortable during periods of extreme heat.

“Helping residents stay safe and comfortable in their homes is an important part of serving our community,” said Stephanie Willis, director of public affairs at Entergy New Orleans. “Through our partnership with Rebuilding Together New Orleans, we can provide valuable support for families while helping them manage energy costs during the hot summer months.”

Rebuilding Together New Orleans works to advance health equity by addressing the connection between housing and health in underserved communities. Through home repairs and revitalization efforts, the organization helps promote long-term neighborhood stability and improve quality of life.

At Entergy New Orleans, we believe every person deserves a safe and healthy home. Through partnership s and volunteer service, we are helping create safer, stronger communities across our city.

View original content here.

Entergy New Orleans partnered with Rebuilding Together New Orleans to help residents stay safe and cool during the summer months through a series of home weatherization events.

Through three volunteer “Beat the Heat” events, Entergy volunteers helped weatherize two homes in District C and one home in District B. Volunteers helped improve the homes by caulking windows and doors and installing Hardie board siding. These improvements help reduce energy consumption and lower monthly electricity costs while making homes more comfortable during periods of extreme heat.

“Helping residents stay safe and comfortable in their homes is an important part of serving our community,” said Stephanie Willis, director of public affairs at Entergy New Orleans. “Through our partnership with Rebuilding Together New Orleans, we can provide valuable support for families while helping them manage energy costs during the hot summer months.”

Rebuilding Together New Orleans works to advance health equity by addressing the connection between housing and health in underserved communities. Through home repairs and revitalization efforts, the organization helps promote long-term neighborhood stability and improve quality of life.

At Entergy New Orleans, we believe every person deserves a safe and healthy home. Through partnership s and volunteer service, we are helping create safer, stronger communities across our city.

View original content here.

by Tina Casey

Previously published by TriplePundit

A bipartisan wave of opposition to the security technology startup Flock Safety is growing across the United States. Critics say the Georgia-based company’s vast network of automated license plate readers, or ALPRs, collect personal data in violation of the Fourth Amendment. Flock says what it does improves public safety and is perfectly legal, but the system has proven ripe for error and abuse.

Though its name is seemingly everywhere right now, Flock is just one part of a growing disconnect between the expectation of constitutional protections and the reality of life in the 21st century.

Flock cameras are already active in thousands of U.S. communities

Surveillance cameras in public places are not a new phenomenon, but the rise of artificial intelligence provides Flock and companies like it with new and infinitely more powerful tools that have raised alarms among civil rights advocates.

Flock has approximately 120,000 ALPRs operating in 7,000 communities across the U.S. The cameras capture license plates and details like paint colors, bumper stickers and visible damage to recognize vehicles and allow for law enforcement tracking. The latest Flock devices can also focus on and follow pedestrians.

Though it indiscriminately records millions of people’s daily movements, Flock says it does not violate the Fourth Amendment. Part of the Bill of Rights, the Fourth Amendment prohibits the U.S. government from conducting searches, including the use of digital footprints such as cell phone location data, without a warrant.

As a private company, Flock is not subject to the same legal framework that applies to the government. Regardless of its position on this heavily debated topic, though, the company’s core business is built around contracting with law enforcement. That’s where the model collides with civil rights, including putting lives at risk.

License plate reader errors create dangerous community encounters

Increased use of automated license plate readers is followed by a worrying pattern of dangerous roadside encounters and wrongful detainments of innocent people.

Last week, a Wisconsin woman was stopped on a busy interstate and surrounded by police with their guns drawn after Flock’s system wrongfully linked her car to a homicide. She told local reporters it was the second time she’d been stopped at gunpoint in less than two weeks.

“I haven’t been asleep since this has happened,” she said, holding back tears. “Every time I close my eyes, all I can see is guns.”

A few weeks before, automotive journalist Joel Feder of The Drive said he and his wife were surrounded by armed officers while test-driving a Range Rover in Minnesota, which Flock’s system had erroneously reported stolen. “Flock isn’t just at the center of a national debate, it hit at the center of my life,” Feder wrote.

In a July analysis of 24 traffic stops linked to license reader errors, the Institute of Justice found that officers drew and pointed their guns at innocent people in two-thirds of them. “Every one of those stops is a high-risk encounter where a wrong move, a misunderstanding, or a moment of fear can turn deadly,” Michael Soyfer, an Institute of Justice attorney, said in a statement. “No one should have to prove their innocence on the side of the road because a camera couldn’t tell a zero from an O.”

Law enforcement traffic stops are dangerous regardless of why the person was pulled over. More than 800 people died in the course of traffic stops between 2017 and 2025, according to the American Civil Liberties Union. “Despite representing only 12 percent of the population, Black people make up more than a quarter of those killed in these encounters,” the organization notes.

In one particularly horrifying incident earlier this year, a Black driver in Ohio feared for his life when an erroneous Flock alert led police to pull him over. Exiting the car at gunpoint, he was attacked by a police dog and suffered life-changing injuries. He was then jailed for hours before being released.

Though Flock’s marketing materials boast a 93 percent accuracy rate, the company’s camera network reads more than 20 billion license plates every month, adding up to over a billion inaccurate readings.

Overall outcomes can also mask more substantial shortcomings in individual jurisdictions. In Roseville, California, for example, a customized Flock system generated 1,427 alerts regarding stolen or felony-linked vehicles from 2023 to 2024. More than 70 percent of the alerts were later found to be erroneous. Flock reportedly attributed the problem to the deployment of older equipment in a configuration requested by Roseville officials.

Police misuse of Flock systems is the last straw for many communities

Beyond mistakes and equipment failures, Flock’s data is also vulnerable to intentional abuse by law enforcement officers. Recent cases in Georgia jurisdictions alone include a former police officer charged with accessing the system multiple times for non-enforcement reasons, three sheriff’s employees who resigned after an audit of Flock usage, the arrest of a former deputy charged with tracking a person known to him, three officers fired after an audit revealed unauthorized searches, and more.

This spurt of arrests, charges, and terminations follows the rollout of a new auditing tool from Flock. Effective as the tool may be, it can only catch abuse after the damage is done. Combined with terrifying cases of mistaken identity, publicity over intentional misuse of the system created mounting backlash in communities.

More than 100 municipalities have cancelled their contracts with Flock since 2021, according to the civic engagement organization Deflock. More than half of them cancelled this year, with over a quarter in July alone. The ACLU also posted an advocacy toolkit to help concerned residents press for action against ALPRs.

Flock is getting the most press and community blowback, but it’s far from the only company assisting law enforcement with surveillance technology. Vigilant Solutions and Rekor Systems also operate broad ALPR networks in the U.S., while the drone surveillance company Skydio partners with more than 1,200 government and law enforcement agencies across the country.

Whatever happened to the Bill of Rights?

Adding to the fraught environment is the specter of U.S. President Donald Trump’s immigration policy and the wanton abuse of constitutional protections by federal immigration agents. Though Flock claims it does not work with immigration agencies, local law enforcement has been documented sharing ALPR data with agents.

Other vulnerable populations are also at risk of persecution through surveillance tracking. In 2022, for example, women were warned to delete popular menstrual tracking apps after advocates raised the potential for law enforcement to use the data in abortion cases. More recently, a sheriff’s deputy in Texas searched more than 83,000 Flock cameras across the country in an effort to find a woman suspected of having an abortion.

People seeking gender-affirming care are also increasingly vulnerable to interstate data collection and sharing, civil rights advocates say.
 

Surveillance companies like Flock Safety, Skydio, and others operate in a legal grey area as legislators and the courts are slow to keep pace with rapidly advancing technology. Though the Supreme Court has ruled there are few reasonable expectations of privacy in public, some legal experts say mass AI-powered surveillance networks go beyond security camera feeds to provide a searchable account of a person’s daily movements before there is any probable cause of a crime.

“While companies can manipulate you, they cannot put you in jail. But the U.S. government can, and it now purchases massive quantities of your information from commercial data brokers,” Anne Toomey McKenna, an affiliated faculty member of the Institute for Computational and Data Sciences at Penn State University, wrote in The Conversation.

Far beyond ALPRs, McKenna describes a lifestyle of continuous personal data collection that includes Ring cameras, smart phones, automotive sensors, and more.

While ordinary people can reduce some of the risks, completely disconnecting from the modern world is virtually impossible. It will take continued public pressure, and aggressive legislative and judicial action, to rein in the growing threat of surveillance data abuse.

Key Points

• Wayne Davis, Marathon Petroleum Marine Transportation Tankering Services supervisor supporting the Gulf Coast, was named to The Waterways Journal’s 40 Under 40 Award list, recognizing his contributions to the inland marine transportation industry.
• Davis has built a 19-year marine career, growing from a shore-based tankerman into a leader of nearly 25 team members supporting barge operations across Texas and Louisiana.
• His leadership focuses on respect, safety and shared accountability, helping strengthen team culture, support zero OSHA recordable injuries and encourage others to grow in the industry.

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When Wayne Davis, Marathon Petroleum Marine Tankering Services Supervisor supporting the Gulf Coast, learned he had been named to The Waterways Journal’s 40 Under 40 Award list, the recognition felt bigger than a personal achievement.

“It was a very surreal moment,” Davis said. “You don’t hear about coming from shore tanking to getting awards in the industry. It was an honor to be celebrated in front of industry partners.”

The annual 40 Under 40 Award recognizes men and women who have made significant contributions to the inland marine transportation industry and show promise in shaping its future. For Davis, who supports Marathon’s Galveston Bay, Texas, and Garyville, Louisiana, refineries and third-party docks in both states, it also shines a light on a part of the marine industry that is often less visible.

An Unexpected Start

Davis has worked in the marine industry since 2006 and marked four years with Marathon in August. His path began unexpectedly when he was working at a sporting goods store at age 18. After he helped a customer load weightlifting equipment for a vessel, she offered him a job opportunity.

“I didn’t know this industry existed,” Davis said. “She offered me a better opportunity and more of a career than what I was doing.”

Davis started as a shore-based tankerman and has built a 19-year career rooted in reliability, initiative and a willingness to keep learning. Today, Davis supervises a growing team of nearly 25 shore-based Tankerman across Texas and Louisiana who support the movement of products by barge across key Gulf Coast locations. While vessel crews move the barges, shore-based tankermen meet them at the dock, connect the equipment and oversee the transfer process that helps keep products moving across our integrated value chain safely and reliably.

“Wayne’s leadership style is grounded in accountability, clear communication, and an unwavering commitment to safety.”

Leading with Respect

For Davis, leadership starts with respect, consistency and accountability. He said he makes it a point to treat frontline employees and leaders with the same professionalism, creating an environment where people feel valued and supported.

“My job is to go to work and make sure the team feels respected,” Davis said. “Make sure they feel treated right; make sure they feel taken care of. We’re all human beings. We’re all grown adults at work.”

Chris Snouffer, Marine Tankering Services Manager, said Davis’s leadership has had a significant impact on both the Marine Transportation organization and MPC.

“Wayne’s leadership style is grounded in accountability, clear communication, and an unwavering commitment to safety,” Snouffer said. “He sets the tone for the group by making safety not just a priority, but a core value in every decision and action.”

Snouffer said Davis has strengthened the safety culture, empowered teams to speak up, and helps drive operational excellence.

“Because of Wayne’s leadership, our organization operates with greater discipline, confidence, and a shared focus on protecting our people and assets every day,” Snouffer said.

Safety as a Shared Responsibility

That approach has helped Davis strengthen a team culture built on safety and shared ownership. Under his supervision, the group has achieved zero OSHA recordable injuries, supported by knowledge assessments and participation in behavior-based safety processes. Davis reinforces that safety is not optional.

“Safety is built into everything we do,” Davis said. “It’s how we protect our team, support our operations and serve the communities around us.”

Davis often describes the team’s culture as one where employees make each other better. In practice, he said, it means employees are encouraged to share observations, offer feedback and look at familiar tasks from different perspectives.

“You don’t have to feel offended when someone comes to correct you,” Davis said. “Learn how to take feedback as a way to grow.”

That focus on respect and shared accountability has also shaped how Davis supports the people around him.

“Wayne is an exceptional leader that always goes above and beyond to ensure his team, and everyone around him, feels heard, respected and valued,” said Pam Shafer, Senior Human Resources Business Partner. “He truly goes the extra mile to share his knowledge with others and is helping to develop the Tankering Services Group for a positive future.”

Service Beyond Work

His commitment to service extends beyond work. Davis has volunteered with Bay Area Habitat for Humanity build days, and he and his wife regularly involve their children in grassroots efforts to provide meals and supplies to people in need.

While the 40 Under 40 Award recognizes what Davis has already accomplished, he said what motivates him now is helping others see what is possible in the same industry that once found him.

“Being able to help people and encourage people to want better for themselves in the same industry, it helps get me up for work now,” Davis said. “With this team and the leadership around us, I’m excited about where we’re headed and what we can continue to accomplish together.”

Investing in early education helps build stronger families, communities and thriving economies. As part of our commitment to supporting early education, Entergy joined community leaders, educators and families to celebrate the grand opening and ribbon cutting of Wilcox Academy’s new Central City Early Learning Center and educator housing facility. The celebration included a neighborhood second line featuring marching bands followed by a ribbon cutting with elected officials, community partners and supporters.

Wilcox Academy celebrated its 20th anniversary with the grand opening of its new Central City Campus. Entergy’s donation of $150,000 to support the state-of-the-art facility culminates two decades of support and collaboration that helped make the center a reality, including advocacy at the local, state and federal level to create the necessary funding.

“My parents were both educators so I learned the importance of a strong educational foundation at an early age,” said Deanna Rodriguez, president and CEO of Entergy New Orleans, “At Entergy, we believe education is essential to building strong communities and we are committed to supporting opportunities that help young people and families succeed.”

The facility is one of the first in the city to co-locate childcare and affordable housing – two of most pressing needs facing the city. The 13-classroom facility will serve up to 150 children from birth to age 5 and create approximately 30 local jobs. In addition, the campus provides wraparound services such as family coaching, healthcare partnerships, take-home meals, and includes four energy-efficient affordable housing units for early childhood educators.

“This campus is about creating a foundation for children and families to grow and succeed,” said Rochelle Wilcox, CEO of Wilcox Academy. “When families have access to quality early education, stability and the resources they need, the benefits reach far beyond the classroom and strengthen the entire community.”

Entergy’s investment and support for early care and education date back to the early 2000s when the company joined efforts to support the Coalition for Pre-K for All. More recently, Entergy was part of a coalition that led a successful effort in 2022 to create a millage, that with state matching funds, raises up to $40 million annually to provide 2,000 working families in Orleans Parish with access to high-quality early care and education. Through our investments in the Louisiana Policy Institute, Entergy also helped fund the advocacy efforts that created the state matching fund which was critical to the center’s opening.

State Sen. Royce Duplessis, who helped advance funding for the project, highlighted the power of collaboration and the long-term impact of investing in early education, families and affordable housing.

The Wilcox Academy Central City Early Learning Center brings together early education, family services and affordable housing to support families and strengthen the early childhood workforce. Entergy is proud to support Wilcox Early Learning Center and its commitment to education, helping create opportunities for young people and families while supporting a brighter future for the community.

Learn more here about Entergy’s year-round initiatives dedicated to help our communities that we serve.

View original content here.