Providing Superior Government Services

About Us

Overview

GPE is a nonprofit corporation providing job opportunities, education and training for the blind and severely disabled. Since its charter, GPE has actively pursued business opportunities that furthered this purpose, creating work opportunities for the blind and severely disabled in Arizona, Oklahoma, Kentucky and Nevada, promoting an environment dedicated to the success of both, the employees and the customers we serve.

History

Great Plains Enterprises, Inc. (GPE), was chartered as a nonprofit corporation on October 20, 1999, in the state of Missouri. It was organized for the fundamental charitable purpose of providing education, training and vocational opportunities for people with severe disabilities. Seed money and in-kind contributions for legal and accounting fees and other expenses of organization were donated by a Missouri corporation. Shortly after receiving its charter a board of directors was established.

In early 2000, Great Plains Enterprises, Inc. (GPE) had discussions with the National Institute of Severely Handicapped (NISH) (Now known as Source America) at Fort Riley, Kansas concerning the possibility of setting aside the Post laundry service for Ability One procurement. GPE had great hopes of establishing a physical laundry plant in Junction City, Kansas to offer employment to severely handicapped individuals and perform the laundry services for Fort Riley which was closing the government owned laundry plant. However, the government decided to solicit laundry services from commercial contractors and would not accept the NISH/Great Plains Enterprises, Inc. proposal.

In February 2001, GPE was contacted by Source America to discuss interest in an Ability One set-aside commissary contract at Fort Irwin, California. GPE acquired the services of John H. Stephens, a Las Vegas resident, who had previous experience with government contracted commissary operations to spearhead this endeavor. After meeting with Source America personnel and examining the operations at the Fort Irwin Commissary, GPE agreed to take over the contract. The operation at the Fort Irwin Commissary was successfully operated by GPE employing and training individuals with severe disabilities and by working closely with local rehabilitation placement agencies until 2015.

After demonstrating success at Fort Irwin, Source America offered, and GPE accepted, the Fort Hood I Commissary contract at Fort Hood, Texas in July 2001. This was an Ability One set aside and the current Ability One contractor could not reach an agreement with the government over price and decided to terminate their participation. Again, GPE stepped in and performed successfully until September 2005 when the government decided to take the operations back in house.

John H. Stephens was appointed President and Terry Schultz was appointed Corporate Secretary in January 2004.  Right after, GPE’s corporate headquarters were moved to Las Vegas, Nevada.

In May 2004, Source America contacted GPE about the possibility of taking over the Nellis AFB Commissary contract. GPE accepted and was awarded the contract. With a customer service attitude, GPE again stepped in to establish a great relationship with the store manager and provided a stable business management environment, at the same time meeting Source America and Ability One priorities for employing and training people with disabilities.

Fast forward to July 2006, Yuma MCAS Commissary. The incumbent Ability One contractor was operating at a deficit and could not reach a price accord with the government. Again, GPE stepped up to the plate, instituted good fiscal management, went the extra mile to train personnel, and successfully managed the contract meeting goals for the government and Ability One. 

In July 2007, Source America again contacted GPE, this time offering a new contract at Altus AFB, Altus, OK that had just been added to the Procurement List. As the current contract was commercial, this opportunity presented enormous obstacles at start-up just two weeks later. There were no disabled employees on-board, no one with Ability One experience to manage the operation and little time to garner a management team to commence operation on August 1, 2007. Nonetheless, GPE tackled the challenge enthusiastically, developing relationships with local Community Rehabilitation Programs (CRP’s), hiring and training management personnel, bringing in a start-up team to hire, train and acquire the requisite tools to successfully run the operation at Altus.

GPE submitted an 18 month transition plan to NISH attempting to fulfill the 75% disabled employee requirement by January 2009. Proudly, GPE exceeded the disabled quota by June 2008 and today disabled employees comprise 82% of the Altus Commissary contractor workforce.

In January 2009, GPE developed a laundry proposal to process linen, linen rental and garrison laundry. The proposals were accepted by Blanchfield Army Hospital and Fort Campbell. Work on the two contracts began June 1, 2009.  

Because of the success of the Fort Campbell laundry operation, GPE decided to build its’ own laundry expertise and capability, but also leveraged the capability by formalizing the strategic alliance with Penn Enterprises, Inc. (PEI).  In August 2010, GPE purchased the Busy Bee laundry in Rolla, Missouri, a 50-year-old facility, with a minimum of production equipment.  The building was leased to PEI who in turn modernized the equipment package and installed a barrier wall to meet OSHA requirements for the laundering hospital linen.  Subsequently it moved the production for all Fort Leonard Wood laundry to the facility.   Currently there is excess capacity of almost 4 million pounds a year. 

GPE continues their pursuit of new business which will provide meaningful employment and training to this country’s disabled. GPE is currently headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Leadership

John H. Stephens – President

John H. Stephens is a native of North Carolina.  He graduated from Mt. Olive High School in Whiteville NC.  Following graduation John attended the University of North Carolina A & T and majored in Electrical Engineering.

John spent 20 years in the United States Air Force and retired in Alaska 1981 after which he attended the International Fabricare Institute, in resident, for Laundry and Dry Cleaning.

John held the position as Laundry Director for Wilsyke Alaska for all military laundry throughout Alaska. Later becoming Regional Manager for all service contracts covering five states to include Colorado, Wyoming, New Mexico, Idaho and Washington for a period of eight years.  In 1991 He took the position of Project Manager of Laundry and Dry-Cleaning operations at the Military Academy at West Point, NY.

Between 1993 and 2001 John assumed the position of Linen Director for a number of prestigious hotels both in New York NY and in Las Vegas NV including the Four Seasons in New York and the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas. In 2001 John assumed the position of President of Great Plains Enterprises, Inc.

Jacqueline Rivera – Director of Human Resources and Productivity

Jacqueline Rivera is a native of Panama, Republic of Panama.  Mrs. Rivera is the Director of Human Resources and Productivity for Great Plains Enterprises, Inc.  She oversees the overall compliance with the Ability One Program and the Operational aspects of the Company. Mrs. Rivera has been employed with the company since July 2012.  Due to her previous job history, Mrs. Riveras has an extensive knowledge of quality control. Prior to joining Great Plains Enterprises, Inc., Mrs. Rivera spent twenty-five years in management and quality control in the Laundry and Dry Cleaning Industry.  She was the Project Manager at Walter Reed Medical Center before assuming the position of Assistant Director of Laundry, Valet and Costumes in the opening of the Paris Hotel Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. Mrs. Rivera is married and the mother of two children.