Working out of an abandoned jailhouse in north Philadelphia, Dr. Sullivan founds the first OIC training center to provide employment training and retraining in impoverished communities.

Reverend Franklin L. Henley, pastor of St. Paul’s Baptist Church, learned about the grassroots manpower-training program that had recently launched in Philadelphia. In November 1965, he gathered Black ministers from Dauphin County to introduce OIC’s philosophy and secure their commitment to bringing an OIC to Harrisburg. Later that year, OIC of Dauphin County was established. A fundraising effort quickly followed, and within two months, the first classes began. The initiative gained widespread support from both private and public sectors, and as a result, Harrisburg OIC became the second OIC in Pennsylvania and the third in the nation.

OIC receives national recognition and begins to expand, establishing centers in eight additional cities.

Progress Plaza, a $2 million construction project, becomes the first shopping center in the country developed, owned and operated by African Americans.

Dr. Sullivan publishes “Build Brother Build,“ his seminal work that details the philosophy, birth and development of the OIC model.

OIC of America, Inc. (OICA) is established to serve as the national headquarters to OIC Affiliates and provide technical assistance to communities replicating the OICA model.

OICA receives $32.6 million from the Department of Labor to serve as “a prime national contractor” for manpower services throughout the U.S. for more than a decade.

OICA develops the Quantum Opportunity Program (QOP), a multi-year, intensive case management and mentoring program for high school youth. The program was rigorously evaluated and eventually adapted by the Eisenhower Foundation for widespread dissemination.

OIC has trained more than 3 million people, and placed more than 2.5 million in jobs, with its alumni collectively earning $80 billion a year (L.H. Sullivan, Moving Mountains, Judson Press

Tri-County OIC Prepare Workers For High-Demand “Green” CareersLeveraging $12.8 million in US Department of Labor grants through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act , OICA launched programs in 7 cities to prepare workers for high-demand “green” careers.

OICA launches national re-entry initiative known as SOAR to provide returning citizens vocational training, work readiness and education to help reduce recidivism, funded by 2 grants from the Dept. of Labor totaling $9 million.

Tri-County OIC launch rentry initiative to provide judicaticate youth career development a vocational training, work readiness and education to help reduce recidivism, funded by PCCD