OKLAHOMA CITY, May 17, 2023—Boasting more than 860 locations internationally and record recent sales of $4.46 billion, Express Employment Professionals is proud to celebrate its 40th anniversary as the premier staffing agency of choice for businesses, job seekers and entrepreneurs.

The journey to becoming an international franchised staffing giant was decades in the making, an evolution forged from humble beginnings, marked by perseverance and an undying passion to help people build better lives for themselves and their families and help communities grow and prosper.

A chance employment opportunity at the now-defunct Acme Personnel Services connected future Express founders Bill Stoller and Bob Funk who served as district manager and vice president, respectively. When the company succumbed to poor market conditions in the early 1980s, the two, along with Acme franchisee Jim Gray, formed Express Temporary Services with eight offices in Oklahoma, Oregon and Colorado.

The staffing company began franchising in 1985 as the founders determined this was the best strategy for growth and adopted a new name: Express Personnel Services. Stoller and Funk ultimately purchased Grey’s shares in the company and the present-day ownership structure was cemented.

“From the beginning, we set out to create a company and culture of servanthood—one that would provide hope through employment for job seekers and total staffing solutions for businesses,” said Funk, current Express Employment International President and Executive Chairman of the Board. “It’s been incredibly rewarding to see so many franchise owners through the years buy into our vision and invest in making a lasting difference in their communities.”

Over the next several decades, Express experienced rapid growth across the United States and through international expansion into Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. In 2008, the staffing company changed its name to Express Employment Professionals to better reflect its wide array of employment opportunities.

Today, Express’ network offers Light Industrial, Skilled Trades, Office Services and Professional staffing solutions, as well as franchise ownership opportunities. It has been recognized on several industry lists, including:

  • Entrepreneur: Franchise 500 List and Best in Category for the 11th consecutive year, Fastest Growing Franchises, Top Global Franchises and Top Franchises for Veterans
  • Forbes: America’s Best Professional Recruiting Firms, America’s Best Temp Staffing Firms and America’s Best Large Employers
  • Staffing Industry Analysts: Fourth-Largest U.S. Staffing Firm, Second-Largest U.S. Industrial Staffing Firm, Third-Largest U.S. Office/Clerical Staffing Firm, Largest U.S. Direct Hire Firms and 11th-Largest Global Staffing Firm

“Having started with only a handful of staffing locations in a depressed economy, we are so proud of the resiliency and success Express has experienced as we look back over four decades,” said Stoller, CEO of Express Employment International. “The staffing sector continues to thrive with Express at the forefront during this special anniversary year. Thanks to the proven systems we have in place, we have proudly cemented our brand as an industry leader both today and for generations to come.”

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About Bill Stoller

William H. “Bill” Stoller is chairman and chief executive officer of Express Employment International. Founded in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, the international staffing franchisor supports the Express Employment Professionals franchise and related brands. The Express franchise brand is an industry-leading, international staffing company with franchise locations in the U.S., Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

About Express Employment Professionals
At Express Employment Professionals, we’re in the business of people. From job seekers to client companies, Express helps people thrive and businesses grow. Our international network of franchises offers localized staffing solutions to the communities they serve across the U.S., Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, employing 579,000 people globally in 2022 and more than 10 million since its inception. For more information, visit ExpressPros.com.

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