Express employment professionals values its growth

A Conversation With: Kris Rooney, co-owner of Express Employment Professionals of the Lehigh Valley 

LVB: Tell me about Express Employment Professionals and what you do? 

 Rooney: Since the 1980s, Express Employment Professionals has been one the world’s largest privately held staffing organizations.   

With over 800 franchise locations across the United States, we have grown to become the nation’s fourth largest staffing company generating over $4 billion in revenue annually.   

At the very core, we provide people with hope through employment and opportunity to help people succeed.   

Our goal is to help as many people as possible find good jobs by helping as many clients as possible find good people.  

 LVB: You’re pretty high up on our list of Top Privately Held Companies. What has made you so successful? 

 Rooney: We set ourselves apart in the staffing industry through our innovative franchisor/franchisee model.  This provides us the backing of a multi-billion-dollar organization, while allowing to serve our local, Lehigh Valley clients like a small business.  

This distinctive approach drives local economic growth and fosters a deeper connection between employers and job seekers, ensuring unparalleled service and results.   

We attribute our success to staying grounded, staying local, and “being real” with our clients – both job seekers and employers. We are committed to our motto: “say what we do and do what we say”.   In this very competitive industry, we refuse to stray away from our roots; relationships matter.   

As more companies turn to AI to help recruit and more candidates turn to internet-based platforms for employment, a local, in-person presence, provides the understanding and relationships we need to help people truly succeed. 

 LVB: What industries do you serve? 

 Rooney: We serve several industries including but not limited to Manufacturing, Transportation/Logistics, Pharmaceutical, Semiconductor,  Finance/IT/Professional Services, and Healthcare. 

LVB: What services do you offer to your clients? 

Rooney: As a premier staffing agency, we offer comprehensive employment services and innovative workforce solutions tailored to the needs of our clients.  

We are proud to say that since opening our office in 2004 in Allentown, we have helped over 1,000 Lehigh Valley Employers find quality candidates through our Temporary/Flexible Staffing, Evaluation-Hire Staffing, and Direct Hire Staffing solutions. 

 But we are even more proud that we have directly helped over 20,000 job seekers find employment at our exceptional employer partners, indirectly helping enrich their livelihood and families as well. It’s well known that when you employ one person, you are enriching the lives of many.  

 LVB: What’s next for your company. 

 Rooney: Looking into our next 20 years of business in the Lehigh Valley, we must navigate shifting labor demands driven by rising costs – both inflationary and living costs- as well as navigating the real effect that Artificial Intelligence will bring to the workforce.   

We are continuing to invest heavily in technology, but must remember that technology does not replace relationships, it should strengthen them.   

At the same time, we must come to realize that jobs are changing and will continue to evolve.   

What those jobs look like over the next 10, 15, and 20 years are still yet to unfold.   

We have made major investments to expand certain verticals that we offer including Skilled Trades and Professional services.  In the coming two years, we also look to launch a Healthcare Division, to help better serve one of the Lehigh Valley’s largest industries. Whatever the future holds, Express Employment will be ready.