Thank you for celebrating 30 years of people, purpose, and possibility with us!
In March, we shared the story of how Express Grand Rapids began. On February 26, 1996, Janis Petrini opened our doors with a simple belief: meaningful work creates hope. We promised to keep the celebration going all year.
On Friday, October 2, we got to celebrate in person. Best of all, we got to celebrate with you.
A Room Full of Familiar Faces
About 200 guests joined us at our offices for the evening. The room was filled with clients and community partners of Express Employment Professionals, Specialized Recruiting Group, and Frontline Training Solutions.
“It was such a beautiful evening. I saw so many faces who were integral in helping our company grow into three distinct business and succeed over the years, including clients, community partners, and retired staff who were here from the beginning. My heart is filled with unimaginable gratitude!”
– Janis Petrini, Founder & Co-Owner, Express Employment Professionals Companies
Looking around the room, it was clear what 30 years means to us. It isn’t a date on a calendar. It’s the people who trusted us, worked alongside us, and helped our community grow.
An Evening to Remember
The Steve Wood Trio set the tone with live music throughout the night. Two caricature artists, Paul McNeilly and David Wodarek, sketched guests, and many people walked away with a portrait and a good laugh. The photo booth stayed busy throughout the night.
Martha’s Catering kept everyone well fed with hors d’oeuvres and drinks. It was the kind of night where conversations lingered, and nobody seemed in a hurry to leave.
A Fresh Look at Our Story
The evening gave guests their first look at our refreshed office. Two new pieces stood out.
The first is our new company timeline. It traces 30 years of growth across our three companies, starting with our location originally opening its doors as Express Personnel Services. Along the way, it marks milestones in the number of clients we’ve served and job seekers we’ve placed. Each of those numbers represents a person and organization that trusted us.
The second is our refreshed community mural wall. It’s a photo collage of our team volunteering and supporting many of our nonprofit partners, several of which were with us that night. It was a meaningful chance to celebrate how we’ve worked together to advance their missions, surrounded by the people who made it possible.
Both pieces are now part of our daily workspace. They remind us that our story has been shaped by the people we serve.
Stories Worth Retelling
The heart of the evening was the stories. Guests shared memories from the early days and caught up with old friends. Many met new ones too.
“It was nice to connect with partners, new and old, to celebrate all we have done together. I really enjoyed seeing many of our own staff’s families attend, because they're a part of the business too, sharing their loved ones with us and those we serve every day. What a night!”
– David Robb, Co-Owner & Managing Partner, Express Employment Professionals Companies
Whether a guest had attended one of Frontline’s trainings, partnered with us on their talent needs, or came to us looking for the next step on their career journey, many stories of growth and gratitude were shared. And plenty of laughs!
Three Companies, One Shared Story
This was a special chance to bring partners from all three of our companies into one room. Express opened in 1996. Specialized Recruiting Group followed in 2021, and Frontline Training Solutions launched as its own company in 2022.
Each chapter grew out of listening to the people we serve. Seeing those relationships come together in one place was a reminder of how connected our work has become. It was also a reminder of how thankful we are for the people who helped shape it.
Thank You for Being Part of Our Story
To our clients, thank you for trusting us with your teams and your goals. To our community partners, thank you for working beside us to make West Michigan a stronger place to live and work. To our associates and candidates, thank you for letting us be part of your career stories.
To everyone who wanted to be there but couldn’t, we missed you. We know many of you had other commitments that evening. Please know you were with us in spirit. You are a big reason we had so much to celebrate.
A special thank you to our team and event committee for planning such a welcoming and memorable evening.
Relive the Night
We captured many great moments from the evening. Visit our photo gallery to view and download your favorites.
View and Download Photos
Here’s to the Next 30 Years
Thirty years ago, this all started with one belief about meaningful work and hope. That belief is still with us today. It grows stronger because of the people who share it with us.
Thank you for celebrating with us. We can’t wait to see what the next 30 years hold!
Thirty years of people.
Thirty years of purpose.
Thirty years of possibility.