THIS BLOG ORIGINALLY APPEARED AT THE START OF THIS YEAR.
We’ve chosen to repeat it and end the year with it because 50 years in business is a milestone to be proud of.
Again, many thanks to our client partners, our talent community and our employees for taking the trip with us.
We are looking forward to Year 51!
I’ve been thinking about writing this post now for a few years and as we start 2021, I’m sharing it. This year marks the 50th anniversary of LLOYD STAFFING (originally LLoyd Personnel) ! I find any business with a fifty-year history impressive, and I’m particularly impressed with LLoyd because my father, Merrill Banks, founded the company and his vision for it in 1971.
I am proud to say my brother and I, are now the second-generation leadership of LLOYD, and we continue to carry forward the vision.
It is amazing when you think my father with no college degree and mostly a background in yard work, set his sights on a sales career. As a natural sales professional he walked into an employment agency and left saying, “I can do what you do even better. I can help companies find and hire the right people for their job openings and actually do it with professionalism, trust and real care for the people involved and not make it just a transaction.” If you know my father, he says it, and he does it. So there he was in an office the size of an elevator and LLoyd was on its way up (pun intended).
He borrowed money on his credit card and bet on himself to keep the business afloat and his hard work paid off. LLoyd became recognized, placing sales professionals in the NY region and nationwide. He specialized in placing candidates for 1970’s technology. The company grew with the hard work and commitment from people that shared the vision. They were loyal, hardworking and people were valued long before that was the expectation or the phrase “company culture” was in the vernacular. As a kid, I remember running through the carpeted halls and seeing everyone on the phone – slightly disappointed nobody would play with me – they were all too busy on their red phones. In these 50 years, there are so many that helped to build on the LLoyd mission… too many to thank, but Thank You anyway.
I WILL thank my mother, Diane Banks, for being the backbone of the family, the heart of the family business, leading some of our early offices and even taking on some temporary assignments herself when a client had an urgent need.
There are 5 lessons that we learned and continue to carry forward as LLoyd turns towards the next 50.
- You go nowhere without great people around you and with you.
- We work for LLoyd!
- Hard work and believing in yourself beats all else.
- Love what you do, or don’t do it.
- Talent Wins!
Growing up, I don’t think I ever thought LLoyd would be a family business with such a committed legacy, but now as we move into our second half century, I hope another generation may one day write a similar post and keep the LLoyd mission moving forward.
Thank you current and former employees, candidates, contract associates, clients, friends, business community and all those who have shared our journey. See you in 2071.
Happy Anniversary LLOYD and Thank You!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jason Banks, CSP, is the Executive Vice President of LLoyd Staffing. He leads the direct hire, executive search and contract talent communities of LLoyd. As one of the principals of the company, he continues to handle critical high level searches in verticals such as IT, Healthcare, Finance and more. He welcomes discussing how you can pivot your hiring processes to leverage exceptional talent and maintain a consistent and high performing workforce.