Chris welcomes Dan Barcheski, Founder and Chairman at Axios HR, Grand Rapids, MI.

Watch Dan and Chris discuss the 35 years Axios HR has been serving the business community in the YouTube video shared below:

In their conversation, Chris looked to find out several things from Dan;

In their conversation, they covered several questions:

• What was the initial inspiration to start Axios HR?

• How has the organization evolved?

• Is there a particular milestone that significantly impacted the growth and success of Axios HR?

• What moments in the past 35 years stand out?

• How has the industry changed? How has Axios HR adapted to those changes?

• What does community mean to the organization?

• What’s next for Axios HR?

• As you celebrate 35 years, what do you want clients, employees, and the community to know?

Additionally the company shared this release about their 35th Anniversary:

West Michigan HR Company Marks Milestone Anniversary; Credits Employee Ownership for 35 Years of Success 

Named as one of Inc.’s 5000 Fastest Growing Companies seven times over, Axios HR commemorates 35 years of delivering customized HR services to small & midsized Michigan businesses.

Grand Rapids, Mich. (July) — Axios HR, a leading provider of human resource services, is proud to celebrate its 35th year anniversary. Since its establishment in 1988, the company has been committed to delivering personalized service, customized solutions, and valuable HR assistance to companies statewide. As one of Michigan’s 180 100% privately-held, employee-owned organizations since 2011, Axios HR has a strong emphasis on team and culture, to which they credit the company’s longevity and 85% profit increase.

“Our team's dedication has been the driving force behind our success, " said Dan Barcheski, Founder and Chairman. “It was very early in our history that I began to understand the positive or negative impact we could have on a person’s life through our work in employment. I firmly believe that this understanding drove me throughout my career and made it a cornerstone of our culture.” 

Over the past 35 years, Axios HR has achieved significant milestones, including volunteering in the community for over 30 organizations such as Kids Food Basket, Hope Network, Literacy Center of West Michigan, and the Women’s Resource Center. The team has also been recognized over the years as: 

• National 101 Best and Brightest to Work For Award

• Michigan’s Best and Brightest Award

• West Michigan 101 Best Businesses to Work For Award

• Michigan Economic Bright Spot Award

• Michigan ESOP of the Year Award

• Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce EPIC Award

• Women’s Resource Center Pillar Award

• Michigan Companies to Watch Award

• Inc. Magazine National 500 & 5000 Fastest Growing Company Awards

• Michigan Entrepreneur of Distinction Award

• Michigan Entrepreneur of the Year Finalist Award

• Outstate Michigan’s Fastest Growing Companies Award

• Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year Finalist

Axios HR has been able to build a reputation for excellence in the human resource industry by earning the trust and loyalty of its clients and employees, especially as an employee-owned organization, or ESOP. ESOPs are employee-owned companies, giving them shares of stock and driving wealth creation. Additionally, employee-owned organizations include tax advantages, which include consistency of ownership/leadership, and other financial rewards. 

Founder Dan Barcheski always wanted to include the people who built the company and reward them through ownership. It was Barcheski’s goal to assist his team in prospering financially and improving the quality of life for themselves and their families. While not an uncommon business model, Axios HR is one of Michigan’s 180 ESOPs and one of 21 in Grand Rapids.

“Our organization understands that ownership comes with more obligations than just being great teammates. It means we all remember to turn lights off, check thermostats, do the little things, and be there for each other, " said Kellie Haines, CEO. “Being an ESOP helped our team understand what it means to be honest, loyal, and compassionate owners. It is our people who built the company, and we wanted to reward them with ownership and wealth creation.” 

Barcheski began Axios HR as an industrial temporary employment company called Staffing Inc.. He strove to treat these employees as more than temporary and change their lives through strong-paying full-time positions. Barcheski’s treatment of these individuals helped Staffing Inc. to thrive and eventually broaden services to the professional staffing industry through Office Staffing Inc., now Axios Professional Recruitment. Axios HR’s third line of services is what it is now: payroll, benefits, compliance, and HR services.

The most recent expansion was in 2021 when Axios HR acquired the leading staffing and permanent placement firm in Northern Michigan, PMP Corporation. “We found another well-run, people-driven business and couldn’t pass up the opportunity to expand the reach of Axios HR,” said Haines. “The goal remains to attract, retain, and develop strong workforces for Michigan businesses.”

"We are thrilled to celebrate 35 years of providing reliable and effective services to our clients,” said Barcheski. “Axios HR’s success over the years would not have been possible without the dedication of our team and community. We are thankful for the opportunity to serve Michigan and look forward to a future of continued growth.”

Axios HR remains committed to providing innovative human resource services for its clients and will continue to serve the gig community with workforce solutions. With a focus on Axios HR’s core values of putting the team first and growing by learning, the company is well-positioned to continue its success. For more information about Axios HR and its human resource services, please visit AxiosHR.com

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About AxiosHR: 
Axios HR is a leading human resources service that specializes in working with small and mid-sized businesses in Michigan. With 35 years of experience in the industry, the company is committed to delivering innovative human resources solutions. They build strong, long-term relationships with partner organizations by delivering personalized service, customized solutions, and valuable HR assistance. For more information, please visit AxiosHR.com.