Oklahoma: A Story Through Her People
A full-color photography book showcasing Oklahoma paired with the histories of companies, institutions, and organizations that have made the state great.
A full-color photography book showcasing Oklahoma paired with the histories of companies, institutions, and organizations that have made the state great.
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EXPRESS<br />
EMPLOYMENT<br />
PROFESSIONALS<br />
Above: Bob Funk, CEO and chairman of the<br />
board for Express Employment Professionals.<br />
Right: Bob Funk always wanted to be a<br />
rancher. He owns Express Ranches, the No. 1<br />
pure-bred cattle producer in North America.<br />
Below: Bob Funk is named<br />
Most Admired CEO.<br />
<strong>Oklahoma</strong> is a state where the American<br />
dream still exists. <strong>People</strong> with big dreams,<br />
much like Bob Funk, can see them come<br />
to fruition because of the <strong>Oklahoma</strong> spirit.<br />
This state welcomes entrepreneurs. And, the<br />
result is an environment where businesses<br />
and employees thrive.<br />
Funk is CEO and chairman of the board<br />
for Express Employment Professionals, the<br />
largest franchised staffing company, second<br />
largest privately held staffing company and<br />
the number one industrial staffing company<br />
in the United States.<br />
Express provides expertise in evaluation<br />
hire, temporary staffing, professional search<br />
and human resources, and works across a<br />
wide variety of industries for more than<br />
55,000 companies annually.<br />
It all started when Funk moved from<br />
Washington to pursue an opportunity<br />
in <strong>Oklahoma</strong>.<br />
“I am an <strong>Oklahoma</strong>n, not by birth, but<br />
by choice,” Funk said. “For me, coming to<br />
<strong>Oklahoma</strong> was a turning point in my life.<br />
I am convinced that no other state would<br />
have offered the business opportunities that<br />
I experienced as a young entrepreneur. If<br />
you want to see your dreams realized, then<br />
<strong>Oklahoma</strong> is the place for you.<br />
“At eighteen, I decided I wanted to be three<br />
things simultaneously—a minister, a rancher,<br />
and an entrepreneur,” Funk said. “When I<br />
made that declaration to my boss at the time,<br />
he told me I was dreaming. But, I didn’t let that<br />
stop me. I worked my way through college<br />
and became the first to graduate out of<br />
thirty-two cousins. Today, I am so blessed to<br />
have seen all three of those dreams come true.”<br />
“I became a true entrepreneur in 1983 with<br />
the start of Express. My cattle business has<br />
been a passion of mine that’s led to Express<br />
Ranches, located in Yukon, <strong>Oklahoma</strong>,<br />
becoming the number one, pure-bred cattle<br />
producer in North America,” Funk said. “And<br />
most importantly to me, the staffing industry<br />
is a ministry because we are able to give hope<br />
and encouragement to so many people.”<br />
Express has become a powerful economic<br />
leader in <strong>Oklahoma</strong>, in large measure, because<br />
of a fearless work ethic of Funk and the<br />
employees at the company’s international headquarters<br />
and thirty-four local franchises. Hard<br />
work and determination are part of the<br />
<strong>Oklahoma</strong> culture, and part of the reason that<br />
Express has reached its current level of success.<br />
“The 322 individuals at our international<br />
headquarters in <strong>Oklahoma</strong> City and in our<br />
offices throughout the state of <strong>Oklahoma</strong><br />
are the most productive, loyal and driven<br />
employees I could possibly ask for,” Funk<br />
said. “The company is successful because of<br />
the relationships we build with employees,<br />
potential employees, franchisees, businesses<br />
and the community.”<br />
Funk aspires to the notion that everyone<br />
deserves to experience the satisfaction and<br />
self-esteem that comes from being engaged<br />
in meaningful work. Whether you are an<br />
IT professional, an entrepreneur, a warehouse<br />
worker, or any and everything in between,<br />
meaningful work can add purpose and fulfillment<br />
to your life. It can help shape your<br />
O K L A H O M A : A S t o r y T h r o u g h H e r P e o p l e<br />
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