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If it hadn’t been for one man’s vision and dynamism, Banner Personnel Service, Inc. never would have made it onto the landscape of Chicago’s job placement industry. And if it weren’t for the continued commitment and perseverance of his wife, Banner couldn’t have reached their 42nd year in business. James M. Singer, fresh out of college and newly married, got into the personnel field when he went looking for a job himself. Living in Kentucky with his wife Emel, Jim happened to pick up a Sunday Tribune in the summer of 1968. Job opportunities in the Windy City seemed endless, so he made some appointments with several employment agencies in Chicago. The success-driven, charismatic candidate was hired by the very first agency that interviewed him. As quickly as Jim took to the business, the business took to him and after two years Jim was managing four branch offices for Boulevard Employment Service. The absentee owners asked Jim if he would be interested in buying them out, but the books revealed a troubled company. Jim took a pass on that offer, but found that it had whetted his entrepreneurial appetite. Even though the country was in the grip of a recession, he took over the lease of an insolvent downtown employment agency, purchasing its contents lock, stock and barrel. With a staff of three, Banner Personnel Service, Inc. opened its doors for business on September 28, 1970. Just before the winter holidays, having lost her job because of the recession and expecting the couple’s first child, Emel Singer joined Banner’s office team. As the years went on, she worked alongside her husband as the “Honey do . . .”, answering the plug switchboard, keeping the books, calculating the payroll - whatever was necessary - while the Singer’s two children slept through their infancies amid the steady buzz of Banner’s office in the Chicago Building at the corner of State and Madison. The early years were marked with a great struggle for survival as Banner focused its efforts in placing fresh college graduates into management trainee positions. When the firm added an “Office Support” (clerical and secretarial) staffing specialty in the mid-1970’s, the company began showing profits and expanded again in 1982 when Jim launched Banner Temporary Service, Inc. With the opening of two suburban branches in Oak Brook and Schaumburg in the summer of 1986, they were heading for a “Banner” year when Jim Singer was diagnosed with stomach cancer. He died less than a year later at the age of 45. Emel was left with two adolescent children, many employees and a multi location business. No one thought that the new owner and CEO could handle it all - no one except her loyal and dedicated teammates, whose unwavering support encouraged Emel to continue building Banner. Born of Jim Singer's dream and fueled by the entire Banner Team's determination, today Banner is celebrating over 4 decades in business. As a Woman Business Enterprise (WBE) certified by the City of Chicago and a Female Business Enterprise (FBE) by the State of Illinois, Banner continues to provide qualified temporary, temp-to-hire and direct hire talent to thousands of Chicago area clients through their offices located in Chicago, Downers Grove, Libertyville and Naperville. |
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