The Art Of Connection: 27 Years Of Building Teams That Thrive

For 27 years, Premier has stood by a guiding belief: connection is the foundation of every thriving team.

From our earliest days, we’ve recognized that success in staffing isn’t just about matching skills to job descriptions. It’s about understanding people. It’s about listening deeply, nurturing relationships, and aligning purpose with potential.

As we celebrate our 27th anniversary on November 2, we’re reflecting on the art of connection and how this simple, human truth has shaped our journey from a small, ambitious staffing agency to a trusted partner for companies and candidates nationwide.

Building More Than A Business

When Premier was founded in 1998, the world of work looked very different. Recruiting meant phone calls, in-person interviews, and hand-delivered resumes. But even then, one thing set us apart: our commitment to building real relationships and a commitment to skills-based hiring.

From the start, Premier’s mission wasn’t to fill roles as quickly as possible, but to understand the story behind every resume and the heart behind every hire.

We’ve always believed that connection drives lasting results. That belief became the cornerstone of our culture and our success.

Premier’s success has always been rooted in genuine connection with our clients, our candidates, and each other. The trust and collaboration we’ve built over the years have shaped a culture where people feel seen, supported, and inspired to help teams thrive.

- Matt Ruport, COO

Every placement we’ve made and every client relationship we’ve built has been grounded in empathy and trust. Our recruiters, HR experts, and consultants work as true partners, understanding each client’s culture, vision, and long-term goals to help build teams that don’t just function but flourish.

That’s the art of connection, and it’s what continues to make Premier more than a staffing agency. We’re a community of people helping people succeed.

Evolving With Purpose

Over nearly three decades, the workplace has undergone seismic change, from the rise of remote work to the acceleration of AI and automation. Through it all, Premier has remained adaptable and forward-thinking, constantly evolving to meet the moment.

What’s never changed is our commitment to people. Every new innovation was built around the same core principle: enabling human potential through smarter, more connected ways of working.

At Premier, adaptability doesn't mean abandoning our principles when conditions shift. It means our values are specifically designed to thrive in uncertainty. For 27 years, we've built our foundation on commitments that enable change: taking bold steps before we know the outcome, treating every challenge as an opportunity for collective learning, and investing significant time in asking "what's next?" rather than "what's safe?" This is why we've stayed ahead. Our values aren't guardrails that limit us; they are the very mechanism that propels us forward. We don't adapt despite our mission to transform lives; we adapt because of it.

- Sara Menke, CEO

Adaptability has been key to our longevity. But it’s our sense of purpose, helping people and businesses grow, that has kept us grounded. Every challenge we’ve faced has been an opportunity to refine our approach, deepen our partnerships, and expand the ways we serve.

Our story is one of continuous reinvention. And at each stage, we’ve stayed focused on what matters most: people, relationships, and results.

The Power Of A Connected Team

Behind every successful client partnership is an equally connected internal team. Premier’s strength has always come from our people: our recruiters, account managers, consultants, and leaders who live our values every day.

Collaboration isn’t just part of our workflow; it’s the heartbeat of our culture. We celebrate wins together, learn from challenges together, and show up for one another, in and outside of work.

Each of us comes from different backgrounds, experiences, and vantage points. We've cultivated a culture where everyone's opinion, suggestion, and feedback matters and is taken into account. We are authentically ourselves, no matter how different from one another, and that works because we all have the same goal and want to support each other's successes.

- Brenda, VP of Talent & Development

That sense of connection extends beyond our internal team to every client and candidate we support. When you work with Premier, you don’t just get a service provider; you get a partner invested in your success.

It’s this focus on long-term relationships over short-term wins that has allowed us to build enduring trust with clients across industries, from startups to Fortune 500 companies.

We often say that Premier’s greatest achievement isn’t our size or longevity, it’s the thousands of people whose careers and companies have been transformed through our partnership.

Connection In An Evolving World Of Work

Today’s workplace looks more dynamic and interconnected than ever before. Teams are global, technology is advancing rapidly, and flexibility has become the new norm. Amid all this change, one truth has only grown stronger: human connection is still the ultimate differentiator.

Premier’s vision for the future is built around that belief. As we expand our capabilities and embrace tools like AI, automation, and data-driven insights, our goal remains the same: to create more meaningful human experiences at work.

The future of connection at Premier means choosing conversation over automation, presence over efficiency, and people over platforms. We believe transformation happens in moments of genuine human connection, when someone feels truly seen, respected for who they are, and supported without agenda. No amount of technological advancement will change that fundamental truth. Our future looks like our past: building relationships that honor each person's unique journey and create mutual growth, one meaningful interaction at a time.

- Sara Menke, CEO

We believe the future of staffing lies at the intersection of technology and humanity, where data empowers intuition and automation frees people to focus on what matters most: connection, creativity, and culture.

After 27 years, that’s still our north star. We build teams that thrive because we never lose sight of the people who make them possible.

A Legacy Of Gratitude & Growth

Milestones like this one aren’t just markers of time. They’re reminders of the people who’ve made the journey meaningful.

To our clients: thank you for trusting us to be part of your growth story.
To our candidates: thank you for allowing us to be part of your career journey.
To our team: thank you for bringing your passion, integrity, and heart to work every day.

As we look ahead, we remain energized by possibility. The world of work will keep evolving, and so will we. But our mission will never change: to transform lives by connecting thriving businesses with top talent.

Connection is both our history and our future. It’s in the conversations we have, the relationships we build, and the communities we serve.

As we celebrate 27 years of teamwork, growth, and transformation, we’re reminded that the art of connection isn’t something you master once; it’s something you practice every day.

At Premier, we’ll keep practicing it: with excellence, integrity, and gratitude.