Post Date: 06/13/2018
On May 29th, VIP Staffing celebrated 30 years of vision and leadership by company President and CEO Michael Himoff. The surprise celebration hosted at the corporate office was attended by long time employees and staffers from around San Antonio.
In 1986, Himoff was laid off after the retail specialty company he presided over was acquired, resulting in his job loss, but also the jobs of his beloved employees. After much soul-searching, Himoff rose to the challenge and decided to dedicate his life to securing jobs for others by purchasing VIP Staffing out of bankruptcy in April 1988.
Originally, VIP Staffing focused on temporary administrative positions, but as San Antonio grew, so did the labor needs of Himoff’s customers. With manufacturing, industrial and warehouse industries booming in San Antonio, Himoff capitalized on this shift in the economy and began to add specialty practices in these sectors, which quickly accounted for almost 85 percent of the company’s business. Pace Picante Sauce was responsible for the first industrial work order to come through and was the catalyst in proving the industrial staffing sector was in demand.
In February 1991, Himoff took a chance on a young mentee, MaryBeth Simons, who was moving out of state. Under her direction, VIP Staffing expanded across state lines and opened the second office location in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Today she remains Himoff’s most tenured employee, also celebrating 30 years with the company later this summer.
Despite the economic downturn in 2007, Himoff created the Skilled Trades division in 2008, which focused on construction and contracting positions requiring specialized skills. Since 2008, Himoff has lead the company to open 11 total locations in eight cities. His dedication, perseverance, and willingness to make difficult sacrifices has paved the way for VIP Staffing’s success.
In 2017, the company’s corporate headquarters relocated to the 86Ten Building on Broadway and Loop 410. This move was especially significant because it marked the first time Himoff acquired a minority ownership in a building and placed his company name on the exterior façade. The new company headquarters is representative of VIP Staffing’s growth and expansion over the last 30 years and the direction Himoff has paved for the future.