The History of J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc. by J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc.

70TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION

THE HISTORY OF J. J. KELLER & ASSOCIATES, INC.

CONTENTS

A TIMELINE OF GROWTH

THE FIRST GENERATION

OUR FOUNDER, JACK KELLER

08 - 11

A MAN, A DESK & A PHONE

12 - 17

THE PUBLISHING ERA BEGINS

18 - 21

THE SECOND GENERATION MARKETING, PRINTING & PRODUCTION EXPERTISE COME TO THE TABLE

24 - 27

DIVERSIFICATION FROM TRUCKING

28 - 29

FOUNDATIONS FOR THE FUTURE

30 - 33

THE THIRD GENERATION 36 - 37

RUSTIN KELLER

38 - 39

KEY DEVELOPMENTS

40 - 53

J. J. KELLER TODAY

54 - 59

J. J. Keller 70th Anniversary

MARNE KELLER-KRIKAVA

1950s

1970s

First Generation

Second Generation

A TIMELINE OF GROWTH Since our beginning in 1953, many aspects of J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc. have changed — how we do our work, where we work, how we deliver expertise to our customers. Change has not always been easy, but it is the commitment to change that has allowed us to succeed. It is driven by our customers’ needs and the ever-changing regulatory environment. 4

2000s Third Generation

When John J. (Jack) Keller made the bold entrepreneurial move to create J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc. in 1953, he knew that motor carriers faced risk — risk of not understanding the new and complex regulations that were in place to create safe roadways and fair commerce. Would he have envisioned the breadth of markets served by J. J. Keller today, technology-

based solutions that provide expertise anytime and anywhere, or 2,000+ associates across the U.S. and beyond? Possibly. He was known for his vision of what could be. What he most certainly knew was his faith that the company’s associates — who are included in the name J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc. — and future generations of the Keller family would carry on his legacy.

J. J. Keller 70th Anniversary

The one thing that has never changed is our purpose as a company: we protect people and the businesses they run.TM

1953 - 1970

THE FIRST GENERATION 6

1970s

2000s

Second Generation

Third Generation

OUR FOUNDER, JACK KELLER

12 - 17

A MAN, A DESK & A PHONE

18 - 21

THE PUBLISHING ERA BEGINS

J. J. Keller 70th Anniversary

08 - 11

OUR FOUNDER, JACK KELLER J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc. was founded by a World War II veteran, and we are proud of and celebrate the nearly 100 U.S. veterans who have chosen to use their skills and experience to be a part of J. J. Keller today.

In 1939, Jack Keller was working for Kimberly-Clark in Neenah, Wisconsin, in the Corporate Traffic Division. J. J. Keller 70th Anniversary 8

He also attended the College of Advanced Traffic School through the Wisconsin Technical & Vocational System. In 1940, a year before the attack on Pearl Harbor, Jack became eligible for the draft. Given that his father was deceased, his older brother was in the Army and Jack was considered blind in his right eye, his selection seemed doubtful. However, he was drafted and inducted into military service in 1942. He was offered a position at Fort Bragg in the U.S., but declined as he believed it to be “stagnant.” He then shipped out to Boston Harbor for artillery training.

Photo (above): This WWII artillery scene is similar to what Jack Keller experienced in training and on the battlefield. Public domain, from the National Archives and Records Administration

Photo (left): Jack Keller’s Army uniform is part of the company’s collection of historical artifacts.

1944 In February 1944, on a 10day furlough from artillery training, Jack Keller married Ethel Courtois in Appleton, Wisconsin. In October 1944, Jack’s unit was shipped to England, which was under attack. His unit moved across the English Channel to France and the front lines. Jack’s unit was in action at the Battle of the Rhine, serving next to and then under General George Patton. Jack was honorably discharged after the Germans surrendered in spring 1946. And below you can see his Western Union telegram telling Ethel he was safely returning home.

When Jack returned to civilian life, he resumed his career in traffic with local paper companies. He could see there was a need among motor carriers in a transportation industry that was coming into its own. This is where the history of the Transcontinental Highway comes into play.

This map (above) of the Transcontinental Highway is on the J. J. Keller Corporate Campus. The Lincoln Highway provided a straight and continuous path

In the mid-1930s, the U.S. Congress recognized the emerging trucking industry with the Motor Carrier Act of 1935. It gave the Interstate Commerce Commission authority to regulate interstate truck companies. In the early 50s, President Eisenhower signed the Federal Aid Highway Act, which created an entire system of interstate and defense highways. This meant that delivery of goods by rail would be aided by delivery of goods by more motor carriers. As the trucking industry grew, Jack saw the business potential in the regulatory side of trucking. Small trucking companies, in particular, had no idea how to deal with the government requirements. Dealing with the mass of permits needed to carry a product from state to state was and still is overwhelming. Motor carriers needed help.

J. J. Keller 70th Anniversary

At the start of the 20th century, when cars, let alone trucks, were a novelty, nearly all shipping was done by rail. As the 30s neared, it became clear that a more efficient method was needed. Rail schedules were inflexible, and raw materials and finished products took forever to reach their destinations. The Lincoln Highway was America’s first transcontinental highway.

for vehicles from Times Square in New York to Lincoln Park in San Francisco — whereas previously the roadways were disjointed with dead ends and segments of dirt road.

“Resigning my executive position in the transportation field, an operation was formulated involving activities within the transportation, warehousing and insurance fields …” JOHN J. (JACK) KELLER, FOUNDER

1953

A MAN, A DESK & A PHONE It is said that Jack Keller started with “just a desk and a phone,” but as you can see in this photo, he also had an adding machine that he shipped back from Italy during World War II. He’d found the machine in a blown-out building — that’s a view into Jack’s unique personality. With a wife and three young boys, it took guts for 35-yearold Jack Keller to quit his job at Kampo Trucking to begin J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc. At the time he started J. J. Keller, Jack had $1,600 to his name, primarily from a $1,200 bonus he’d earned from Kampo Transit. He also met with Neenah’s First National Bank President Russ Ward, who was a friend. Ward gave him a business loan for $10,000, and he set out to tackle the world. (In today’s dollars, the loan was about $112,000.) He opened his office on November 1, 1953.

J. J. Keller 70th Anniversary

The original company logo, termed the “Circle K.” 13

Six months after starting the company, Jack moved from his first office on the 100 block of W. Wisconsin Avenue in downtown Neenah, Wisconsin, to office space at 145 W. Wisconsin Avenue. Today, the building shown is called Keller Plaza, and it’s home to Zacateca’s Mexican Restaurant and Future Neenah.

“The success of the company was based on the concept that there was a need. I did not know to what extent the need would take us, but I knew if we established a varied regulatory service and product line, learned our subject well, analyzed our market well, and presented it properly, we could be reasonably successful.” JACK KELLER - 1994

By 1965, J. J. Keller had 15 associates and filled half the space in the building. Jack then bought the entire building.

J. J. Keller 70th Anniversary

Jack had clients with a variety of inquiries, including which permits did they need to travel from state to state? What were the tariff rates in different states? And what was the best truck route to take? He researched the answers to the motor carriers’ questions and charged by the hour for his effort.

1964 Turning 12 was a milestone for Jack’s sons, because that was when they were expected to become involved in the business. For Bob and Jim Keller, it would be the beginning of their lifelong career. Working after school, on weekends and during summers, they did light maintenance, later sorting through tariffs and organizing customer files. The idea was to make them a part of the business and teach them to be responsible. Jack was a loving and strict parent/employer.

“The $1.00 per hour rate was meaningful at the time. The $50.00 insurance deductible charge was a punishment for an accident with Mom’s new car. And the trip Dad was referring to was with Mom to Puerto Rico for a month. Dennis Scott was a manager for the company, and he and his wife stayed with Jim and I for a month. We played cards, smoked and drank a few beers each night for a month.” BOB KELLER

In this classic memo from Jack Keller to Bob Keller in January 1964, when Bob was a junior in high school, Jack announced that Bob was receiving a pay increase. It says, “Dear Bob: Transmitted attached your check for this pay period. You will note that I have authorized an increase in your pay to $1.00 per hour; you deserve this, considering the long time working; however bear in mind that I am looking forward to extra good behavior while Mother and I are gone next month. Dennis [a manager at J. J. Keller] will have his hands full, and will look to you for help. Your account has been charged for the last repair bill on the Chev. and for the deductible portion of the insurance. This is fair in that you should realize some responsibility and at least have some idea as to the high cost of trouble. However, once this is paid off, the rate of pay will remain and be your gain. As ever, Dad”

J. J. Keller 70th Anniversary

High school graduation photos for Bob Keller (left) and Jim Keller (right). 17

1965

THE PUBLISHING ERA BEGINS In 1965, J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc. borrowed $25,000 to enter the publishing business. The move into publishing was a major turning point for the company. Jack had been consulting with individual trucking companies, and over time, he would receive the same request five or 10 times over from various companies. He decided there was money to be made in the sale of publications that hundreds could access to find the answers to their questions. What is particularly interesting is that Bob, at 17 years old, and Jim, at 15 years old, were actively involved in setting up the publishing business at the time. This included the company’s first offset press in 1966.

This four-page informational pamphlet called the Transportation Journal & Exchange Bulletin was one of the first publications by J. J. Keller.

Today, electronic logging is required by regulations, but printed logbooks are still used when technology is not available or the motor carrier is exempted for various reasons.

J. J. Keller 70th Anniversary

Next was the Driver’s Daily Log. And this became a mainstay of J. J. Keller that is still published today at the Neenah, Wisconsin, location, At our peak production period for logbooks, the company printed approximately 2 million logbooks monthly. Truck drivers in the 1960s, and still today, were required by regulations to record the number of hours they worked and their mileage. Jack came across a logbook created by a competitor, and he knew he could add value by including an addendum of information that would help trucking companies run their business.

1966 There were countless publications to follow. The company began using the tagline “Publishing & Services” from that time until 2019. In the beginning, the publications were typed and mimeographed using tabletop duplicators similar to what teachers would have used. Then an offset press was purchased in 1966. The second floor of the West Wisconsin building became a hive of printing activity. Dozens to hundreds of boxes of paper arrived per day and had to be carried by associates up to the second floor, and then carried back down to be shipped out. It was backbreaking work. One day Jim observed a hay elevator at work outside of a local feed mill, moving the hay up to a storage facility. He thought, “By God, here’s an idea. I could move the paper with a hay elevator.” So he did. Unfortunately not many — notably neighboring downtown retailers — were happy about the noise that resulted. J. J. Keller was encouraged to find a new home and would eventually move.

“By God, here’s an idea. I could move the paper with a hay elevator.”

JIM KELLER

©Reid Dalland / Adobe Stock

The AB Dick Printing Press, which was J. J. Keller’s first offset press.

J. J. Keller 70th Anniversary 21

1970 - 2000

THE SECOND GENERATION It was in the late 60s to early 70s that Bob and Jim, the second generation of the Keller family, began leading within J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc.

1950s First Generation

24 - 27

MARKETING, PRINTING & PRODUCTION EXPERTISE COME TO THE TABLE

28 - 29

DIVERSIFICATION FROM TRUCKING

30 - 33

FOUNDATIONS FOR THE FUTURE

Third Generation

J. J. Keller 70th Anniversary

2000s

“On the weekends, dad dictated for hours and hours and hours on an old dictation machine…. The secretaries took all of the next week to transcribe the memos from dad. Some days we’d get quarter-inch-thick memos.” BOB KELLER

1970s

MARKETING, PRINTING & PRODUCTION EXPERTISE COME TO THE TABLE As they became adults, the roles Bob and Jim Keller would fulfill with the company became further defined. Bob earned a degree from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh in economics and held a number of positions with the company in the early years of his leadership, including Advertising and Marketing Manager. He was appointed Senior Vice President in 1973 and steadily progressed to become President & CEO in 1988. Jim earned a graphic arts degree from Madison Area Technical College. He held a number of positions also, including Manager of the Graphics and Production Division. He steadily progressed to become President in 2011.

Working side by side with their dad, Bob and Jim marveled at the magnitude of ideas that came out of his head. He had dreams to grow the company big enough for the family. J. J. Keller 70th Anniversary

Here you see a Board of Directors meeting in the famed “Dead Animal Room” in the West Wisconsin Avenue offices in 1986. Pictured from left to right: Ethel Keller; Mary Murvine, Corporate Secretary; Ron Phillips, Senior Vice President of Finance; Jack Keller; Frank Pelisek, Corporate Counsel; Jim Keller; Bob Keller.

1970 With the move to publishing, the business really took off. The company began renting space across the street from its original location, and of course there was the paper loading issue. So J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc. purchased 35 acres of land west of Neenah in the Town of Vinland, Wisconsin.

Pictured left to right: Joe Nemecek, Service Manager; Bob Keller; Jack Keller; Jim Keller; Ken Kubiak, Production Manager.

Associates from the executive group, Marketing, Sales, HR and Editorial stayed in downtown Neenah, with the production and printing moving to Vinland.

J. J. Keller 70th Anniversary

Construction began on the 40,000-square-foot Vinland facility in 1970 and was completed in 1971.

1980s

DIVERSIFICATION FROM TRUCKING In the 1980s, J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc. began diversifying to serve industries beyond transportation.

The Sales department, 1988.

Business expanded within the transportation industry, of course, with products like hazmat placards for trucks and tankers. But the company’s influence also took off in other fields, such as workplace safety and HR — all of which, like transportation, require compliance with complex regulations.

The company also became a pioneer in the new field of telemarketing. This was a purposeful decision to work directly with customers, not through distributors. The company built out a direct sales force powerhouse that continues to be a catalyst for J. J. Keller’s growth today. J. J. Keller 70th Anniversary

One of Bob and Jim’s most important legacies in the business was taking J. J. Keller from a shootfrom-the-hip type of company to one with operations based on strategies and planning.

Bob and Jim sought ideas for new products and services from their customers. And they took these through a careful design process.

This is 3003 Breezewood Lane, in the Town of Vinland (Neenah), Wisconsin, where the headquarters still exists today.

1990s

FOUNDATIONS FOR THE FUTURE In the 1990s, as the business continued to grow, some important foundations were also laid for the future. The company expanded the Vinland facility many times over the years to accommodate growing manufacturing and distribution operations. However, as the company grew, it became more and more difficult to have some functions in Downtown Neenah and others in the Town of Vinland. In addition, the company sought to attract talent from across the country, which would require a stateof-the-art office location. It was time to build a second building on the Vinland property. J. J. Keller 70th Anniversary

The North Park Building was completed in 1991. At the left, you see Jack and Ethel Keller, Bob and Lynne Keller, and Jim and Rosanne Keller, along with Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson, at the ribbon cutting.

1991 Another important development in the 1990s that would set the groundwork for the future was the establishment of the J. J. Keller Foundation.

It was on Ethel Keller’s 70th birthday, in 1991, that Jack gave her the gift of creating this charitable foundation. Ethel was a part of the business for a short while in the 1950s, answering phones as the company got up and running. But primarily, the family remembers her for a loving passion for the community. “It is my missionary instinct,” Ethel once said. “Originally, I wanted to be a missionary.” Today, the foundation continues through Ethel’s children and grandchildren. In 2023, the foundation marked $75 million in giving to nonprofit organizations in Northeast Wisconsin, the company’s home region, since it began.

Jack and Ethel Keller had three sons — Bob, Jim and Tom. While the family was growing, the Kellers sought ways to care for their youngest son, Tom, who experienced a serious mental health condition. A lack of mental health resources locally was a catalyst that inspired the creation of the Foundation and Ethel's work in creating Catalpa Health, an organization that helps children and families in Wisconsin's Fox Valley improve their mental health and wellness.

J. J. Keller 70th Anniversary

Legendary Packers quarterback Bart Starr (left) and his wife, Cherry Starr, with Ethel and Jack Keller commemorating a J. J. Keller Foundation grant for the Rawhide High School at the Rawhide Boys Ranch in New London, Wisconsin (known as Rawhide Youth Services today).

1950s

1970s

First Generation

Second Generation

2000 - PRESENT

THE THIRD GENERATION 34

MARNE KELLER-KRIKAVA

38 - 39

RUSTIN KELLER

40 - 53

KEY DEVELOPMENTS

54 - 59

J. J. KELLER TODAY

J. J. Keller 70th Anniversary

36 - 37

2014

MARNE KELLERKRIKAVA In the late 1990s to the early 2000s, the third generation of the Keller family began taking on roles in the company. Marne Keller-Krikava, Bob’s daughter and oldest child, started at J. J. Keller when she was 12, as was customary for the Keller children. After college, with a focus on marketing and international business, and a master’s degree in organizational leadership and quality, she took on leadership roles in strategy and research with the company. She became President & CEO in 2014. 36

Under her guidance, J. J. Keller developed an advanced strategy and planning capability for a rapidly changing world. Marne guided a shift in the company from the dynamic of one owner or two brothers leading, to establishing a high-functioning and collaborative executive team of nine with specialized expertise in critical areas.

If you recall, J. J. Keller was the leading provider of printed logbooks in the nation. This change required a critical reset for the company from being a primarily printing and forms company to one that viewed itself as a technology and cloud solutions company. It required J. J. Keller to reinvent itself and invest significantly in the business. As a methodology for reinvention and innovation, Marne adopted Human-Centered Design and Design Thinking — which continue in customerfocused design sprints today.

J. J. Keller 70th Anniversary

Marne also led the company through a business-altering change. In 2017, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s ELD mandate required truck drivers to begin using electronic logging devices to log their hours.

2018

RUSTIN KELLER Bob’s son Rustin Keller also started at the company when he was 12. After college, with a degree in industrial engineering, Rustin worked for GE and then eventually returned to the family business to develop KellerOnline — the company’s first webbased service — and establish a division capable of building cloud software. Rustin became President & CEO in 2018. He has invested heavily in the company’s distinct business units and in re-thinking and relaunching many of the company’s products for today’s world. Under his direction, the company has expanded its salesforce dramatically. He has also led the company in diversifying manufacturing beyond forms and creating four major product and service divisions: Technology Solutions, Managed Services, Manufacturing & Supply Chain, and Content & Consulting Services.

Rustin led the company successfully through the global pandemic that began in 2020. And as a result, J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc. has fully embraced having a remote workforce. Today, J. J. Keller has associates in 42 states, Canada and Mexico, as well as a Center of Excellence in Bangalore and Mysore, India. Our products and services have expanded from a U.S. focus to availability across North America, both in person through our consultants and online through e-commerce platforms.

J. J. Keller 70th Anniversary 39

KEY DEVELOPMENTS From the time when the third generation of the Keller family took on leadership in the company until now, transformational changes have occurred at J. J. Keller to anticipate customers’ needs and remain a most trusted name in safety and compliance. Yet the key foundational elements set in place by the company’s Founders have remained steadfast and are the underlying secrets to our success.

J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc. was early to market when it came to the development of digital solutions for safety and regulatory compliance, and this has given the company a competitive edge — again, as a trusted name in safety and regulatory compliance.

Since establishing its first presence on the Internet in 2000, J. J. Keller has launched a continuous suite of digital solutions, both online and software as a service, or SaaS, solutions.

The ELD, or Electronic Logging Device, Mandate by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration went into effect in December 2017. This was a significant change for the transportation industry, requiring all commercial trucks to have an ELD installed at all times to digitally log driver activity. ELDs replaced printed driver logbooks, an original mainstay of J. J. Keller’s business. However, the ELD Mandate did not damage or decrease J. J. Keller’s leadership in the industry. What it did, as mentioned earlier, under the leadership of Marne KellerKrikava, is cause J. J. Keller to strategize an organizationwide shift in perspective and re-invest in all business units.

J. J. Keller 70th Anniversary

Today, connected devices offered by J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc. include not only ELDs but tablets, dash cams and vehicle trackers for any size fleet. All of these are backed by robust cloud and subscription solutions that allow customers to view and manage their data, as well as best-in-class customer service.

FPO

PATENT APPLICATION

J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc., as you know by now, grew by building upon the expertise — the human intellect — of internal experts, from its first expert, Jack Keller, through the more than 150 specialized experts with J. J. Keller today. Nearly everything the company produces is, or is based on, its intellectual property. J. J. Keller filed its first patent application, for a placard holding device, in 1978, and it was granted in 1980. It filed a patent application for a driver logging system and method (ELD) in 2008, which was granted in 2013. Today, J. J. Keller has 24 live patents for inventions related to current products and 14 patent applications under examination by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office for new inventions. In 2014, the company hired for positions dedicated to intellectual property, establishing an invention capture and patenting process as well as bringing intention to the filing and use of trademarks.

J. J. Keller 70th Anniversary

One visible change in the company’s trademarks is this logo redesign that occurred in 2008.

Beyond the products and services J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc. innovated to help companies be safe, comply with complex regulations and mitigate risk, there were several operational initiatives in the 2000s that would define the company’s future growth. The first was establishing an Executive Leadership Team. As mentioned earlier, this was driven by Marne Keller-Krikava in her time as President & CEO. Previously, the company was run almost exclusively by the owners — Jack, Bob and Jim. Certainly they had a team of loyal and talented managers within the company who helped to deliver on the direction provided by the owners. But with an Executive Leadership Team — working collaboratively to establish the future direction of the company and its daily operation — the ability to bring in varied perspectives, fields of expertise and develop comprehensive strategies multiplied. A second defining decision in the modern era of the company was the move to using SAP beyond Finance and Procurement. Originally, the fear of Y2K propelled the company to move from a homegrown system to a known platform. In 2013, business processes began moving to SAP, and this has continued. The homegrown system would never have been robust enough to support the growth and complexity that J. J. Keller has today. SAP was a great choice to allow the business to grow and have a solid infrastructure. In non-revenue-generating areas, such as HR, it allows J. J. Keller to be as efficient as possible. And in 2014, J. J. Keller reorganized its sales workforce, moving from multiple sales teams each focused on a particular product or service to sales teams based on client size — serving each client with a full complement of safety and compliance solutions for their needs.

The J. J. Keller Executive Leadership Team today.

Dana Gilman CFO

Chad Govin EVP of Sales

Shaun Gunderson EVP of Managed Services

Lisa Karpinski EVP of Marketing

Timothy Little EVP of Manufacturing & Supply Chain

Steven Murray EVP of Content & Consulting Services

Amy Jansen EVP of HR & Associate Services

Lacie Callan EVP of Technology Solutions

J. J. Keller 70th Anniversary

Rustin Keller President & CEO

Finally, the 2000s ushered in two unexpected and potentially devastating storms for J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc.: the Great Recession in the early 2000s, and the COVID-19 pandemic. In January 2009, with a major global recession well underway, J. J. Keller’s sales were dropping daily by as much as 30 percent. Bob and Jim had a plan of action if conditions continued to deteriorate, and by February 2009 it was in action. J. J. Keller moved swiftly. It froze hiring, consolidated departments and looked for efficiencies. This included the company’s first layoffs in its history. The company communicated with associates about the challenges all along the way, and no one was surprised that costs had to be reduced in light of the recession. It was painful for everyone, but it was a decision that had to be made to get J. J. Keller through and ensure it would continue. By 2010, J. J. Keller had successfully weathered the storm and was seeing record growth.

Even as J. J. Keller associates were learning and responding to a continued flow of new information about the COVID-19 virus, they were helping customers do the same. J. J. Keller weathered this storm well. Customers’ needs for safety and compliance resources dipped only briefly but then rose, and associates were highly productive from their remote environments — causing J. J. Keller to embrace even more greatly than before the concept of remote working.

J. J. Keller 70th Anniversary

In 2020, with Rustin Keller as President & CEO, the company weathered another global storm — the COVID-19 pandemic. On March 16, 2020, after giving careful consideration to signals from the CDC, the U.S. and state governments, J. J. Keller mobilized 80% of its 1,400 associates to work remotely. Over the course of three days, all associates who did not have essential work on the Corporate Campus were successfully connected and operating from home. Fortunately, the company’s intranet, K-LINE, had relaunched just months before with interactive and social capabilities that allowed associates to stay connected to the company and one another.

THE CORPORATE CAMPUS On campus, associates’ surroundings have changed with the times as well. Beginning in 2017, a multi-year renovation began in the Vinland facility. As the need for printed materials transitioned to cloud and electronic solutions, the company’s need for warehouse space for files and paper rolls for printing decreased. At the same time, the need for more office space increased. 48

As a result, many storage areas of Vinland were renovated for workstations. In other areas of Vinland, the company constructed a brand-new onsite clinic and fitness center for associates (and their spouses who are on the health plan). In 2023, renovations began on the company’s North Park building.

J. J. Keller 70th Anniversary

2021 The state-of-the-art J. J. Keller Multimedia Production Studios on the Corporate Campus were completed in 2021. In these studios, J. J. Keller expertise is transformed into video, audio and other recorded resources for industries served. The company also hosts live webcasts and virtual events in the studios, with more than 350 of these scheduled for 2024.

J. J. Keller 70th Anniversary 51

2022 In an effort to further find the talent required for J. J. Keller’s growth, in 2022, the company established the J. J. Keller Center of Excellence in Mysore and Bangalore, India. From the Center of Excellence, 200+ associates are integral members on the company’s Managed Services, Marketing, Content and Technology Solutions teams. Employed by ThoughtFocus, Inc., these associates are dedicated to J. J. Keller and its customers.

Finding talented associates and creating a safe, respectful workplace where they want to stay and make a difference is a strategic objective for J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc. This occurs in many ways, such as providing unique benefits that include flexibility, the LIFE Wellness program, building renovations, and other programs that show true care for associates.

In 2023, J. J. Keller was named by Newsweek as a Top 100 Most Loved Company in the U.S. J. J. Keller was also certified as a Great Place to Work®, through the Great Place to Work® Trust Index® Survey, evaluating J. J. Keller on credibility, communication, integrity, collaboration, support, caring, fairness and equity, and more. And each year, despite leading scores among employers across the nation, J. J. Keller seeks to further improve as an employer of choice — listening intently to associates through this survey as well as through the company’s own Wellness + Work Environment Survey, online Quick Polls and more.

J. J. Keller 70th Anniversary 53

2023

J. J. KELLER TODAY And that brings us to today — 70 years since Jack Keller first picked up the phone in his office on West Wisconsin Avenue in Downtown Neenah. Today, the Keller family remains involved in the business. Rustin Keller has been President & CEO since 2018. Bob Keller, Jim Keller, Marne Keller-Krikava and Brian Keller are active on the board of directors and in governance of the organization.

What J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc. does as a company has not changed. It has expanded over time to more clients and more industries. Our purpose has been put into words that you will find here, on the walls on our Corporate Campus, and just about everywhere you find our name and our products. What we continue to do is protect people and the businesses they run.

We protect people & the businesses they run.™ We help ensure safe, respectful workplaces, job sites and highways. So employees thrive. So they return home each day to the families who love them. We empower businesses to excel by reducing risk and giving them confidence that they are meeting complex regulations. We lead by example in our own communities by embracing those most in need and the programs that sustain them.

J. J. Keller 70th Anniversary

J. J. KELLER CORPORATE PURPOSE

In the course of our work and delivering on our corporate purpose, we continue to be guided by four principles.

ASSOCIATE PRINCIPLE Shared responsibilities and shared results.

EXCEPTIONAL CUSTOMER LOYALTY Exceeding customers’ expectations for knowledge, product quality and service.

RESPECTFUL WORKPLACE Safe, caring and with the highest level of respect for all associates.

OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE Improving effectiveness and efficiency through Business Process Improvement (BPI) methodology and ISO certification (including ISO 9001, 14001, 27001 & 45001).

The industries we serve have expanded from our origins in the transportation industry. You can see our key industries served here. These employers are faced with complex regulations from 300+ regulatory agencies. Our experts, products and services bridge this stream of complexity for our clients, helping them ensure safety of their employees and customers, and reducing operational risk for their business.

EXPERTISE, PRODUCTS & SERVICES INDUSTRIES SERVED

Transportation

Industrial

Construction

Utility

Healthcare

Education

ENSURE SAFETY & REDUCE OPERATIONAL RISK

Transportation Safety

Occupational Safety

Environmental Compliance

Human Resources

Related Agencies

DOT • FMCSA • PHMSA • IATA • IMDG

OSHA

EPA

DOL • EEOC • FLSA • FMLA • I-9 • WAGE & HOUR

FEDERAL • STATE • PROVINCIAL • LOCAL

Associates have grown from one Downtown Neenah location when J. J. Keller first began to more than 2,000 associates — more than 80% of whom work remotely.

J. J. Keller 70th Anniversary

Today, we have associates in nearly all U.S. states, Canada, Mexico and India.

DIVERSIFIED SOLUTIONS

J. J. Keller Advantage J. J. Keller DataSense (Managed Services) J. J. Keller ® Consulting J. J. Keller Encompass

Today’s diversified solutions offered by J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc. illustrate how far the company has expanded its offerings since Jack Keller’s first day in business.

J. J. Keller VideoProtects J. J. Keller ® Compliance Network J. J. Keller ® Safety Management Suite J. J. Keller ® Training J. J. Keller ® Safety Supplies J. J. Keller ® Publications

Jack Keller was a consultant to motor carriers. Today, our consulting business remains, with consultants across the country advising not only on transportation safety and regulations, but on HR compliance and environmental health and safety.

Technology solutions — cloud-based management solutions, apps, online tools, video and virtual realty — are integrated across our offerings.

J. J. Keller 70th Anniversary

Our publishing capabilities have transformed over time, still including printed forms and trusted reference books, but now largely taking the form of online resources such as the J. J. Keller® Compliance Network.

J. J. Keller is the most trusted name for safety and regulatory compliance solutions in North America. We help companies increase safety awareness, reduce risk, follow best practices, improve safety training, and stay current with changing regulations.

J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc. 3003 Breezewood Lane, Neenah, WI 54956 jjkeller.com