SAUK-Halo Branded Solutions_081718

Headquartered in Sterling, Illinois, HALO Branded Solutions is centrally located in order to support a national client base. In addition to HALO’s 157,000 square foot, state-of-the-art distribution and processing center, HALO maintains 38 regional sales offices in key corporate markets.

A special supplement to Sauk Valley Media August 17, 2018

A proud partner in designing and building HALO’s new corporate headquarters!

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HALO—

Creating Positive Impressions In the Sauk Valley

HALO has had a presence in the Sauk Valley since 1952.

Founded in Tampico by John Schmidt and Henry Northcutt, the company went to market under the Lee Wayne name using the middle names of both founders. Lee Wayne was acquired

by HALO in the early ‘90’s and changed its name to HALO Branded Solutions in 2011. HALO has since added an employee recognition business—HALO Recognition—through the early 2017 acquisition of Michael C. Fina Recognition.

HALO is the nation’s leading provider of branded merchandise and employee recognition programs.

While HALO’s headquarters are in the Sauk Valley at 1500 HALO Way in Sterling, the company has a national and global footprint. HALO maintains 38 sales offices around the country, along with sales offices and a distribution center in Europe. HALO Branded Solutions currently processes nearly two million orders annually for custom promotional items, uniforms, and recognition award redemptions for over 50,000 clients through a nation-wide sales force of over 1,000 account executives. HALO Recognition provides personalized incentive programs for some of the country’s largest employers, focusing on employee engagement programs that attract and reward individual employees for achievements that enhance the company’s goals.

HALO currently employs 450 at the company’s Sterling headquarters, and 1,100 additional support and sales staff across the country, with plans to increase the employee roll with an aggressive company growth plan focused on organic growth and acquisitions in the two key markets—promotional products and recognition—that it operates within. Marc Simon, HALO Chief Executive Officer, recently noted, “We are uniquely positioned for growth. Our strong financial performance continues to attract capital to fuel our growth.

We have a caring, experienced staff that shares the company vision for growth. And, the Sauk Valley area provides an excellent pool of qualified potential employees that are looking for a career and not just a job.”

Stacey Sibley, HALO’s Human Resources Manager added, “We are a great place to work—and have been named one of the best places to work in our industry—because we practice what we preach. We have a robust employee engagement program that thanks and rewards our staff for their years of service on their anniversary. We use promotional products to reward our employees and reinforce key company events like sales contests and our company outings. Our growth is creating career paths that few other companies in the area—or in the state—can match. There has never been a better time to be at HALO!” Continued on page 4

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Continued from page 3

HALO moved into their new corporate headquarters in April, just twelve months after the company broke ground on the ten acre site on the corner of Lynn Blvd and Lefevre Road.

The state-of-the-art facility includes 90,000 square feet of warehouse, distribution and light manufacturing space and 67,000 square feet of office. Simon noted, “The warehouse was built for function and efficiency in our operations. And, the office space was built with a premium on staff comfort and collaboration.

HALO CEO, Marc Simon (center) leads HALO’s management team at the Together, we can provide better April, 2017 groundbreaking of the company’s new corporate headquarters. service more effectively than any company in the industries we serve.” The building, constructed by Freeport firm, Winter Construction, can accommodate 500 employees. With an eye toward the future, the company purchased the adjacent ten acres to the south with plans to ultimately build a “Phase II” addition, and recently optioned an additional six acres.

HALO’s growth is a strong reflection of the positive business climate in the Sauk Valley area, as well as growth in the branded merchandise and recognition markets nationally and globally. Simon concluded, “Our products and services provide excellent value by creating measurable, positive results for our clients. As our tag line states, we provide bright ideas with brilliant results.” In addition to clients and employees, HALO is certainly making a positive impression in the Sauk Valley.

A ribbon cutting was held July 31, 2018. Attending was HALO’s CEO Marc Simon, Sterling Mayor Skip Lee, along with members of the Sauk Valley Area Chamber of Commerce and HALO employees.

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"It's wonderful to be a part of a community able to offer opportunities for our members to create long-term, satisfying, and well-paying jobs."

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HALO’s building design places a premium on employee comfort and collaboration utilizing casual decor with modern work cells.

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HALO’s “Common Area” provides a welcoming environment to staff and visitors.

HALO’s new hi-tech work stations.

HALO’s indoor “race track” was created for yearround walking for staff.

HALO’s state of the art conference room.

HALO’s cafeteria provides a cafe experience for individuals and small groups.

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HALO’s annual employee outing featured the new headquarters.

Keys to HALO’s culture include fun and family.

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Article from April 13, 2018 Daily Gazette

HALO’s headquarters ready for workforce

BY PAM EGGEMEIER peggemeier@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5570 @pam_eggemeier

April 2, 2018 STERLING – Moving week at HALO Branded Solutions.

The rapidly growing promotional and employee recognition products company started shifting workers into its new headquarters at 1500 HALO Way on Monday.

“All of our administrative staff are moved in, but we’re still transitioning the warehouse staff from Rock Falls,” said Terry McGuire, senior vice president of marketing and supplier relations at HALO. In November 2016, HALO announced its expansion plans, which were driven by the company’s rapid growth, fueled by several acquisitions made since 2015. The space was needed to accommodate the anticipated addition of 250 jobs over 5 years, essentially doubling the workforce.

The 157,500-square-foot facility will immediately house HALO’s 400+ person headquarters team, and there will be workstations for 200 additional employees.

The building includes a 90,000-square-foot warehouse for corporate promotional and recognition programs that are now split between warehouses in Sterling and Rock Falls.

Employees provided input

“Our goal was to have everything in Sterling and Rock Falls under one roof, and we’ll accomplish that goal by the end of May,” McGuire said.

Ground was broken April 1, 2017, for the new building at a 20-acre site that will allow for future growth. This expansion project completes the first phase of what eventually will be a 280,000-square-foot facility.

“We have enough land for a second phase, and there will be one, but there are no plans at this time to break ground,” McGuire said.

HALO had been leasing its buildings in Sterling and Rock Falls. Those leases expire at the end of the year and the company no longer needs those spaces.

The new building was mapped out to address current needs, but with an eye on the future.

“We have collaborative meeting space, new mother’s rooms, a wellness room, additional training space, and the latest technology throughout the building to allow our support team to do the best job possible for our account executives and clients,” HALO CEO Marc Simon said in a news release.

HALO employees were encouraged to give their input when the construction plans were drawn up.

“We received excellent ideas from nearly every employee and incorporated many of those ideas into the building design,” Simon said. “Our goals were to make this the most comfortable work environment possible, while providing flexibility for future growth.”

HALO is planning a series of open houses over the next several months for employees’ families, local business leaders, and the company’s nationwide sales and support team. The company said the project was completed on time and on budget. HALO has been in the Sauk Valley for 66 years.

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“Our goals were to make this the most comfortable work environment possible.”

Marc Simon HALO CEO

Congratulations on your new location!

MARTIN & COMPANY EXCAVATING

2456 E. PLEASANT GROVE RD P.O. BOX 443 OREGON, IL 61061 Ph (815) 732-2422 Fax (815) 732-2092 www.MartinCoInc.net

From your friends at CGH Medical Center 100 E. LeFevre Road, Sterling, IL 61081 (815) 625-0400 • www.cghmc.com SM-ST1554437

Thank you Winter Construction & Halo for letting us be part of this endeavor!

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Submitted

HALO Branded Solutions has moved its Sterling administrative staff into the company’s new corporate headquarters in the Meadowlands Business Park. The move was completed in early April, 2018.

Congratulations HALO on Your New Location!

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HALO’s new facility includes light manufacturing - laser engraving and sand blasting - to support their growing employee recognition business.

The Rockwell Group would like to thank HALO Branded Solutions and Winter Construction for this opportunity and wish everyone continued success as we build a better tomorrow together.

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HALO creates years-of-service plaques for thousands of employees of hundreds of global brands.

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