Spherion

Spherion was a North American staffing and workforce-solutions company whose history began in Chicago in 1946 as City Car Unloaders. Founded by Leroy Dettman and Joseph Perfetto, the original business placed manual laborers into temporary jobs, especially cargo-loading work. It later expanded into clerical and administrative placements, establishing the basic temporary-staffing model that became central to the company. The business moved from Chicago to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in 1969. By 1978 it operated as Personnel Pool of America, Inc., and that year it was acquired by H&R Block. H&R Block subsequently acquired Interim Systems Corporation in 1991 and combined it with Personnel Pool, creating a larger staffing-services operation. The combined business adopted the name Interim Services Inc. in 1992 and was spun off from H&R Block in 1994. After the spin-off, Interim Services pursued an acquisition-led expansion strategy. The company acquired staffing and professional-services businesses in several segments and, in 1997, acquired the London-based Michael Page Group. In 1999 it acquired Norrell Corp., an Atlanta-based staffing rival. The expansion broadened the company's geographic reach and service mix beyond traditional temporary labor, including office staffing, professional recruitment, information-technology staffing, healthcare placements, and recruitment-process outsourcing. The company changed its name to Spherion in 2000. The period around the Norrell acquisition also involved a strategic debate over corporate headquarters and management direction. Raymond Marcy, who had led the business for more than a decade, was replaced as chief executive by Cinda Hallman in 2001. Spherion subsequently completed an initial public offering of its London-based Michael Page Group subsidiary in 2001 and sold the Saratoga Institute to PricewaterhouseCoopers in 2003. Spherion operated through multiple brands and specialist units, including Spherion Staffing Services, The Mergis Group, Tatum, Technisource, Sourceright Solutions, and other regional or professional staffing names. The portfolio reflected the company's attempt to serve both high-volume temporary staffing customers and employers seeking specialized recruiting, professional placement, or outsourced workforce-management services. The business also used the SFN Group name in its corporate history and brand architecture, which is the source of the supplied SFN Group identification. Randstad N.V. acquired Spherion in July 2011. Following the acquisition, Spherion ceased to exist as an independent publicly traded company and its operations and brands were integrated into Randstad's broader staffing and human-capital-services organization. Later leadership references associated with the Spherion business include Rebecca Rogers Tijerino, who became chief executive in January 2019, and Kathy George, who replaced her in February 2024. Because the historical Spherion entity was acquired and absorbed into Randstad, it is best treated as a defunct standalone corporate brand rather than an independent current company.

Spherion originated in 1946 as City Car Unloaders, a Chicago temporary-labor company established by Leroy Dettman and Joseph Perfetto. Its initial business focused on placing manual laborers in short-term cargo-loading jobs. The company later added clerical placements, beginning a shift from a narrowly industrial labor service toward a broader employment agency. The company relocated to Fort Lauderdale in 1969. In 1978 it was operating as Personnel Pool of America, Inc. and was acquired by H&R Block. H&R Block expanded the operation through the 1991 acquisition of Interim Systems Corporation. Personnel Pool and Interim Systems were combined, producing a larger staffing-services business that changed its name to Interim Services Inc. in 1992. H&R Block spun off Interim Services in 1994. As an independent company, Interim pursued an aggressive acquisition strategy intended to increase its scale and add specialized staffing capabilities. It acquired the London-based Michael Page Group in 1997 and Atlanta-based Norrell Corp. in 1999. These transactions expanded the company's geographic coverage and helped it compete in professional recruitment as well as temporary staffing. The company changed its name to Spherion in 2000. The Norrell transaction contributed to a debate within the company's board about moving its corporate headquarters from Fort Lauderdale to Atlanta. The governance dispute coincided with a leadership transition: Raymond Marcy, who had served as chief executive for more than a decade, was replaced by Cinda Hallman in 2001. That year, Spherion completed an initial public offering of its London-based Michael Page Group subsidiary. In 2003, it sold the Saratoga Institute to PricewaterhouseCoopers. Spherion developed a portfolio of brands aimed at distinct portions of the employment market. Its names included Spherion Staffing Services, The Mergis Group, Tatum, Technisource, Sourceright Solutions, and Spherion Recruitment Process Outsourcing, alongside other regional and specialist brands. The portfolio covered temporary and contract employment, office and administrative placements, professional recruitment, information technology, healthcare, and recruitment-process outsourcing. SFN Group was also used in the company's corporate and brand history, although the canonical Wikipedia subject is Spherion. Randstad N.V. acquired Spherion in July 2011. The acquisition removed Spherion from the public market and ended its status as an independent corporate group. Its businesses and brands were subsequently incorporated into Randstad's wider human-resources and staffing platform. Later leadership information identifies Rebecca Rogers Tijerino as chief executive from January 2019 and Kathy George as her successor from February 2024. The historical entity is therefore most accurately described as a former North American staffing company and brand operating within the Randstad lineage.

1. 2011Acquisition by Randstad

   Randstad N.V. acquires Spherion and ends its independent corporate existence.

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2. 2003Saratoga Institute sold

   Spherion sells the Saratoga Institute to PricewaterhouseCoopers.

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3. 2001Michael Page public offering and leadership transition

   Spherion completes an initial public offering of Michael Page Group and Cinda Hallman replaces Raymond Marcy as chief executive.

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4. 2000Spherion name adopted

   Interim Services changes its corporate name to Spherion.

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5. 1999Norrell acquisition

   The company acquires Atlanta-based staffing rival Norrell Corp.

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6. 1997Michael Page Group acquisition

   Interim acquires the London-based Michael Page Group, expanding its professional recruitment portfolio.

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7. 1994Spin-off from H&R Block

   Interim Services becomes an independent company after being spun off by H&R Block.

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8. 1992Name changes to Interim Services

   The combined staffing operation adopts the name Interim Services Inc.

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9. 1991Interim Systems is acquired

   H&R Block acquires Interim Systems Corporation and combines it with Personnel Pool.

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10. 1978Acquisition by H&R Block

    Operating as Personnel Pool of America, the staffing business is acquired by H&R Block.

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11. 1969Headquarters move to Fort Lauderdale

    The company relocates from Chicago to Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

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12. 1946City Car Unloaders is founded

    Leroy Dettman and Joseph Perfetto establish a Chicago company placing manual laborers in temporary cargo-loading jobs.

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A multi-brand staffing and workforce-solutions provider serving employers across temporary labor, administrative staffing, professional recruitment, technology, healthcare, and outsourced recruiting.

• Temporary staffingStaffing services1946

  The company's foundational service was placing workers into temporary and contract assignments. It initially focused on manual labor and later broadened into office, clerical, industrial, and other workforce categories for employers needing flexible staffing capacity.

• Spherion Staffing ServicesGeneral staffing

  A principal operating brand for temporary, contract, and direct-hire recruitment. It served employers seeking workforce support across administrative, office, light industrial, and related employment categories.

• The Mergis GroupProfessional recruitment

  A specialist recruitment brand associated with professional and executive-level staffing. It represented Spherion's move beyond high-volume temporary labor into more specialized candidate search and placement services.

• TatumAccounting and finance staffing

  A professional staffing brand focused on accounting, finance, and related business professionals, supporting contract, interim, and recruitment needs.

• TechnisourceInformation-technology staffing

  A technology-oriented staffing and recruiting brand serving organizations seeking information-technology professionals and project-based workforce support.

• Sourceright SolutionsRecruitment process outsourcing

  A workforce-solutions brand associated with outsourced recruiting and talent-sourcing services. It addressed employers looking to delegate or supplement parts of their recruiting process rather than simply fill individual vacancies.

• 2011Sale to RandstadM&A

  Spherion was operating as a diversified staffing company with temporary, professional, and workforce-outsourcing activities.

  What changed. Randstad N.V. acquired Spherion in July 2011.

  Aftermath. Spherion ceased to operate as an independent publicly traded company and its activities were integrated into Randstad's global staffing group.

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• 2000Corporate rebranding as SpherionStrategy

  The company had expanded through multiple acquisitions and needed a unified identity for its growing staffing platform.

  What changed. Interim Services changed its name to Spherion and operated through multiple specialist and regional brands.

  Aftermath. Spherion became the principal corporate identity for a diversified North American staffing business.

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• 1994Pursuit of independent expansion after the H&R Block spin-offStrategy

  After becoming independent, Interim Services sought to build scale through acquisitions and broaden its staffing-services portfolio.

  What changed. The company acquired additional staffing businesses, including Michael Page Group in 1997 and Norrell Corp. in 1999.

  Aftermath. The acquisitions expanded the company's geographic presence and professional-recruitment capabilities while contributing to debate over its headquarters and management direction.

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• 2024Kathy George replaces Rebecca Rogers Tijerino

  Kathy George replaced Rebecca Rogers Tijerino as chief executive in February 2024.

  Leadership change
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• 2019Rebecca Rogers Tijerino becomes chief executive

  Rebecca Rogers Tijerino became chief executive of the Spherion business in January 2019.

  Leadership change
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• 2011Randstad acquires Spherion

  Randstad N.V. acquired Spherion, ending Spherion's existence as an independent publicly traded staffing company and bringing its operations into the Randstad group.

  M&A
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1. Spherion