2025 was a year of upheaval for Express Employment International, and a year of grief and change for Bob Funk, Jr.
Bob Funk, Sr. and his best friend, Bill Stoller, founded the company in 1983. Since its founding and under their leadership, Express has grown into one of the largest privately held staffing companies in the world. Both men died within months of each other in 2025. As planned and prepared for, Funk, Jr. stepped up to become the company’s CEO and president.
In March, Bill Stoller said about him, “Bob is the perfect fit to step into this role. His passion for empowering entrepreneurs and his drive to provide hope through employment to millions of individuals and families are core to who he is. With his innovative mindset and strong leadership, I am confident that Express will continue its growth and success.”
Funk said, “I grew up in this business along with my mom and dad, who were serial entrepreneurs. We didn’t really talk about typical family things at the dinner table. When I stepped into this role, my goal for the first six months was just stability and continuity for our company. We lead best through influence and support—not control or mandate. I came in to calm the waters after losing the company’s founders.”
When asked about the vision for his company’s future, Funk is quick to answer. “At Express, we want to put a million people to work. Right now, we have 500,000 to 600,000 working. And for every person we put to work, we positively affect two others. If we can put a million people to work, that’s three million people that we have positively impacted. I believe that there is no better way to impact someone’s life than to provide a work opportunity. I firmly believe in the power of our work to create lasting change and build stronger communities.”
Funk is very intentional about the way meetings happen at Express: “They are a collaborative experience here. Everyone must bring their voice and participate. If we all agree, someone must argue the other side so that we can think through that perspective.”
Speaking to the next generation of young entrepreneurs and business leaders, Funk emphasized, “Leadership is a privilege, and you must always treat it that way. Leadership is always personal. When you lead, you are leading the person, you aren’t leading the department. The only thing that matters is the relationships you make and the people that you impact during your lifetime.
“Leadership is about empowerment, not position. Develop the people that you work with. Succeed together or die alone.”
