Abel Personnel in March celebrates its 50th anniversary as a successful second-generation family-owned business that continues to thrive, providing qualified and ready-to-work staff to companies and schools.
“While statistics show that only 30 percent of family businesses survive the transition from founders to the second generation, Abel Personnel has bucked the odds,’’ said President Deborah Abel. “We provide the top talent clients need to outpace their competitors.”
Abel, the daughter of co-founders Franklin and Dorothy Abel, guided the firm into the internet age after joining as marketing manager in 1990. After becoming president in 2001, she followed in her parents’ footsteps by leading a seasoned team devoted to scrutinizing candidates’ skills, needs, and goals, and matching these to clients’ critical staffing needs.
“We’re in all of our relationships for the long haul,” Abel said. “You’re not necessarily doing it for the immediate quick deal. You’re doing it for the right solution for both the customer and the candidate. ‘’
Today, Abel Personnel and its three divisions – Abel Personnel, A+ Teachers and Abel Executives — offer direct hire, temp-to-hire, contract staffing, and temporary staffing solutions. In today’s competitive labor market, business clients save time and money through Abel personnel’s recruitment and screening approach from a ready pool of qualified candidates.
Steelton-Highspire School District Assistant Superintendent Mick Iskric experienced an “unbelievable” difference when the district contracted A+ Teachers to solve its challenges in quality and quantity of substitutes.
“We support our teachers in giving them professional development opportunities, but that can require taking them out of the classroom,” Iskric said. “If we need to send teachers to training, A+ Teachers helps us maintain classroom momentum. The regular teachers come back knowing there hasn’t been a day of instruction lost.”
In March 1969 Franklin Abel cofounded Abel-McConnell Personnel with Tom McConnell in Harrisburg. In those days jobs were filled by gender and Dorothy Abel helped with interviewing women job candidates.
Changing with the times is key to Abel Personnel’s success. In 1970 the firm acquired in Hallmark Personnel and in 1979 the “Abel Girl’’ division became “Abel Temps.’’ When McConnell retired the same year, the firm became Able Personnel. As staffing-agency trends shifted from permanent to predominantly contract and temporary placements, Abel Personnel adapted.
“I don’t think we had a plan,” said Franklin Abel last year, who remained involved in the firm until his death in December at the age of 92. “We did what we could, and whatever we did, we did well. The employees that we hired were gems. They treated people nicely and fairly.”
To this day, Deborah Abel believes the firm stands on its commitment to finding the right fit for everyone.
“We are not only interested in placing people and doing business, but we were truly interested in helping them,” she said. “My parents taught me that you always treat everyone the way you want to be treated, and that’s why Abel-placed personnel are the right match for the job.”
To learn more about Abel Personnel, please visit www.abelpersonnel.com
