Parfet, Kelly’s lead director since 2012, has extensive financial and operating experiences as an executive with responsibilities for numerous global businesses. In addition to his new role as Kelly’s chairman of the board, Parfet leads business development and venture capital firms focused on the development of emerging medicines. He also serves as a director of two large publicly held companies, and as the chairman of the board of a small publicly held company. A Kelly board member since 2004, Parfet has brought global operating experience, a strong financial background, and proven leadership capabilities to the board.
Adderley, son of the company’s founder, William Russell Kelly, joined Kelly Services in 1958 as manager of its office in Louisville, Kentucky. He was elected Vice President of the company in 1961, Executive Vice President in 1965, President in 1967, and Chief Executive Officer in 1989. He has served on the company’s Board of Directors since 1962, was elected Chairman of the Board in 1998, and Executive Chairman and Chairman of the Board in 2012, dual roles he held until May 2018. Adderley continued to serve as Kelly’s Chairman of the Board until his retirement.
Throughout his 60+ years with Kelly, Adderley’s commitment to the Company, its employees, and the industry has never wavered. Key highlights of Adderley’s celebrated career at Kelly include:
Taking Kelly Services Public
Kelly expanded rapidly in the 1950s and early 1960s, growth that challenged the boundaries of the Company’s financial systems and controls. With Adderley’s strong background in finance, he quickly recognized that sustained growth demanded stronger financial controls and he took on the task of reorganizing Kelly’s finance functions. He then added another level of discipline by taking the Company public in 1962.
Bringing Discipline and Respect to the Staffing Industry
Temporary staffing was still a relatively new concept in the late 1940s and 1950s, and U.S. federal and state governments were struggling with how best to regulate the industry. In response to abuses caused by some unethical companies, state governments began to classify temporary service companies as employment agencies; these businesses were heavily regulated because abuse was prevalent in that industry. Adderley was concerned that classifying companies as employment agencies could put Kelly and other staffing companies out of business, or at a minimum, limit their growth. He worked alongside representatives from Manpower and other firms to eliminate these laws and regulations. This work led to the creation of a national association in 1966 – the Institute of Temporary Services, now known as the American Staffing Association (ASA). Adderley served on the ASA board from 1970 to 2005.
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