Get to Know The Advance Group

35 Years of Building Careers and Companies

We’re a premier staffing agency serving Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan since 1990. Every placement we make is built on trust, and every relationship we build is meant to last.

YEARS IN BUSINESS

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EMPLOYER PARTNERS

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TALENT PIPELINE

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REGIONAL OFFICES

OUR PURPOSE

What Drives Everything We Do

Our Mission

The Advance Group is committed to helping individuals advance their lives through employment opportunities that provide good pay, safe work environments, strong benefits, respect, and compassion.

Our Vision

Advancing careers, empowering business growth, and developing communities in our hometowns.

Relationship-First

Every client, every candidate.

Local Roots

Based in Northern Ohio & Southeast Michigan

Results Driven

Measurable outcomes

Our Core Values

The Principles Behind Every Placement

Our values show up in every hire we make and every relationship we build.

Value 01

Integrity

We do what’s right with honesty, respect, and accountability. When we say something, we follow through.

Value 02

Innovation

We identify opportunities and apply creative thinking to improve outcomes and achieve measurable results.

Value 03

Connection

Honest and respectful communication is the best way to create strong relationships. We know listening matters.

Value 04

Collaboration

We actively collaborate with our clients and draw on our collective strengths to achieve shared goals. This process builds trusted relationships that help you succeed.

Value 05

Positivity

We approach work with a positive, solutions-focused mindset. We build others up, contributing to a respectful, encouraging, and productive environment.

How a Small Office in Monroe Became a Regional Partner

Our Story

The Advance Group was founded in 1990 by Stacey Bigelow. We're a woman-owned and operated staffing agency serving Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan. We're locally owned; we understand the challenges of the communities we serve, and we can adapt fast, without the corporate red tape.

Where It Started

1990 -1994

A Fire Lit Early On

In 1990, Stacey opened our first office in Monroe, Michigan. She wore every hat: salesperson, recruiter, payroll clerk, building something real from the ground up.

In 1994, Stacey received the Rising Star Award from the Monroe County Chamber of Commerce, recognizing the entrepreneurial spirit that still fuels our mission today.

How We Grew

1991 - 2010

Growing the Region

One year after opening in Monroe, we expanded into Sylvania, Ohio, bringing our approach to staffing across the state line in 1991.

Then, in 2010, we opened our Southgate office, extending our reach into the Downriver Detroit market and deepening our commitment to Southeast Michigan.

What We Built

2013 - 2020

A New Model for Partnership

By 2013, our commitment to doing this right had earned us two major credentials: WBENC certification as a woman-owned business, and Certified Staffing Professional status for our entire recruiting and sales team. In 2026, that WBENC certification extended to our Toledo operations as well.

Few staffing firms invest in certification for their whole team, and we keep it current: our CSP-certified staff complete continuing education to stay on top of legal and industry trends.

We introduced our Client Specialist model in 2020, giving every client a Client Specialist who knows their business, reviews every candidate, and stays involved well past placement day.

Where We Are Today

2023 - 2026

The Mission Hasn't Changed

We’ve steadily invested in the technology behind the scenes: automated communication, electronic client-specific orientations, AI-assisted recruiting in 2023, and a fully refined recruiting model in 2026. We build each step to improve efficiency, without losing the personal service that got us here.

Most recently, we brought HR, operations, workforce development, education, and community leaders in Toledo together through a new workforce collaboration group in 2025, and brought the same initiative to Monroe County in 2026. We stay actively involved with chambers of commerce and economic development organizations across every community we serve.

Why Companies and Candidates Choose Us

What Makes Us an Expert Staffing Agency

Anyone can promise good service. Here's what we do differently.

A Dedicated Client Specialist

You work with one dedicated client specialist. They learn your business, your culture, and your workforce needs from day one.

A Proven Retention Plan

Our four-step candidate screening process, paired with your dedicated Client Specialist, has delivered up to 40% better retention for clients. That means fewer rehires, less retraining, and a more stable workforce.

Deep Local Roots

Thirty-five-plus years in Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan means relationships and pipelines other firms can’t replicate overnight. Beyond staffing, we connect employers to workforce resources like TechCred, which helps cover the cost of upskilling employees, and Benefits Bridge, a low-cost health and retirement benefits option, to help them retain the people we place.

Smart Technology, Backed by Real Judgment

We invest in AI-assisted recruiting to source and screen faster, but the decisions that matter are still made by people who know your business. Technology casts a wide net; our recruiters do the choosing.

Flexibility Built Around You

Temp, temp-to-hire, direct hire, or workforce management beyond staffing, we build around how you operate.

A True Extension of Your Team

We don’t just fill jobs, we manage the workforce. Our 12-month onboarding process brings our sales, recruiting, and operations teams together around your specific needs, so we can catch problems early and act as an extension of your HR team.

The People Behind the Work

Meet Our Leadership

The Advance Group has spent more than 35 years building a name Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan employers and job seekers trust, one placement at a time. Every leader on this team brings real, credentialed expertise in staffing, HR, or accounting to make that happen.

Our full team of 25+ recruiters and support staff spans Toledo, Monroe, and Detroit.

We're also hiring — join a team that believes in what it does.

TAKE THE NEXT STEP

Ready to Work Together?

National agencies have reach. We have relationships. Here's what that actually means for you.

Let's Fill Your Open Roles

Tell us what you need. Our team will build a custom staffing plan and get back to you within one business day.

Find Your Next Job

Create a free profile, upload your resume, and let our local recruiters match you to the right opportunity fast.

FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

How long has The Advance Group been in business?

We’ve been connecting talent with employers across Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan since 1990.

What does it mean to work with a dedicated client specialist?

No. We’re locally owned and operated, which means local decision-making and no corporate red tape slowing things down.

Will candidates actually be qualified?

You get one point of contact, your Client Specialist, who learns your business inside and out and reviews every candidate before you see them. A dedicated recruiter leads your search behind the scenes, backed by the power of our full team, and your Client Specialist stays involved well after you make a hire.

Does The Advance Group only handle manufacturing roles?

No. While Manufacturing is one of our specialties, we also place Light Industrial, Skilled Trades, and Administrative & Office Professionals roles across the region.

Get to Know The Advance Group

35 Years of Building Careers and Companies

OUR PURPOSE