Walker Sands Named to Inc. 5000 List for Second Consecutive Year
CHICAGO – August 22, 2014 – Inc. Magazine has ranked Walker Sands, a full-service public relations and digital marketing firm for B2B and technology companies, No. 1,560 on the eighth annual Inc. 500|5000, an exclusive ranking of the fastest-growing private companies in the United States.
Walker Sands is a top 100 Illinois company and the 63rd fastest-growing company in Chicago among all Inc. 500|5000 companies. Chicago saw the second-most companies on the list, trailing only New York City.
Walker Sands has grown dramatically, increasing revenue 273 percent from 2010 to 2013 and adding 29 jobs over the same timeframe. Much of this growth can be attributed to the agency’s integrated approach to public relations, social media and SEO and its focus on supporting B2B and technology clients, ranging from early-stage startups to large Fortune 500 enterprises.
“This has been a great year for Walker Sands, and the Inc. recognition is an outstanding accolade and an aspiration for any growing business,” said Mike Santoro, president of Walker Sands. “We’ve moved to a new office, launched a new website for Walker Sands Digital and added several key clients to our roster in 2014. We’re looking forward to what the rest of the year holds.”
This recognition follows several other notable wins for Walker Sands this year, including a spot on O’Dwyer’s top technology firms list and being named one of Chicago’s top 50 Gen Y employers by Brill Street. In July, Santoro was named to Direct Marketing News’ 40 Under 40.
The Inc. 5000 list is the most comprehensive benchmark of America’s independent entrepreneurs—a vital component of the U.S. economy. The companies on the list achieved an impressive three-year average growth of 516 percent. The Inc. 5000’ s aggregate revenue is $211 billion, with companies generating more than half a million jobs over the past three years.
“What surprises me, even though I know it’s coming, is the sheer variety of the paths our entrepreneurs take to success, thematically reflecting how our economy has evolved,” says Inc. President and Editor-In-Chief Eric Schurenberg. “But what doesn’t change is the fearsome creativity unleashed by American entrepreneurship.”
Complete results of the Inc. 500|5000, including company profiles and an interactive database, can be found at www.inc.com/inc5000. Walker Sands’ Inc. 500|5000 listing can be found at http://www.inc.com/profile/walker-sands.
Methodology
The 2014 Inc. 5000 is ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2010 to 2013. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2010. They had to be U.S.-based, privately held, for profit, and independent–not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies–as of December 31, 2013. (Since then, a number of companies on the list have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2010 is $100,000; the minimum for 2013 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Companies on the Inc. 500 are featured in Inc.’s September issue. They represent the top tier of the Inc. 5000, which can be found at http://www.inc.com/5000.
About Walker Sands
Walker Sands is a public relations and digital marketing agency for technology and business-to-business companies. With offices in Chicago and San Francisco, Walker Sands was founded in 2001 to provide data-driven marketing support for a wide array of companies with the business mission of providing best-in-class communications counsel and services. Walker Sands is a two-time Inc. 5000 Honoree and has received several other industry-specific awards, such as PRSA Skylines, Hermes and PR Daily, among others. To learn more, visit www.walkersands.com.