Company Timeline

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"In this bright future you can't forget your past."

-Bob Marley

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Larry Schoenecker

President & COO

The Early Years

Harry Truman, Doris Day, Red China, Johnnie Ray South Pacific, Walter Winchell, Joe DiMaggio Joe McCarthy, Richard Nixon, Studebaker, Television North Korea, South Korea, Marilyn Monroe...

Billy Joel

We Didn't Start The Fire

1950's

1950

BI founded, as Jewelry Distributors, Inc. Provides diamond engagement rings at discounted prices to GI's returning from the war.

1953

Re-named Business Builders, Inc. Sells jewelry, luggage and sporting goods to businesses, as awards in consumer contests and incentive programs.

1954

Re-named Business Incentives, Inc. Services include trading stamp and consumer continuity incentive programs.

1960's

1960s

Becomes one of the largest U.S. trading stamp companies with redemption centers in the Midwest and Southeast.

1968

Purchases a travel agency and begins offering travel incentive solutions.

1970's

1975

Celebrates 25 years of business!

1970s

Transitions from a consumer incentives focus to a channel incentives solution provider.

1970s

Expands from a Midwestern presence to a national company with sales offices across the United States.

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Reflections of BIW

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I choose to make change a positive experience because it brings opportunity, and opportunity brings growth.

Guy Schoenecker

Minnesota Business & Opportunities - July 1997

THE 1980's

"The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate."

Oprah Winfrey

80-84

1980s

Business Incentives is shortened to BI. The company adds capabilities in marketing research, business theatre, training and meeting services.

1982

BI operates its first Automotive program.

1984

BI begins its quality journey with its first recognition program, "Client is King"

85-89

1987

BI introduces A la Carte Certificates, the industry’s first Bill on Issuance product.

1988

BI launches its first Individual Travel product, A la Carte Awards. It includes airline ticketing and Hyatt certificates.

1988

BI launches AwardBanQ as the first Bill on Issuance bank account incentive system.

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Here's What Happened

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BI was selected as the only recipient of the Minnesota Quality Award for 1994.

The BI Way - November 1994

THE 1990's

"My Mama always said, ‘Life was like a box of chocolates; you never know what you're gonna get.'"

Forest Gump

1994

90-94

1990

BI changes its name to BI, the Business Improvement Company.

1992

BI designs and develops AwardperQs®, the industry’s first patented award system.

1992

BI delivers an Around the World Travel program. Itinerary includes New York City, London, Paris, Orient Express Train to Morocco, Agra, Hong Kong and Lanai. The trip ends in Newport Beach, where travelers are greeted by a Harley Davidson Motorcade.

1994

BI earns the Minnesota Quality Award.

95-99

1996

BI launches its first global recognition program, operating in seven countries around the world.

1998

BI installs first World Wide Web servers.

1999

BI earns the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award presented by President Bill Clinton.

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Reaching New Heights

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The BI WORLDWIDE flag has been planted in a glacier on the Spearhead Traverse.

May 2013

A NEW GENERATION

"My model for business is the Beatles. They were four guys who kept each other's kind of negative tendencies in check. They balanced each other, and the total was greater than the sum of the parts. That's how I see business: Great things in business are never done by one person. They're done by a team of people."

Steve Jobs

60 Minutes, 2003

00-04

2000

BI celebrates 50 years in the business!

2001

BI acquires The Marketing Organization in London, which becomes BI WORLDWIDE, Ltd.

2001

BI launches GoalQuest®. the industry's first patented sales incentive rules structure.

05-09

2005

BI takes a minority interest in the Mint Organization in Australia.

2006

BI opens a technology branch in Chennai, India.

2007

BI obtains ISO 9001:2000 certification (Quality Standards). Now ISO 9001:2008 certified.

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The Spirit of Giving

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BIW associates have packed over 1 million meals since 2008 for Feed My Starving Children. BIW has paid for the food packed and contributed over $350,000.

INTO THE FUTURE

"I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear."

Nelson Mandela

2010 - TODAY

2011

BI rebrands the organization to BI WORLDWIDE (BIW).

2011

BIW launches its first Summer of Love, featuring all-employee celebrations and on-campus music events.

2011

Celebrates 100 millionth product code redeemed in the Foodservice Rewards loyalty program.

2010 - TODAY

2012

HRO Today recognizes BIW, as the #1 Recognition Provider.

2012

BIW wins an Emmy for their “Have You Been Tested” Aids awareness film

2014

BIW hits 3,000,000 global program participants

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Here's What Happened

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The BoDeans perform during our annual Summer of Love event.

2013

Where's BIW?

Short paragraph talking about BIW’s expansion. Quisque ate congue magna. Cras elit quam, ultricies et lacus id, vehicula dictum urna. Sed sapumane enim. Vivamus pellentesque et nibh non aliquet. Vestibulum vom. Suspendisim massa. Aenean ac rutrum dolor. Duis mi tristique pretium.

Our Mission

To produce measurable results for our clients by driving & sustaining engagement with their employees, channel partners & consumers.

Our Values

Service well done.
Innovate or perish.
Fast is better than slow. Action is better than talk.
Never give up.
In it for the long haul.
Play nice in the sandbox.
Change is inevitable... so get on with it.
Don’t be cocky.
Help each other.
It’s not all about us.
Work hard, play hard, celebrate.