Growth Companies

When Educational Data Systems, Inc (EDSI) CEO Kevin Schnieders started working for his father's Dearborn-based company in the early 1990's, EDSI had only one government contract worth $20,000. Since that time, the company's focus on workforce development and management consulting has driven its growth from one office with 18 employees, to its current network of 26 offices with 450 employees in seven states, including Michigan. The company generated $28 million in revenue last year.

Father and son credit much of this success to their hometown roots, having maintained the company headquarters in Wayne County where W. Robert (Bob) Schnieders founded the company in 1979.

"Wayne County provides exemplary city and county services and is an established area. Having Ford Motor Company as our neighbor is also an asset," Bob says. Kevin added, "So many of our key representatives love living and working here. We feel Wayne County shares our company's vision for outstanding customer service and delivering on the commitments that we make."

EDSI provides management consulting, economic development services, workforce consulting, and customized training to a variety of corporations and government entities. One of the key services EDSI offers is turnaround consulting for at-risk companies in Michigan. EDSI has engineered a method to utilize public funds to pay for these services, thus getting turnaround assistance to companies who desperately need them, yet have little or no cash or credit to pay for them. Currently, EDSI is working with a company in Wayne County through Southeast Michigan Community Alliance (SEMCA) providing turnaround services, and has been providing publicly funded turnaround work in Livingston County and elsewhere in Michigan since 2008.

Jim Bitterle, EDSI Consulting Managing Partner, says, "The publicly funded turnaround program is one of the most progressive economic development programs in the country. In Michigan, its use has been growing for over a year. Progressive-minded counties, such as Wayne County, are beginning to use the program to save both companies and jobs."

EDSI was rated "One of the Fastest-Growing Companies in America" by Inc. 500/5000, and ranked in the "Top 1 percent for all worldwide companies" having a high-performance culture, by the Denison Worldwide Organization and Leadership Survey. Kevin Schnieders was also named one of Crain's Business Detroit "Forty Under Forty" for 2009.