A Unique History

In the 1960s, before it became the company now known as Pacesetter Awards, it was a sporting goods store. At that point in time, Chicago was a bowling metropolis. Literally. Bowling was a big deal. So big, in fact, that this sporting goods store had lines of people waiting for their number to be called so they could order bowling trophies. The bowling trend may have subsided a decade or two later, but the astute business owner shifted from sporting goods to awards of all kinds. Pacesetter Awards was officially established in 1982, with a plethora of experience in crafting awards already under their belt.

From Bowling Trophies to Corporate Recognition

When you listen to people at Pacesetter talk, you’ll notice that they refer to the category as recognition rather than awards. That terminology is no accident.

To them, recognition is a broader term. Awards may be given, but recognition is earned. Recognition, whether that be for number of years of service, meeting sales goals, or a donor acknowledgement wall, communicates that a person’s efforts are seen and appreciated.

“It’s all about making people feel good.”

At the end of the day, the folks at Pacesetter Awards want the recipient of any award they made feel good about it. Before that, they want the organization presenting the recognition to feel good about the token. And before that, they want the distributor to feel good about the entire process. It’s less about the Pacesetter name and more about helping the distributor impress their clients. They want to make everyone involved feel good.

A Family Culture

That feel-good mentality exists among the team members at Pacesetter as well. The company is family owned and has been run by the same family for three generations now, but you don’t have to be a relative to be part of the family. The company’s family culture is built on collaboration, open communication, and a “make-it-work” mindset. Employee longevity attests to that. In a culture of people helping people, there are multiple employees who have chosen to work there for 35 or more years. Sales Manager, Sam Reed, said, “I’ve been here 10 years, and I still feel new by comparison.” Employees also confirm that the family culture is based on a foundation of recognition. The team truly enjoys working together and calling out each other’s wins.

A Commitment to Distributors

One thing Pacesetter does that stands out in the industry is intentionally working to assist distributors in expanding their businesses with a recognition product line. There is an entire tab of the Pacesetter website dedicated to distributor tools like the Pacesetter Playbook, a Distributor’s Guide to Success with Awards, Recognition, and Branded Gifts. The sales team works to help distributors sell the philosophy of recognition as a habit that enhances any company’s culture.

As reinforcement to these tools, Pacesetter strives to impress the customers of their distributor partners, even if that means the customer doesn’t know Pacesetter’s name at the end of the day. A recognition-centered company that doesn’t seek recognition is the best kind of irony.

U.S. Manufacturing Empowers Customization

Another thing that sets Pacesetter apart is that they manufacture their products here in the United States. Chicago to be exact. Local manufacturing enables Pacesetter’s team of designers to better understand the capabilities of the equipment in the factory, what certain materials can/can’t do, and how long the process takes. U.S. manufacturing plus a team of designers working alongside the factory workers empower customizations that would otherwise only be a dream.

It’s the difference between buying a suit off the rack and having a tailor-made suit. Pacesetter produces tailor-made recognition pieces that make the recipient proud, and that deserves recognition.