Challenger, Gray & Christmas

Challenger, Gray & Christmas is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, and is the first executive outplacement firm in the US. It has offices throughout North America. James E. Challenger is the founder of the company. The Society for Human Resource Management recognized him in 1996 as the creator and pioneer of the outplacement field. James E. Challenger, the company's founder, spent years trying to persuade companies that it was good business to be nice to people heading involuntarily out the door.

In 2003, John A. Challenger gave testimony before the U.S. House Committee on Small Business on the issue of permanent job loss in a global economy.  In 2002, at the height of the turmoil over corporate governance, The Wall Street Journal invited Challenger to address the issue in a bylined article that appeared in The Journal on June 25, 2002.  He served on the labor/human resource committee of The Federal Reserve Bank of for two three-year terms.

Early years

Outplacement services, provided by scores of firms, have become standard at most large companies, but in 1977 it was estimated that only 40% of major American companies offered outplacement. As early as 1977, Challenger, Gray & Christmas was recognized among the oldest and largest outplacement firms. The earliest major customers of Challenger, Gray & Christmas included Motorola Inc., McDonald's, United Airlines, Quaker Oats Company and Sears Roebuck & Company.

In 1961, James Challenger was dismissed from his law firm position for taking time off. In 1966, his desire to help led him to found Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc., the first outplacement firm in the country.

He devised a training, counseling, and support program to help job seekers find new jobs quickly and successfully. He told UPI’s Cathy Lewandowski in 1983: “There is no such thing as total job security today. Any individual, no matter what position, should be ready to prepare a clearly defined alternative plan which can be implemented in case of termination.''

Publications

"Outplacement" by James Challenger, 1994.

"The Challenger Guide: Job-Hunting Success for Mid-Career Professionals" by James Challenger, 2000.