Resource firm rolls with industry changes

Dawn and Kurt Larsen have survived, and thrived, in an industry that has seen many other companies flame out.

The Larsens, founders of Salt Lake-based Resource Management Inc., started their human resources "employee leasing" firm in 1992, when the concept was just making its way into the business world.

At that time, there were practically no laws or oversight of the Larsens' idea of "co-employing" workers of existing companies and then providing those workers' companies with payroll, human resource management and benefits. But in Resource Management's early years, those state and federal laws evolved quickly.

The Larsens weathered those changes, setting high underwriting standards and making sure Resource Management was at the forefront of the industry in compliance.

They also kept a tight rein on the fiscal end of things, ensuring the company was financially strong and making it easier to remain an attractive option in a competitive field.

Today, Resource Management has branch offices in Seattle, Portland, St. George and Las Vegas and serves nearly 250 client companies in 30 states. The last three years alone have seen the company's net income increase more than 50 percent.