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John Streep, president of The Furst Group in Shamong, was anxiously awaiting a Fedex package on Wednesday, Oct. 4. Lots of people wait for the Fedex run, but the contents of the package would set Streep apart from most companies. When it arrived, he ripped it open -- and his life changed. The Shamong Group had been named Number 1 on the Inc. 500 list of fastest-growing private companies in the country. First Streep, 45, called his partner, James Kaylor, 45, in Lincoln, Ne., reaching him on his cellular telephone. Then, beaming ear to ear, he gathered all the employees of the headquarters together to share the exciting news. Soon the phone started ringing, and it hasn't stopped much since. "People didn't realize how bald I was," quips Streep when asked about reactions to the Inc. article. He adds: "We are thrilled."
The little-known New Jersey company has catapulted to corporate fame with the publishing of Inc. magazine's annual October listing. Past winners of the Inc. top spot include Apple Computer. As No. 1, Furst has the highest percentage of sales growth for the years 1990 to 1994 of any private company in the country. Last year, the firm hit number four on the Inc. list--and just kept climbing. The Furst Group's sales of $92.2 million in 1994 were a 42,389% increase over its 1990 sales of $200,000. Earnings in 1994 were $11.8 million, compared with $4.2 million in 1993.
Though obscure perhaps to some, The Furst Group is a leader in its industry, switchless resellers. In fact it is one of the top five telecommunications service resellers in the country. As a member of the $65...