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Tuesday, Jul 7, 2026

Allied Universal

FOUNDED: 1965 in Santa Ana

LEGACY LEADERSHIP: When Steve Jones joined in 1996, he transformed small security company through acquisitions and organic growth into the world’s seventh-largest private employer with 800K employees.

OC SIGNIFICANCE: Jones joined when the company had $12M in sales; is now largest private company in Orange County, with $22.6B in sales in 2025.

DEFINING MOMENT: In 2021, purchased London-based G4S plc for $5.1B, resulting in company revenue doubling to $18B+.

QUOTABLE: When his company’s largest client told Steve on his first day on the job that they were leaving, he replied: “I don’t know you and you don’t know me. But I will tell you that I’m smart and an extremely hard worker and I need you to give me 30 days to fix this… In the long run, 30 days won’t matter to you one way or another. But if you just walk away right now without giving me this opportunity to repair our relationship, then you’re going to be walking away from the company that is going to set the standard in the security industry.”

FUN FACT: Has employees in more than 100 countries.

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