Fort Smith staffing agency will close after 21 years

Go Ye Employment Services, a family-owned staffing agency in Fort Smith, will close its doors Dec. 31. Jerry Crawford started the business Jan. 1, 2000.

CEO Miles Crawford, his son, said the closure is mainly because of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The company had four employees at the start of the year. The Crawfords are now the only two.

“Our clients were mainly small businesses throughout the River Valley, and coronavirus largely eliminated their needs for additional hiring, which majorly impacted our revenue and projections,” said Miles Crawford, who has worked the company since 2006. “While we were fortunate to retain a few active accounts, we ultimately decided it was in our best interest to close the business as opposed to other routes that might have been available to us.”

Crawford’s first job with the company was a staffing specialist. He worked his way up to office manager and regional manager. He was appointed CEO in the fall of 2012.

Crawford said the family put together an exit strategy from the business and is transitioning into the next phase of life. He has started working for another staffing agency in Fort Smith, TRAC Staffing.

Jerry Crawford will focus on real estate and other investment opportunities and will support his wife Rep. Cindy Crawford, R-Fort Smith, who won re-election in November to a second two-year term representing District 76 in the Arkansas House of Representatives.