Our Beginning

In 1977, Thomas Johnson was working for a company called G.R. Grubb, a company that specialized in photo engraving. Like many people, Tom had gotten tired of working for someone else. The need for photo engraving was dying, and award plaques were becoming popular with company incentive programs. Having all of the training and know-how, and with many business contacts, Tom decided to do what most independent thinkers dream of – go into business for himself. It was then that he established his own company, calling it Awards Limited.

Awards Limited started out of Tom’s “tiny” dining room in Urbana, Illinois. He worked hard to combine exceptional customer service and quality awards at an affordable price to get Awards Limited off and running.

Over the next 30 years, Awards Limited expanded, taking on several other companies, including creating a separate division named Stamps Direct in 1995. Awards Limited now specializes in a wide variety of things, such as:

• Plaques
• Trophies
• Rubber Stamps
• Medals
• Signs
• Name Tags/Plates
• Ad Specialties
• Logo Apparel
• Executive Gifts
• Lapel Pins

In 2000, Tom decided to hand over the reigns to his two sons, Kenny and Glenn, who joined the company back in 1989. Together they have maintained the principle that the customer is always the top priority.

Today in 2007, Awards Limited is no longer in Tom’s dining room, but in their own office headquarters providing 4500 sq. ft. of workspace. With a well trained and motivated staff, Glenn and Kenny work every day to meet employees, club members, and volunteers’ needs. Awards Limited believes that “Ideas Are Unlimited” and that their customers “have access to the world”.