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34 | I NSIGH T • D e c e m b e r 2 0 14 w w w . i n s i g h t o n b u s i n e s s . c o m I magine that you have conducted a nationwide employment search for the perfect candidate. You think you have someone whose qualifications are unbeatable, you like the candidate's personality, and you make the hire, feeling pleased with yourself. In the first week, you find out the person has a criminal conviction that didn't turn up in your check of Wisconsin Circuit Court Access. Oops. You could have avoided a massive headache by hiring a company like Wons Background Investigations LLC of Little Suamico. e company is a licensed private detective agency, though it's not about catching wayward spouses in the act, says Jim Schwartz, business development manager at Wons. Rather, it's a consumer reporting agency that conducts background checks and credit reports, mainly for companies hiring new employees. Launched in 1998 by owner Bill Wons, the company also runs background checks for nonprofits and their volunteers (such as churches and youth sports leagues where adults will be working with children) and landlords seeking new tenants. But employment background checks are the largest segment of the company's business. Wons works with about 350 company clients, helping them to avoid hiring disasters that could be costly to their business – and reputation. Wons Background Investigations, Little Suamico, protects companies; builds peace of mind in hiring Checking up in focus { s m a l l b u s i n e s s } B y N i k k i K a l l i o Background checks through Wons cost between $12 and $150 per employee, depending on the thoroughness of the check, Schwartz says. Some companies have Wons run checks on everyone they hire, and others choose to investigate only certain employees, such as those dealing with finances. Business has been good since the recession because companies are hiring again and because Wons added a sales and marketing team. e company has seen about 35 percent growth per year for the past couple of years, Schwartz says. So, with Wisconsin CCAP and all of the "national criminal background check" offers available on the Internet, why hire a company like Wons to do it for you? For one thing, when a background check service claims to be national, it really isn't, Schwartz says. "Nationwide" databases cover only the counties that choose to participate in the service, or about 65 percent. Others decline because of privacy reasons or cost. Additionally, Wisconsin's web-based CCAP, the court record system, doesn't help if a prospective employee lived elsewhere. "Somebody could have lived in lllinois, moved to Wisconsin and just Wons Background Investigations, LLC, in Little Suamico was launched by Bill Wons, right, a licensed private detective, in 1998. Jim Schwartz, left, joined last year as the company's business development manager. The company has about 350 business clients and also conducts background checks for nonprofit organizations and landlords. M A R G A R E T L E B R U N