Welcome to our blog! We're so happy you're here.
Hey there! Thanks for joining us on our journey as we officially launch our GrapeTree blog. Our goal is to use our voice in the healthcare industry to provide information and helpful resources to our healthcare professionals, clients, suppliers, and the general public. Before we dive in, we want to use this first post to head back to the basics: Who is GrapeTree?
Who we are.
Our Mission | "To improve healthcare and exceed facility expectations with highly qualified healthcare professionals, the latest technology, and an emphasis on customer service."
GrapeTree Medical Staffing was founded in 1999 by travel RN himself, Tim Kinnetz - cue story time! At a fairly young age, Tim decided that he wanted to help people. He became an EMT in high school, went on to be a Paramedic after graduation, and eventually attended nursing school to become an RN. It was a postcard about travel nursing that led Tim to a new venture in the traveling healthcare world. Other nurses saw what he was doing and became interested in traveling, too. So, with the help from a CPA friend who showed Tim how to start his own business, he proceeded to contract himself with a facility in Minnesota, and before he knew it (a mere year and a half later), he had 15-20 nurses working for him. Who knew that 22 years later his business would still be booming, with now over 150 corporate office staff and over 4,000 healthcare professionals on our team!
GrapeTree is a healthcare staffing agency, offering 24/7 staffing solutions to healthcare facilities throughout our 12-state footprint. It’s been a wild ride, but with the help of our amazing clients and dedicated healthcare professionals, we have been and continue to impact the healthcare industry in Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Nebraska, Minnesota, South Dakota, Indiana, Kansas, Wisconsin, Ohio, Michigan, and Pennsylvania! We are grateful for our partnerships in each of these states, and we can’t wait to continue expanding throughout the U.S.
Fun Fact | Originally, the company was called STAT Team Nursing. Unable to trademark “STAT,” our founder, Tim, creatively came up with the name “GrapeTree Medical Staffing.” One of his early advisors told him to “put together two words that don’t normally go together, and you might have something.” So, while eating a bowl of grapes and thinking about growing his future multimillion-dollar business, GrapeTree was born!
Tim Kinnetz, GrapeTree Founder
"The experience of going from an employee to an owner to retiring as a board member at the age of 45 is an American dream that I have been blessed to live. It was achieved through sacrifice, risk-taking, and a lot of hard work alongside many amazing people the whole way." - Tim Kinnetz, Founder
Twenty-two years in, we’re proud of our growth and the impact our services have made on so many people. Our continued growth is the result of the business foundation Tim started back in 1999, as well as the principles our current CEO, Steve Heeg, has brought to the table since joining our team in November 2017. Working for GrapeTree is much more than a job. It’s a place to find your purpose and a place to make a difference, which is exactly what our team does every single day.
"I am extremely proud of our history and the foundation Tim built. We have an amazing team here at GrapeTree and I couldn’t be more excited about the direction we’re headed in and all that we are going to accomplish as we continue moving forward." - Steve Heeg, CEO
Ready to join our bunch? Apply here to join our corporate staff or apply here if you're a healthcare professional.