After working for City Bonded Messenger Service for 14 years, Phyllis L. Apelbaum founded Arrow Messenger Service, Inc. in 1974. Starting with a mere $3,500 inheritance, Phyllis founded what is now the largest woman-owned messenger service in the Chicagoland area. As President/CEO for more than 30 years, she has evolved the company into a full service transportation firm, employing approximately 250 people. She accomplished this in spite of having a limited education and raising a son as a single parent.
In 1987 Phyllis co-founded the Messenger Service Association of Illinois. With encouragement from Dick Thomas of Priority Dispatch in Cincinnati, Arrow Messenger Service, Inc. became a founding member of MCAA. Phyllis was elected to the MCAA Board of Directors the following year. She then served in each of the board positions up to and including President. Additionally, Phyllis oversaw for the annual convention for a number of years.
Phyllis does not limit herself to the Messenger Community; she is also very active in the City of Chicago. Her City involvement covers many areas, most notably serving on the Chicago Police Board since 1995. Phyllis also sits on the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, Meals on Wheels and Better Boys Family Foundation boards. Since 1988, Phyllis has been a member of The Chicago Network, a prestigious invitation only group of women at the top of their fields in the Chicagoland area. Phyllis has received numerous awards for her involvement in the community at large, and regularly lectures to the entrepreneur programs at DePaul University and the University of Illinois at Chicago among other venues.
With a very active Executive Team led by Mark Apelbaum, Vice President and Tom Krier, Director of Finance and Human Resources, Phyllis has more time to travel, spend winters in warmer climates and enjoy her grandsons Harry and Ryan.