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CREO, Inc. Named to the 2021 Inc. 5000 List as One of America’s Fastest-Growing Companies for the Second Consecutive Year

August 17, 2021

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CREO is No. 1593 on the 2021 Inc. 5000 List with Three-Year Revenue Growth of 293%.

DURHAM, NC – CREO, an innovative management consulting and advisory firm that shapes growth companies into healthy, successful organizations, was announced as one of the fastest-growing companies in America by Inc. Magazine on its 2021 Inc. 5000 list.  This is CREO’s second year of eligibility and second time appearing on the Inc. 5000, the most prestigious annual ranking of the top 5,000 most successful privately held companies in the United States.  

 Inc. 5000 has been publishing the list since 1982 and represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the US. Businesses that make up the foundation of the list have determination and vision. Intuit, Zappos, Under Armour, Microsoft, Patagonia, and many other well-known names gained their first national exposure as honorees on the Inc. 5000.  

 “We are incredibly honored and excited to have been recognized two years in a row by Inc. Magazine on their Inc. 5000 list,” said Susan Acker-Walsh, CEO and Co-founder of CREO.  “I am incredibly proud of our team and all of their hard work and dedication. Each team member has gone above and beyond all year to meet our client’s needs, and grow CREO, which has enabled us to achieve this distinction for the second year.”  

Not only have the companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000 been very competitive within their markets, but this year’s list also proved especially resilient and flexible given 2020’s unprecedented challenges. Among the 5,000, the average median three-year growth rate soared to 543 percent, and median revenue reached $11.1 million. Together, those companies added more than 610,000 jobs over the past three years. 

“I am humbled and grateful to the team for their work in growing this company with us to achieve such a prestigious award two years in a row, said Mike Townley, President and Co-Founder of CREO, “we plan to stay focused on building up our talented team, adding services, and delivering extraordinary results for our clients.”  CREO was co-founded by Susan Acker-Walsh and Mike Townley in North Carolina’s Research Triangle Park area in 2015 and focuses on delivering management consulting and advisory services in the life sciences, health care, and tech services sectors.   

“The 2021 Inc. 5000 list feels like one of the most important rosters of companies ever compiled,” says Scott Omelianuk, editor-in-chief of Inc. “Building one of the fastest-growing companies in America in any year is a remarkable achievement. Building one in the crisis we’ve lived through is just plain amazing. This kind of accomplishment comes with hard work, smart pivots, great leadership, and the help of a whole lot of people.” 

Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at www.inc.com/inc5000. The top 500 companies are featured in the September issue of Inc., which will be available on newsstands on August 20. 


About CREO, Inc.  

CREO is an innovative management consulting firm that shapes growth companies into healthy, successful organizations.  We provide holistic support for organizations through our expertise in growth management and digital transformation. Our approach creates alignment around vision and strategy to drive execution and results.  To learn more, please visit us at www.creoinc.net.  

About Inc. Media  

The world’s most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels, including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit www.inc.com.  

Media Contact Information:  

Kristina Sandine, Marketing Manager