Our Blog.

In the beginning, there was Paul and there was Steve, but there was no E Group. The dynamic duo behind E Group, Paul Estenson and Steve Waletzko, met working in sales at an incentives company in the early 90’s. However, they unknowingly crossed paths before, and not while competing on the same team

Paul hails from Luverne and Steve grew up in Marshall. Paul attended St. Olaf College and Steve is a die-hard Johnnie from St. John’s University. These small Minnesota high schools and private colleges happen to be rivals in the same athletic conferences. Paul and Steve bonded over modest roots, duck duck grey duck league standings, and shared morals.

Paul and Steve’s strong work ethics ensured a solid base for E Group as they began providing merchandise support to military bases in 1994. They quickly learned that relationships are longstanding, but the nature of business is always changing. This is for the better, considering the E Group offices now boast windows (with wonderful views of Target Field) and no one relies on dial-up internet access or shares an AOL email account (not even the interns), a welcome evolution from year one.

Within the first five years of operation, E Group launched a successful online company store. Staying ahead of the competition secured E Group a spot on INC. 500’s annual list of the fastest growing companies, among many other honorable accolades over the years. Today, E Group offers expanded expertise in incentive programs, digital experiences, and promotional products. When our clients have mighty goals, we are committed to move people to action.

"Change is inevitable, and we embrace it to provide a better product and service to our clients.” -Paul Estenson