Universal Services of America, the nation's fourth largest janitorial and security services provider, celebrates 50 years of existence in 2015. The company that signed its first contract to provide janitorial service for Tree Sweet Orange Juice Company on Feb. 15, 1965, is now a $1-plus billion company, operating in 49 states.

"Reaching our 50th anniversary makes me pause and reflect on all that we have accomplished," says Steve Jones, CEO of Universal Services of America. "It's amazing to have had a hand in transforming a small, locally-owned security company and expanding it branch by branch across the country. I am blown away by the dedication and loyalty of our employees and our clients and I am honored to lead this company into the next 50 years on the quest to reach a whole new level!"

Universal expanded its facilities offerings when it segued into the security industry in 1969 for Control Data Corporation (CDC)—a 1960s computer manufacturing company. A janitorial customer at the time, CDC's account contact asked then-owner Stephen Salyer about the possibility of "posting a guard in the lobby from the time the janitors left until the doors opened at 8 a.m. each work day. They had just received a government contract and thus needed some semblance of security," says Salyer.

Brian Cescolini, Universal Services of America Executive Chairman and co-owner with Jones, remembers when the company was a tiny startup. "We had only one branch office in Orange County with a handful of accounts," Cescolini says as he recounts his early days as the company's general manager more than 33 years ago.

In 2000, Cescolini and Jones became co-owners with Salyer and his business partner Jim Moses. In 2007, Cescolini and Jones became sole owners and the following year added two new companies to the Universal Protection Service and Universal Fire/Life Safety divisions: Universal Protection Security Systems and Universal Building Maintenance, a return to the janitorial market after it was sold in 1989.

Today, Universal's 50,000 janitorial, security and administrative professionals work to tidy clients' facilities and protect lives, property and assets worth upwards of billions of dollars. The largest security provider in the commercial real estate and retail sectors, Universal also services healthcare, distribution, education, entertainment, corporate campuses, homeowners' associations and transportation clients.

From 2012 to 2014, Universal created more than 14,000 jobs—nearly 20% of which went to veterans in 2014. During that two-year period the company experienced exponential financial growth, increasing from $718 million to over $1 billion in revenue.

View more about Universal's historical timeline at this link http://www.universalpro.com/universaltimeline.html.