Over 70 years ago, Clyde A. Short founded the C.A. Short Company. The Shelby, North Carolina entrepreneur's idea was to offer local businesses, those which employed a large number of people, a single source for holiday gift award programs. His award program, with items such as candy and specialties, was a huge sucess. Eventually, toys and other popular merchandise were added at customers' requests. As the clientele grew, and as their needs shaped the gift products range, C.A. Short grew as well. Customers began to depend on C.A. Short for other types of employee recognition, such as years of service, safety and performance. Programs for each of these areas were developed and provided even more choice and more value to customers and their people.

Today, the principles that have guided C.A. Short for over decades have not changed. The focus is still on the employee's experience. If that experience is positive, it provides a win-win-win result for the employee, HR executive and employer. Over the years, thousands of companies have been introduced to C.A. Short's very own concept of employee recognition success which focuses on the "5 Elements of Individual Recognition." This revolutionary concept ensures an optimal return on your investment in a recognition program. In addition to the first single-source recognition program to utilize the 5 Elements, C.A. Short also innovated the first online, fully user-generated program design and management tool. CAShortOnDemand.com.