BUSINESS PROFILES
Smart, Effective Debt Collection for 80 Years
IC System, Vadnais Heights,
celebrated its 80th anniversary in
October 2018. One of the largest
receivables management companies
in the United States, IC System
is a family-owned, privately held
accounts receivable management
firm in its third generation of family
ownership. IC System provides
customized, tailor-made debt recovery
solutions for healthcare, dental, small
business, government, utilities and
telecommunications industries on a
nationwide scale.
Ruth and Jack Erickson founded IC
System in 1938 on the guiding principle
of giving their customers ethical, honest
service. Eight decades and three
generations of family ownership later, IC
System is still devoted to its niche. Over
the years, IC System has undergone
many changes, as every company
must. The company moved locations
throughout St. Paul before purchasing
its current offices in Vadnais Heights in
1982. Ruth Erickson became President
after the death of her husband in 1953,
and their son John soon took over as
President. Today, John Erickson, Jr. has
maintained the proud legacy of family
ownership and management since 2010.
IC System has also been a major
innovator over the last 80 years. In
1968, the company became one of the
first collection agencies to set aside
typewriters and become completely
computerized. In the early 2000s, its
growth made it the largest family-
owned, privately held receivables
management company in the United
States. In 2010, IC System was awarded
the Collection Technology Excellence
Award for developing a state-of-the-
art collection software, Intelligent
Collections Engine (ICE™).
IC System was a BBB Torch Award
for Ethics finalist three years in a row.
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Northeast Metro Business
IC System Owners, from left: Current President/CEO John Erickson, Jr., John Erickson Sr. and Joe Erickson.
Photo courtesy of IC System.
In 2018 the Minneapolis Star Tribune
named IC System one of Minnesota’s
Top 150 Workplaces, reflecting its
strong commitment to its employees’
quality of life.
“IC System is a rare example of a
family-owned company lasting three
generations,” said President and
CEO John Erickson, Jr. “I think we’ve
lasted this long because we treat our
employees like family. And what better
way to celebrate a birthday than with
family.”
IC System Awarded for Cultivating
Employee Talents
IC System received the “Customer
Excellence Award – Developing
Leadership / Blended Learning” from
Brainier, a Minneapolis-based learning
and development company. IC System
was recognized for their employee
training and development program,
called Leaders of Tomorrow (LOT).
The award-winning, 10-week program
cultivates employee talents, teaches
them new skills, and ensures tenure
with the potential for advancement
and continuous engagement. “We are
continually impressed by our award
winners,” says Brainier CEO Jerry Cox.
“Their ability to adapt our platform to
their learning and development plan
really proves our mantra of Educate.
Engage. Empower.”
icsystem.com
Eric Johannes, Director of Marketing at IC
System, currently serves as Vice President
of Vadnais Heights Economic Development
Corporation’s (VHEDC) Board of Directors.
IC System has been an active investor in
VHEDC’s mission since moving to Vadnais
Heights over 30 years ago. John Erickson,
Sr. assisted former mayor Hank Tessier, city
officials and other Vadnais Heights business
leaders with the creation of VHEDC in 1984.