In 1984, the founder of Reilly International was an ambitious 22-year old with an innate understanding of people, an uncanny business sense and a strong drive to turn her passion for helping others into her life’s work. In addition, Vickie Reilly possessed another rare quality for her age—a thorough understanding of U.S. customs regulations.

Her passion for the industry stemmed from a simple job posting she answered on her high school bulletin board years earlier, which—as fate would have it—happened to be for a customs brokerage firm. By the time she was 20, Vickie was already highly trained in the field. Eager to advance her career, she wrote to the Commissioner of Customs in Washington D.C. and was granted special permission to take the U.S. Customs Brokerage exam a year early.

At 21, Vickie became the youngest individual to have ever received a U.S. Customs Broker’s License. Just one year later, with $1,500 and a dining room table for an office, Reilly International was born.

After a successful year and a half in business, Vickie moved her operations into a 900 sq. ft. office located across the street from O’Hare International Airport. Determined to provide her clients with the fastest service possible, she rode around customs delivering documents on a red moped, not only instantly differentiating herself, but also earning her the referrals of surrounding airlines and the loyalty of new clients.

As the company expanded, Reilly International relocated three more times to accommodate its growing staff. Soon, clients began inquiring about additional services, encouraging the company to, among other things, begin arranging the transportation of imports.