While companies with iconic business names such as IBM, Apple and Coca-Cola have long since expanded their brands by going international, this trend in American business has continued to increase steadily, being cited by several publications as one of the largest business trends in 2013. While U.S. companies continue to embrace the international expansion, so is America’s original and largest workplace chaplaincy organization, Marketplace Chaplains.

Since its inception in 1984, Marketplace Chaplains has expanded in the U.S., and served companies domestically and nationally owned in Mexico since 2006. It expanded to the U.K. in 2008, and recently announced a bold expansion to the Far East, securing the first Marketplace Asia Pacific client company, a large manufacturing plant in Seoul, South Korea.

U.S. companies operating internationally help spur economic growth that creates domestic jobs to meet demand in foreign markets, according to a study conducted for two business associations, as reported in a recent Bloomberg News story reported.⁺   When companies trade or invest overseas, it fuels hiring and investment in the U.S., the Business Roundtable and the United States Council for International Business said in the study. The groups suggest that U.S. policies and trade agreements be flexible to accommodate opportunities for companies to generate business, products or customers abroad.

With currently 20 international cities served by Marketplace Chaplains in 4 countries and 1 commonwealth, this American business trend of expansion will persist as the global workforce recognizes this valuable employee benefit with proven results.

“I am thrilled I can offer my employees this great service, especially since I’m the boss with the ability to hire and fire, some employees don’t feel free to talk with me about  their problems,” said Steve Troyer, President of Troyer Ventures, in Fort St. John, British Columbia, Canada.

“Chaplains have changed the heart and soul of my company and we’ve become a better company too,” said Tim Embry, Owner and CEO of American LubeFast.

Marketplace Chaplains has 2,770 chaplains serving in more than 3,000 client company locations in the U.S. and abroad, and has proven that it’s a tangible resource for overall employee wellness and that help and hope are sustainable resources, making it poised for expansion in the vibrant rising China economy which has not seen a cooling on its economic growth, and none predicted in the future.

Dallas business owner and client company president, Bruce Grantham, a New Zealand native, said he sees the innovative strategic initiative of Marketplace Chaplains as a future success in the Pacific Rim and Far East. “I think you will see that Marketplace Asia Pacific will one day be caring for millions of workers and family members in this part of the world,” said Grantham.

Chairman and CEO Gil A. Stricklin, and interpreter, Kelvin Wong, a third generation Chinese native, will be making the organizations second exploratory trip to South Korea and China in August to expand the workplace chaplaincy brand in a new part of the world, as they have done in the U.S. “We do not know for sure what will happen when we get there, but we are grateful for this first company in the Seoul, South Korea area,” Stricklin said. “Our nearly decade-long international experience has shown us that no matter the country, no matter the language spoken or the business conducted, employees and their family members all have needs which can be met by a caring, concerned, trained Marketplace Chaplain. “Although our first company in South Korea only has 100 employees, our first U.S. company only had 150 people, and now we serve more than 145,000 employees and 400,000 family members. We can do the same internationally,” said Stricklin.

Marketplace Chaplains currently work with 23 different industry types including hotels and manufacturing plants in the U.K., food processing plants in Puerto Rico, along with distribution facilities in Mexico.

“Visionary international CEOs have seen the wisdom of caring for their employees and their families in any situation and in any culture,” said Marketplace Chaplains’ President and COO, Richard S. De Witt. “We believe this service will be a growing need and as impactful in the Pacific Rim and Far East as it has been elsewhere,” added De Witt.