by Ted Stiles & David Portney
Stiles Associates

The last couple of years have been the most challenging for hiring since the start of the 2010s. This is because post pandemic, hiring companies in several industries – especially manufacturing – have faced challenges at nearly every level of the organization. One of the most prevalent aspects has been the market conditions favoring candidates. Increased competition for top executive talent while hiring demand was spiking forced employers to flex on compensation, relocation packages, signing bonuses, quality of life factors including remote / hybrid work arrangements and more.

by Ted Stiles and David Portney
Stiles Associates

There’s no better time than the summer to recruit new executives. While many senior leaders take some much-deserved time off at their favorite vacation destinations; the kids spend their days at summer camps and pools; and companies experience a seasonal dip in activity – there’s a pool of A-players standing by who are available to drive performance and cultural change. By going on offense, hiring managers can impact their companies for the long haul by taking advantage of the environment right now.

by Christina Vermette and David Portney
Stiles Associates

Executive recruiting firms don’t reach out to just anyone, only to those individuals who are uniquely qualified to talk about a particular role they’re hiring for on behalf of a client organization. You might be happy to stay in your current position, which is great, but speaking with recruiters can lead to doors you didn’t previously think could open.

by Matthew Ayers and David Portney
Stiles Associates

It’s no secret Q1 was an uncharacteristically slow time in private equity, as Pitchbook estimated a 14.4 percent drop in exits compare d to Q4 2022 – accounting for a combined value of $55.9 billion (the lowest total since Q2 2020). Is this a warning of what’s to come or just a blip on the radar? What does this mean for retaining, recruiting or potentially letting go of executives in PE firms and their portfolio companies? These are all questions being asked in the PE community, and executive recruiters like Stiles Associates often have the first insights of what to expect due to our close proximity to hiring trends.

Stiles Associates placed a number of A-level leaders in mission-critical roles located across the country in the first quarter of 2023. In order to better inform the marketplace on the latest compensation data, we added first-year bonus numbers and whether or not the placed candidate received a sign-on bonus. 

by David Portney, Marketing Manager
Stiles Associates

Finding and bringing in the industry’s top leadership talent is one of the most important responsibilities companies have, yet they often struggle to define the best methods to secure those individuals. Many turn to their own internal human resources departments to spearhead the searches, but they can easily overwhelm a staff and prevent them from performing their many other responsibilities. If companies even have specialized talent acquisition employees, they often don’t have the network that’s required to truly access the A-players.

The following is a sample of Interim Management searches Stiles Associates filled on behalf of client organizations. In each example, our dedicated executive recruiters worked with the client to craft a custom search strategy, tapping into our proprietary network of proven executives for each client’s mission-critical temporary need.

by Ken Plasz and David Portney
Stiles Associates

Relocation is as big a headache as ever for employers seeking top talent, especially in the manufacturing and operations spaces. There are a multitude of reasons for this, many having been exasperated by the recent pandemic combined with inflation rates; low unemployment; and more broadly, shifting attitudes about work.

by Ted Stiles, Partner
Stiles Associates

It’s well understood that the tools, concepts and management system practices we know as “Lean” are rooted in the Toyota Production System, but the last three decades have shown us that Lean’s applicability extends well beyond automotive manufacturing. Today, these tools and concepts are used in nearly every type of manufacturing process in existence including food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, building materials, industrial materials and much more.

Stiles Associates Founder Lin Stiles sits down with one of the world’s most respected Lean executives and the former CEO of Wiremold Company, Art Byrne.