"Our Company is a mid-sized private OEM with facilities in 7 countries. The international aspect of our business has an important influence on our staffing decisions. Many of our North American salaried positions must work across cultural, language and social boundaries in dealing with their international colleagues and customers. Our Corporate culture has developed to embrace cultural differences and use them to improve results. When we fill a salaried position, we have learned it is critical to the success of the candidate that we have an excellent fit with our team and our culture, in addition to being competent to perform the expected duties.
Craig Macdonald has been my recruiter-of-choice since 1992. He does all our work in North America. We wish he would do work in Europe. His work for us includes recruiting our current CFO, three division Presidents, and department managers in manufacturing and sales. National statistics indicate a 50% failure rate for recruited leaders. Since 1992 we have yet to have a failure with a recruited leader. We have lost some recruited personnel over time to better opportunities, but as a percentage, no more than non-recruited personnel.
I believe the key to Craig’s success in our Company is the investment he has made, and continues to make, in knowing our key personnel and our Company culture. Craig has invested many hours with our key people, understanding how we manage our business and who we are. When we start a search, Craig forces us to do our homework at the front-end, helping us focus upon the critical requirements of the role and the keys to success in it. When we finally speak with a candidate, we have great confidence the interview will be a wise investment of time by all. When we become serious about a candidate Craig guides us through in-depth analysis of the results of reliable personal profiles, background and reference checks. When the process is complete, our team has great confidence in the decision made.
We view Craig as an extension of our senior management team. He is a known quantity whose counsel and advice is sought and trusted. His initial relationship with the Company was with me, but if I was no longer here, I am confident his relationship with Northern Industrial would continue unchanged. We feel fortunate to have Craig as part of the Northern Industrial team."
Scott Howell, CEO
Northern Industrial, Inc
"Over the past 17 years, Craig Macdonald has assisted us in dozens of searches from staff positions through senior management, and in functional areas including tax, accounting, finance, human resources, information technology, purchasing, and manufacturing.
Craig knows our business, and understands our culture and expectations. As a result, he can effectively screen candidates so we only see candidates who have the strongest potential to be successful at Plum Creek.
Filling positions is easy. Placing the right candidate in the right role for a long-term successful career is tough. That’s what Craig does best."
Barbara Crowe, Vice President/Human Resources
Plum Creek Timber Company
"On behalf of Huna Totem Corporation, I want to personally express my gratitude for a very difficult job well done. When I announced my retirement several years ago, the Board of Directors elected to handle its own executive search. The new Chief Executive Officer was hired; however, after the first year the individual resigned.
Realizing that it was imperative for the corporation to hire an individual knowledgeable with the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act but yet having extensive experience working with professional money, property and forestry managers, the Board of Directors elected to seek the professional assistance of an executive search firm.
This has not been an easy assignment for you. From the outset of developing a working profile to the interview process and Board selection, the demands for locating the right candidate have been very demanding. You have handled the search and interview process extremely well and you must be commended for your patience, understanding of the Board’s interest and concerns, and the ability to be able to present a very qualified group of five candidates to the Board for their consideration.
The Board has selected an individual highly qualified for the Chief Executive position. Your communication with the candidate and keeping him informed in the process assured that he would be available for an interview by the Board even though he had several other inviting offers. The guidance and direction you have provided to Huna Totem Corporation was very timely and I am confident that the new Chief Executive will be a good match for the corporation. Thanks again for a job well done."
George D. Cooper, Chief Executive Officer
Huna Totem Corporation