News

PLANO, Texas - Starfish Partners, an international investment and ownership platform for niched professional and mid to upper-management search specialists, announced today the appointment of Jon Bartos as Chief Investment Advisor to the company’s Executive Team. With over two decades of experience within the search industry and as a quintessential serial entrepreneur, Jon is a thought leader, trainer, speaker, and consultant on all aspects of Entrepreneurship, Human Capital, Talent Management and Performance Management. In his role as Chief Investment Advisor with Starfish Partners, Jon is uniquely qualified to connect with partners looking to monetize some of the value of their firms, take on strategic advisors, and receive capital to ignite their business growth. Jon Bartos shared, “With the combination of industry-leading executives, an incredible track record of growth and profitability of portfolio companies, a comprehensive array of services provided and an extraordinary vision of what could be, Starfish Partners is uniquely qualified to help search firm owners achieve their vision through capital infusion or acquisition. I am humbled and grateful to be part of the Starfish Partners team.” Jon founded Jonathan Scott International (JSI) in 1998 after a successful 14-year career in the Supply Chain Technology Sector. As part of the Management Recruiters International Network, JSI quickly achieved industry-leading success as one of an elite group of executive recruiters who billed over $1 million annually while ...

PLANO, Texas - Starfish Partners, an international investment and ownership platform for niched professional and mid to upper management search specialists, is proud to announce the acquisition of Raymond Search Group, a Florida-based firm that works throughout North America placing talent in Construction, Real Estate, Engineering, Architecture and Manufacturing. Raymond Search Group will work under the Direct Recruiters, Inc. (DRI) umbrella and will expand DRI’s reach into additional industry segments. Raymond and DRI along with Kaye/Bassman International (KBIC), Full Spectrum Search Group, the Sanford Rose Associates International (SRAI) network, and the recruiting industry's largest consulting and training firm Next Level Exchange (NLE) make up the current Starfish Partners family of companies. Jeff Raymond, President of Raymond Search Group shared, "We're excited to join DRI's team. It will allow us to expand our footprint and our reach in the Construction, Real Estate, Engineering, and Architecture spaces in North America. DRI has a great team and a strong legacy. We're looking forward to adding to that legacy and continuing to solve the most complex recruiting challenges for our clients." Starfish Partners provides capital for recruiting firms looking to scale, as well as exit strategies for owners seeking to secure value for their firm in cash and/or stock. It also provides liquidity and the ability to monetize some value while simultaneously providing equity opportunities for key producers and leaders. “Several Starfish board members have known and ...

PLANO, Texas - Starfish Partners, an international investment and ownership platform for niched professional and mid-to-upper management search specialists, is proud to announce the acquisition of Direct Recruiters, Inc. (DRI). Current Starfish Partners organizations include search firms Kaye/Bassman International Corporation (KBIC), Full Spectrum Search Group, the Sanford Rose Associates International (SRAI) network, and the recruiting industry's largest consulting and training firm Next Level Exchange (NLE). This all-stock transaction is one of the largest ever in the mid-to-upper-management recruiting space. Dan Charney and Mike Silverstein from DRI and Jeff Kaye, Karen Schmidt, and Nick Turner from KBIC, SRAI, and NLE are the members of the new board. Dan Charney shared, “DRI has a long-standing relationship and has benefited from NLE’s leadership, as demonstrated by the fact that we have grown tenfold in less than a decade. We are committed to continuing this trajectory as we seek additional investment and acquisition partners. We are excited to continue to do great work for our clients and help our associates and partners reach their goals.” Starfish Partners provides capital for recruiting firms looking to scale, as well as exit strategies for owners seeking to secure value for their firm in cash and/or stock. It also provides liquidity and the ability to monetize some value while simultaneously providing equity opportunities for key producers and leaders. "With this expansion, the combined operational, ...