Can you believe that 2026 is already halfway over? You can’t? Good . . . because neither can I.

Matthew Deutsch

But do you know what helps to soften the accelerated passage of time? Placement fees, that’s what. And in regards to TE Network recruiters, that most definitely includes split placement fees.

And we have plenty of those in this week’s issue of The Pinnacle Newsletter Blog!

In fact, we have a split placement recruiting fee that tips the scales at $45,000. The TE Network members responsible for generating that fee are David Wood, CPC of The David Wood Company and Hani Mussa of Knowhirematch.

David and Hani placed an O&M Manager to earn their $45K fee at 25%.

So now that the year is halfway over, what’s going to make the final six months of 2026 better than the first six? That’s right . . . even more split placement fees. (Large ones, preferably.)

As a friendly neighborhood reminder, here is the information that we publish with our split placements:

• Names of the trading partners involved (with their profile photos, when available)
• Job title
• Overall placement fee (before TE Network’s 6% brokerage fee, of course)
• Fee percentage

Please note that the placements listed below reflect deals finalized in TE Network for the period from June 15 through June 22, 2026.

Remember, if you don’t want information related to your split placements published in The Pinnacle, please send an email to marketing@topechelon.com to that effect.

Once again, congratulations to everybody below for the split placements they made in TE Network!

This Week’s Split Placements

— — —

Keith Cornelison

Sara Alexandroff

Job recruiter: Keith Cornelison of Personnel Resources

Candidate recruiter: Sara Alexandroff of Sterling St. James, Inc.

Job title: RESPIRATORY THERAPIST

Overall placement fee: $13,104

Fee percentage: 20%

— — —

Brad Dodge

Russ Hovendick

Job recruiter: Russ Hovendick of Client Staffing Solutions, Inc.

Candidate recruiter: Brad Dodge of iLocatum Recruiting

Job title: COMMODITY MANAGER

Overall placement fee: $35,100

Fee percentage: 26%

— — —

Brad Dodge

Larry Basilone

Job recruiter: Larry Basilone of Basilone Executive Search

Candidate recruiter: Brad Dodge of iLocatum Recruiting

Job title: QUALITY ASSURANCE SUPERVISOR

Overall placement fee: $16,250

Fee percentage: 25%

— — —

Maria Hemminger

Christopher Hollinger

Job recruiter: Maria Hemminger of MJ Recruiters, LLC

Candidate recruiter: Christopher Hollinger of Elevate Direct

Job title: MACHINING PROCESS ENGINEER

Overall placement fee: $24,960

Fee percentage: 30%

— — —

David Wood, CPC

Hani Mussa

Job recruiter: David Wood, CPC of The David Wood Company

Candidate recruiter: Hani Mussa of Knowhirematch, LLC

Job title: O&M MANAGER

Overall placement fee: $45,000

Fee percentage: 25%

— — —

Michael Stuck

Amy Chapman

Job recruiter: Amy Chapman of Key People Staffing

Candidate recruiter: Michael Stuck of Gables Search Group

Job title: MANUFACTURING ENGINEER

Overall placement fee: $28,750

Fee percentage: 25%

— — —

Michael Stuck

Doug Boyce

Job recruiter: Doug Boyce of Priority One Search

Candidate recruiter: Michael Stuck of Gables Search Group

Job title: QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS AUDITOR

Overall placement fee: $15,000

Fee percentage: 20%

— — —

If you’re a newer TE Network member and you’d like to enjoy more success in our recruiter network, then I encourage you to contact Top Echelon Director of Network Operations Drea Codispoti, CPC/CERS.

You can do so by calling 330.595.1742 or by sending an email to drea@topechelon.com.

I have been at TE Network for 22 years; 20 of those years has involved managing and directing Top Echelon’s recruiting network. During this time, I have been asked so many different questions about recruiting, partnering, alerts, etc.

Drea Codispoti, CPC/CERS

Who should I work with? How should I work best in TEN? How is this policy interpreted? The list goes on and on.

This particular blog post deals with a topic about which I receive the most questions. A topic asked of me by both first-year recruiters and those who have decades of tenure in the profession: the “But For Rule.”

The concept of split placements is simple. However, with simplicity there is also underlying complexity. What is the “But For Rule,” exactly?

In its simplest terms, it’s “what caused your interest to take action.” In Bernard Frechtman’s Employment Agency Law, the “But For Rule” is defined as “But For the particular act, would the employer have hired the applicant?” Here is a version which is more encompassing: “But For what particular piece of information caused interest and/or actions?”

Aside from regularly implementing the concept of reciprocity (the true spirit of the Network) to your membership activity, the “But For Rule” is key to being a successful and productive partner, as well as keeping you in alignment with the TE Policies. The “But For Rule” is woven throughout the fabric of the TE Policies very tightly, providing proper membership guidance.

Let’s start with a simple scenario. We have Elaine the Exporter and Irene the Importer. (Exporter = candidate supplier, Importer = job supplier).

Let’s say that Elaine submits a candidate (Carl) to Irene for a job that she has posted on the Network.

Before we go any further, let’s define the action word “submits.” In order to do so, we have to understand the tools that are being used. They include email, Network Candidates Database Requests, direct submittals to split jobs, and TEN Job Feed Nominations.

So to clarify the “submittal” of the candidate in this scenario, the candidate (Carl) is coming to Elaine from Irene by any of these means.

So Elaine sees Carl’s information and realizes that she knows Carl. She has been recruiting in her niche for a long time and has actually tried to place him a few times over the years. (A history of having success, or lack thereof, with Carl is irrelevant). Elaine did not think of Carl for this position. Instead, Irene brought Carl to Elaine’s attention for the job in question.

What does the “But For Rule” dictate in this situation? By using TE Policy #15a as a guide, the opening line for Policy #15a is as follows:

“As a general rule, once a recruiter accepts and acknowledges acceptance of candidate information from another Top Echelon Network recruiter, they must honor that candidate referral no matter if or whether they later determine they ‘already had the candidate.'”

The simplicity of this policy shows that Elaine is to honor Irene’s submittal of Carl for this job because it was Irene’s presentation of Carl that caused Elaine to be interested.

Let’s take another step forward with this scenario. Let’s say that Elaine realizes that Carl is not a fit for the job for which Irene had submitted him. However, Carl is a perfect match for another job she is working. At this point, the question to ask is, “What caused Elaine to consider Carl for Job #2?”

Was it because Elaine worked with him in the past and he was in her database, or because Irene brought Carl to her attention for Job #1? If not the former, then she is acting on the information that was sent to her by Irene.

What does the “But For Rule” dictate in this situation? We will jump into TE Policy #9a, which states:

“Top Echelon Network adheres to the industry’s ‘BUT FOR RULE’ when determining how long a recruiter owns a candidate. If a Top Echelon Network member receives a record/resume in 2010 from another Top Echelon Network member and later finds and begins working from that same candidate record in their database in 2011, then the recruiter should split the placement with the originating member that first brought the candidate to their attention.”

Irene would also be honored in the split on Job #2, again because it was Irene’s presentation of Carl that caused Elaine to be interested.

When you find yourself in a situation where you are not sure what to do or who is due credit for a split, look at the Top Echelon Network Policies. Be honest when you ask yourself “What caused my interest?”

If you are not sure, then call me. I will be glad to bring a clearer understanding to your situation, which in turn, will make you a more successful and reliable partner in TE Network!

Top Echelon Director of Operations Drea Codispoti, CPC/CERS recently conducted a special TE Network Training Thursday webinar titled, “Best Practices of TE Network Member Communication.”

Matthew Deutsch

You may have attended this free webinar on Thursday, June 25. On the other hand, you may not have been in attendance.

Regardless, we have the recorded version of the webinar, which I am presenting to you now. (The recording is also located in the Top Echelon Help Center.)

We at Top Echelon are continually working to make the resources that we provide to our customers better, and this is yet more proof!

Below is the official description of this training video:

— — —

Strong communication is the foundation of successful partnerships inside TE Network. The most productive members understand that every message, update, phone call, and follow-up contributes to building trust, credibility, and long-term split recruiting success. In this TE Network training video, recruiters will learn the communication habits and professional standards that separate average networkers from elite trading partners.

Drea Codispoti, CPC/CERS

From responding quickly and setting clear expectations to handling confidential information and resolving misunderstandings professionally, Top Echelon Director of Network Operations Drea Codispoti, CPC/CERS will provide practical strategies that help recruiters build stronger relationships, increase collaboration opportunities, and ultimately make more placements within TE Network.

When you watch this video, you’ll learn:

• The communication behaviors that build trust and strengthen TE Network partnerships
• Best practices for updates, follow-ups, candidate feedback, and job communication
• How responsiveness and professionalism impact your reputation in the Network
• Common communication mistakes that damage partnerships and reduce opportunities
• Strategies for creating long-term, high-value recruiting relationships inside TE Network

So watch this FREE training video and learn all about the “Best Practices of TE Network Member Communication”!

Watch this TE Recruit training video!

— — —

Remember to check The Pinnacle Newsletter Blog every week for more updates regarding Top Echelon software improvements and upgrades.

If you have any questions about how you can maximize your TE Network membership, please contact Director of Network Operations Drea Codispoti, CPC/CERS.

You can do so by calling 330.595.1742 or by sending an email to drea@topechelon.com.

The Top Echelon Software offices will be closed on Friday, July 3, in observance of the Independence Day holiday.

As I’ve mentioned on previous occasions, “Top Echelon Software offices” refers to the following:

• Top Echelon’s recruiter network
• Top Echelon’s recruiting software

Not to worry, though. The offices will re-open at 8 a.m. as usual on Monday, July 6.

As always, we at Top Echelon would like to wish everybody a fun and safe holiday. And I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the tremendous sacrifices that have been made—and continue to be made—for the freedom of this country.

Many of you have served this country in one capacity or another during your lives, and I want to thank you for both your service and your commitment.

And I also know that some of you will be traveling, so I’d like to take this opportunity to wish everybody safe travels and let you know that we’ll be keeping you in our thoughts and prayers.

Enjoy the holiday!

I’m pleased to announce the Virtual Core Group (VCG) meeting schedule for the month of July!

Drea Codispoti, CPC/CERS

For those of you who don’t know, TE Network recruiters share the following information during Virtual Core Group teleconference call meetings:

• Hot job orders and candidates
• Information about the activity they’re seeing in the marketplace and/or in their niche
• Ideas for increased production on their desks and within their agencies

These are the activities that lead most directly to making more split placements in TE Network.

So that is why I’m inviting—or in other words, strongly encouraging—you to attend one of July’s Virtual Core Group meetings. Below is the complete VCG schedule for July, including the industries involved and the time that each meeting will be held. (Note: all times are Eastern.)

Wednesday, July 8

• 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. — Manufacturing & Engineering
• 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. — Accounting & Finance

Thursday, July 9:

• 1:30 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. — Law & Legal Services
• 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. — Construction/MEP/Civil Engineering

You can join the meeting to which you belong by accessing the information listed below.

Google Meeting link: https://meet.google.com/qba-qdic-kou

Below is the agenda for each Virtual Core Group meeting:

1. Welcome
2. Roll call of the members
3. I will share the latest software updates for both TE Network and the Top Echelon recruiting software (also known as TE Recruit).
4. Members will share their hot jobs with corresponding group discussion.
5. I will direct a software and Network protocol Q&A session to close the call.

It is my goal that this agenda will help you take away more from the meeting than just hot jobs and/or candidates. Hopefully, it will help make you more knowledgeable in terms of the Top Echelon community.

If you’d like to join one of the groups listed above or if you’d like to start a new group, please contact me.

You can do so by calling 330.595.1742 or by sending an email to drea@topechelon.com.