Three More Inductees for the TE Hall of Fame!
It’s another week, which means that we’re announcing the induction of another group of recruiters into the Top Echelon Hall of Fame!
This is, of course, our inaugural class of HOF recruiters. That’s because this is the first year that we’ve recognized recruiters who have been Network members throughout Top Echelon’s 36-year existence. Will there be more recruiters inducted in the coming years? Of course there will!
But let’s not live in the future. Today, let’s live in the present (and in some of the past). That’s because we’d like to announce the induction of three more recruiters into the Top Echelon Hall of Fame:
- Veronica Snyder of Career Professionals, Inc.
- Jerry Walter of Walter & Associates, Inc.
- David Kersey of Kersey & Associates, Inc.
And of course, since the summer isn’t even one month old yet, we have many more inductee announcements to go. So be sure to follow Top Echelon on social media and read The Pinnacle Newsletter Blog every week to see which recruiters are inducted next!
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STEADY AS SHE GOES: Veronica Snyder, President of Career Professionals, Inc. in Morristown, Tennessee has been remarkably consistent during her #recruiting career, including her tenure inside of Top Echelon Network.
Veronica—known affectionately as “Roni” by her Top Echelon trading partners—made her first placement in the Network in 2000, and she’s made placements in TE every year since, with the exception of 2009. (Of course, that was immediately in the aftermath of the Great Recession, and #recruiters weren’t making a ton of placements in those days.)
Career Professionals joined Top Echelon Network in June of 1990, when it was known as Nationwide Interchange Service (NIS). Roni, who has been working in the recruiting profession for 25 years, joined Career Professionals 10 years later.
“Career Professionals joined Top Echelon 34 years ago and our relationship with TE trading partners has been vital to the success of our company,” said Roni. “I started recruiting 25 years ago, and split placements within Top Echelon have always been a core part of my success as a recruiter.”
Roni and her long-time business partner, Steve Taylor, bought Career Professionals in 2004 and were co-owners for many years. When Steve retired in 2015, Roni began working solo. When that happened, she knew that she needed the full resources of Top Echelon to help her meet the needs of her clients and candidates.
Needless to say, Roni’s desire to leverage the resources of the Network has paid off, both literally and figuratively. Roni has made 100 TE placements during her tenure in Top Echelon, joining an exclusive group of recruiters who have hit the century mark in terms of Network placements.
According to Roni, one of the keys to her success is her willingness to build and cultivate relationships, including with other recruiters.
“How we recruit has changed over the years from using only a phone and Rolodex to now utilizing sophisticated social media and video interviews to identify candidates,” she said. “What has not changed is the importance of working closely with recruiting partners who excel in areas where I am weak.”
And Roni is certainly not content to stop at 100 TE placements. Quite the contrary: she’s eager to forge into the future and continue using Top Echelon’s tools and services and building relationships to make placements and grow her business.
“Top Echelon Network is full of great recruiters who have figured out how they can use their talents to help others fill jobs,” she said. “Top Echelon also has a great, forward-thinking staff that continuously develops more sophisticated technology to help us all be successful. I am grateful for the partnership with TE and the many great affiliates over the years.”
We at Top Echelon are pleased to announce the induction of Veronica Snyder into the Top Echelon Hall of Fame as a member of the 2024 class!
“It is truly an honor to be inducted into Top Echelon’s first Hall of Fame class,” said Roni. “Here’s to many more years of success for the Network!”
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ALL-TIME GREAT: The Top Echelon Hall of Fame is filled with old-school recruiters who were succeeding in the profession before the advent of the Internet, social media, and smartphones. Heck, some were succeeding before the invention of the fax machine.
One such old-school recruiter is Jerry Walter of Walter & Associates, Inc.
Jerry started in the #recruitment profession in 1982, back when there were only paper resumes (sorry, LinkedIn), snail mail, and a rolodex on your #recruiting desk. Some of you may be wondering exactly what a rolodex is . . .
Regardless, due to the ups and downs of the profession—and the economy—Jerry joined Top Echelon Network in June of 1991, when it was known as Nationwide Interchange Service (NIS) and it had only been in operation for a little more than three years.
Specializing in the Information Technology industry, Jerry leveraged the value of his Network membership, eventually making 183 TE placements before he retired a few years ago. According to Top Echelon President Mark Demaree, Jerry used the products, tools, and services of the Network to their fullest.
“Jerry is one of the all-time greats in Top Echelon Network,” said Mark. “He joined just a few years after TE was founded, and he helped raise the bar for excellence within the Network. He’s a great example of how a #recruiter can strategically use Top Echelon to operate their recruiting desk and their agency more efficiently.”
We at Top Echelon are pleased to announce the induction of Jerry Walter into the Top Echelon Hall of Fame as a member of the 2024 class!
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STATESMAN: During his 30-year tenure in Top Echelon’s recruiter network, David Kersey of Kersey & Associates, Inc. was a model Network member.
Before retiring from the profession in 2022, David specialized in placing candidates in the Financial and Manufacturing areas, from entry-level programmers to the CIO suite. During his tenure in Top Echelon Network, he made 113 split placements with scores of other members. Kersey enjoyed success in the Network for many reasons, but he stood out from other recruiters because of his willingness to do the following things:
- Attend networking events like conferences and conventions
- Praise trading partners publicly for their help and assistance during deals
- Continuously seek out new trading partners
David was a master of the #recruiting profession and a student of knowledge in general. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Engineering from North Carolina State University before earning his Masters in Business Administration Degree from Harvard. In addition, he was a member of both the North Carolina Association of Staffing Professionals (NCASP) and the South Carolina Association of Personnel Services (SCAPS).
“David Kersey was a consummate Network member,” said Top Echelon President Mark Demaree. “He believed in the value of split placements, he made an effort to network with other recruiters, he provided an excellent trading partner experience, and he was a proven businessman for years. We fully appreciate the commitment that David made to the Network and we also appreciate his high standard of professionalism.”
We at Top Echelon are pleased to announce the induction of David Kersey into the Top Echelon Hall of Fame as a member of the 2024 class!
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Be sure to check The Pinnacle Newsletter Blog–as well as Top Echelon’s official LinkedIn account–for future announcements regarding 2024 inductees into Top Echelon’s Hall of Fame!