Tom Windsor, Corporate Resources Celebrate an Anniversary

A while back, Preferred Member firm Corporate Resources, Inc. celebrated its 16th anniversary in Top Echelon Network.  Firm owner Tom Windsor recently sent an email to Top Echelon describing his experience as a Member of the Network.  If you’ve recently celebrated an anniversary in Top Echelon Network and would like to submit comments for inclusion in The Pinnacle blog, please send those comments to marketing@TopEchelon.com.  Top Echelon congratulates Corporate Resources on its milestone and Tom Windsor for the comments below.

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I’ve been recruiting professionally since 1982. In 1992, I left MRI having spent the last ten years with the Kansas City office. During my tenure there, I did better than average, including a fair amount of split business.  After that time, I felt I knew what I was doing and was ready to hang out my own shingle, call my own shots, and work my way to the promised land and days of significant prosperity.

However, after satisfying my “non-compete contract,” I was in for an awakening.  Once divorced from the MRI system and the network umbrella and without the operational tools that I become accustomed to, it quickly became apparent to me that it’s a lot tougher in this business on our own, let alone be successful at it.  After sitting out a year, even the split placement opportunities were gone.  I was no longer part of MRI, and therefore outside the circle of my MRI split placement partners.  Corporate Resources was in trouble.

Enter Top Echelon.  Corporate Resources joined the Top Echelon Network (Nationwide Interchange Service at the time) in April of 1994 through the introduction of Carlene White, a Charter Member of the Network.  Initially, I was skeptical for several reasons, but nonetheless moved forward and signed up to be a Preferred Member.

We made our first Network split placement in October of 1994 with Al Bratland and then six splits in 1995; we were off to the races.  We implemented the initial Top Echelon Network software into our system and have been using the different versions of it ever since.  In 1995, we attended our first Top Echelon Network conference and met some of our Trading Partners, giving us the opportunity to put faces with those phone voices.  We also met Mike Kappel and some of the Top Echelon Network staff – they were warm and gracious. Most importantly for me, they struck me as people of integrity.

Well, here we are 16+ years later.  Many, many changes have taken place and we have been through good times and times of challenge with Top Echelon.  However, their core stripes have not changed.  And as I reflect back, I am not sure Corporate Resources would even be here today had it not been for the decision to join Top Echelon Network.

I have been asked multiple times both via phone and in person . . . . what are my thoughts/experience as a member of Top Echelon? My answer has been consistently the same.  Top Echelon is not perfect, nor are its Members.  However, the bottom line is this.  Even if I never made another split placement as a result of Top Echelon Network, I would look to continue as a Member. Top Echelon provides services, products, and strategy that significantly enhance my business – industry-specific software, training, motivating conferences, website development support, and so on.  Split Placements are an important benefit, but only one benefit and a measurable one, but far from the only one.

In summary, my 16 year experience with Top Echelon has been a positive one.  As with all marriages, not perfect.  However, I know of no other network of independent recruiters that is better prepared, more caring, or more dedicated to the well-being and success of its membership.