Focus Search Partners Acquires Taylor Winfield

Focus Search Partners Acquires Taylor Winfield

August 10, 2017 – Focus Search Partners (FSP), the executive search division of talent solutions provider Vaco, has acquired the Dallas, TX-based recruiters Taylor Winfield. Financial terms of the deal were undisclosed.

With the acquisition, FSP gains a team of professionals who all have enterprise operating experience across multiple industries, including Internet/ digital media, technology/ SaaS software, consumer/ retail/ food service and business services. This complements FSP’s expertise in executive recruiting for venture capital and private equity-backed and publicly-traded healthcare and technology organizations.

“As executive search continues to evolve and human capital remains the No.1 differentiator for successful companies, this is the right time for Taylor Winfield to join FSP and Vaco,” said Connie Adair, CEO of Taylor Winfield. “Taylor Winfield has been courted many times, but we found Paul and the FSP team to be the right fit, as our philosophy and cultures are so aligned.”

Paul Frankenberg, FSP founder and managing partner, said growth alone is not the goal. “FSP’s mantra is ‘culture, team and firm,’ and these ideas are at the center of the people we hire, the collaboration we drive and the client service we deliver,” he said. “At the forefront of executive search, Connie Adair has led Taylor Winfield in increasing annual revenues by an average of 26 percent consistently over the last four years.”


Acquisitions Continue to Make Headlines In Recruiting Industry
The wave of M&A activity among executive search firms continues. The latest deal: Solon, OH-headquartered Torch Group has acquired Selker Leadership, a search firm that places candidates in the technology and software fields.


With the acquisition of Taylor Winfield, FSP now has offices in Nashville, TN; Raleigh-Durham, NC; Dallas, Houston, Austin, TX; San Francisco, Los Angeles, Orange County, CA; and Colorado Springs, CO.

“Taylor Winfield’s professionalism, influence and deep industry knowledge will be essential in continuing to grow Focus Search Partners’ reach,” said Vaco co-founder and chief strategy officer, Brian Waller. “Connie and her team of committed professionals are a natural fit with FSP and the entire Vaco family. Simply put, they are among the best in the business.”

Expansion Plans Continue

In May, Focus Search Partners brought aboard Richard D’Antoni as managing partner of the firm’s healthcare and private equity practices. Mr. D’Antoni has more than 20 years of experience in matching high-performing executives with leading healthcare companies, ranging from venture capital and private equity-backed portfolio companies to publicly held organizations.

In April, FSP named Steve Finder as managing partner of its global technology and financial officers practice. Based in San Francisco, he leads a team of consultants and add new market sectors, including additional depth in enterprise software, space/frontier technology and cybersecurity.

Last year, Focus Search Partners acquired California-based firm Charlson Partners to expand into the technology space. Founder Adam Charlson has recruited senior leaders for a variety of companies in the space, including Adobe Systems, Cisco, Experian, FICO, Google, HP, Informatica, Microsoft, PayPal, Salesforce.com, SAP, Sitel, Verint, and many others.

Focus Search Partners was acquired in 2014 to become the executive search division of Vaco, a consulting and strategic solutions firm. The company specializes in matching high-caliber board members, executives and senior-level individuals with leading technology and healthcare services organizations across the U.S.

Vaco has undergone a wave of growth recently with four acquisitions over the last 18 months, reflecting its clients’ growing need for its managed services, business process and technology outsourcing operations. At the end of last year, Vaco acquired Pivot Point Consulting based in Seattle and boutique executive search firm Greythorn in Bellevue, WA. The new acquisitions bring together more than 50 employees and 250 consultants across the nation.

Pivot Point Consulting, a healthcare IT consulting firm that provides implementation, staff augmentation and advisory services for healthcare provider organizations, has employees in 30 states and provides services to more than 40 healthcare organizations. Those include large multi-hospital networks, academic institutions, pediatric hospitals and local community clinics. Greythorn specializes in placing top executives within the healthcare IT sector. In addition to executive search, the firm provides talent management services, including training, leadership support, strategy and planning, project management, and staff engagement and retention solutions.

Vaco also opened its second New Jersey location in Saddle Brook. Search industry veteran Leon Downes joined the firm from Solomon Page to lead the office as managing director. He has over 15 years of recruiting experience across accounting, finance, operations and administration.

Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor; and Will Schatz, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media

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