Bradley-Morris Acquires RecruitMilitary
January 3, 2017 – Bradley-Morris, Inc. (BMI), a recruiting firm focused on the placement of military veterans, has acquired Loveland, OH-based RecruitMilitary (RM). Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed.
The combined entity will be the largest military recruiting company in the U.S., offering employers access to more than one million military job seekers via services that include recruiting, military job fairs, employer branding, and a military-based publication.
One-Stop Shop
“This acquisition combines the two leaders in the veteran hiring space,” said Tim Best, chief executive officer of Bradley-Morris. “Now, when employers need to hire military, they will have a one-stop shop whether their requirements are to launch a military hiring program, fill specific job openings, brand themselves as a military-friendly company or source talent via military job fairs and a military job board.”
Founded in 1998, RecruitMilitary is the top producer of military-to-civilian job fairs, with 107 events produced nationwide in 2016. RM also operates a job board; publishes ‘Search & Employ,’ a print and digital magazine; and conducts targeted veteran recruitment campaigns for employers, franchisors and educational institutions. RecruitMilitary also has the largest database of veterans who are potential job candidates.
RecruitMilitary will operate as a division of Bradley-Morris and Peter A. Gudmundsson, who is president and CEO of RM, will continue as president of the division.
“I am delighted that our two companies are joining forces,” said Mr. Gudmundsson, a former officer in the United States Marine Corps. “Both companies have been operating under very similar sets of values and, because of that, our cultures are remarkably similar. Most importantly, all of us are passionate about our mission of filling civilian job openings with veterans.”
In 2015, Bradley-Morris itself was acquired by Thompson Street Capital Partners (TSCP), a middle market private equity firm based in St. Louis. Before being acquired, Bradley-Morris was a portfolio company of Pine Tree Equity Partners, LLC, a private equity firm based in Miami.
Bradley-Morris is one of the nation’s largest military-focused recruiting firms that matches top management, engineering, sales, operations, technical and diversity candidates who are leaving the military with leading job opportunities with Fortune 1000 employers. Founded in 1991 and headquartered in Kennesaw, GA, BMI has placed over 30,000 qualified officer and technical candidates with global corporations. In addition to its headquarters location, BMI has three additional locations in Norfolk, VA; Austin; and San Diego.
“Helping military personnel transition out to the civilian business community has been a booming business for recruiters dedicated to this sector,” said Scott A. Scanlon, founding chairman and CEO of Greenwich-based Hunt Scanlon Media. “The U.S. military is a workforce similar to any other major corporation that goes through an expansion or contraction. Leveraging their human assets during times of contraction, such as now, is a strategic business move for companies looking to bolster talent reserves in areas as diverse as supply chain, cyber security and logistics to name just a few.”
“I applaud senior executives who take specific actions to slowly bring prior military people into the gray-world,” said Jack Cage. A graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Mr. Cage served in the U.S. Army as a commander of infantry units. A recipient of the Bronze Star, the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, and several other commendations, Mr. Cage retired as a colonel after 22 years of service in 1987. A former senior client partner with Korn Ferry, Mr. Cage today is president of leadership development advisor Cage Talent.
While the unemployment rate for post-9/11 veterans is on the decline, a recent iCIMS survey reveals just how tough it continues to be for veterans to build a career in the civilian workplace – and why some employers fail to attract talented candidates with military service experience.
“The results from our survey are eye-opening, and reinforces the need for employers to focus on nurturing their veteran employees and enhance their recruitment efforts to attract veteran job seekers,” said Susan Vitale, chief marketing officer at iCIMS. “Although it is encouraging to see the unemployment rates for post-9/11 veterans on the decline, our survey reveals just how tough the transition continues to be for those who are trying to build a career in the civilian workforce and why some employers are missing the mark in attracting talented candidates with experience in the military.”
Contributed by Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor, Hunt Scanlon Media
