Focus Search Partners Expands with New Managing Director
February 22, 2024 – Focus Search Partners, a Vaco company, has expanded with the addition of Joseph Solari as managing director. In this role, Focus says that Mr. Solari will be focused on helping business owners and management teams solve problems, capitalize on opportunities, and increase the enterprise value of their companies. “Joe’s extensive experience with private equity-backed firms – combined with his entrepreneurial mindset and consultative approach – makes him an instrumental asset to our team,” said Paul Frankenberg, founder and managing partner of Focus Search Partners. “Between our recent additions of Seth Blumenthal in Philadelphia, Michael Caggiano in Washington, D.C., and now Joe Solari in the New York Tri-State area, Focus Search Partners has firmly established an East Coast presence. We look forward to utilizing Joe’s leadership to drive continued success for our clients, solidifying our ongoing commitment to growing our partner presence in the Northeast.”
Mr. Solari over more than 25 years of experience providing private equity firms and their portfolio companies with retained and interim executive search, as well as advisory services. He previously held senior roles at private equity firms Saugatuck Capital and Metropolitan Partners Group, as well as experienced gain with Korn Ferry. founded Greenwich Private Investments in 2019 and continues to serve as a senior advisor to G*Ventures Management.
“I am thrilled to join Focus Search Partners,” said Mr. Solari. “My decision was influenced by the firm’s stellar track record in providing best-in-class advisory services and human capital solutions to private equity firms and their portfolio companies. Focus Search Partner’s team-oriented approach, devoid of silos, resonates strongly with me and provides the right platform to best deliver exceptional value quickly for our clients.”
Focus Search Partners was acquired by Vaco in 2014 to become the retained executive search division of the global talent solutions firm. With 35-plus team members and 13 partners across nine states, Focus Search Partners specializes in building teams to grow companies, focusing on recruiting board members, executives, and senior-level individuals.
Related: Vaco Appoints President
Founded in 2002 by Jerry Bostelman, Jay Hollomon, and Brian Waller, Brentwood, TN-based Vaco provides boutique-level service with global reach in executive search, consulting, permanent placement and strategic staffing. Its areas of expertise include accounting, finance, technology, healthcare IT, operations, administration, and managed services. The firm operates more than 35 offices, with 780-plus employees and 4,300 consultants worldwide.
Recent Additions
In December, Focus Search Partners appointed industrial executive search expert John Davidson as managing director. “Our ability to provide substantive recommendations, unparalleled service and unwavering support to our clients means having the right talent in-house,” said Mr. Frankenberg. “We are thrilled to have John’s tenure and expertise at Focus Search Partners, and we are eager to continue making these important investments. John is a well-known talent partner in the industrial and mobility sectors, and he will undoubtedly expand our offerings across these dynamic and growing spaces.” With over 20 years of executive search experience, Mr. Davidson focuses on the transportation and logistics sectors and has worked across aviation and aerospace for public, private, and private equity-backed companies. He most recently served as partner at Caldwell.
Focus Search Partners recently named Michael Caggiano as managing partner. In his role, he will look to grow new revenue streams for Focus Search Partners from both inside and outside of the Vaco Holdings family of companies. “Michael has a rich track record in executive search, primarily in leading revenue growth and fostering brand collaboration through scale,” said Mr. Frankenberg. “These have been hallmarks of his career. As Focus Search Partners surges ahead with our aggressive growth and expansion, Micael’s leadership and experience will be invaluable.”
Focus Search Partners Acquires Southerland Group
Focus Search Partners acquired Dallas-based Southerland Group, complementing its existing expertise across the healthcare industry. Southerland Group is a nationally recognized retained executive search firm with specialization in complex integrated delivery systems, hospitals, academic medical centers, children’s hospitals and payer organizations. Under the agreement, Southerland Group’s founder Keith Southerland and his team will join Focus Search Partners’ leadership team. Mr. Southerland brings more than three decades of experience leading executive search for healthcare provider organizations to the firm and has conducted more than 1,100 searches for non-profit multi-hospital health systems, professional associations, pediatric health systems, public hospitals, academic medical centers and managed care organizations.
With over 20 years of experience, Mr. Caggiano has conducted numerous successful searches for public and private companies nationwide. His industry expertise spans professional services firms, manufacturers, government contractors, nonprofit organizations, technology development companies, sports and entertainment groups, banking and financial institutions, and private equity firms. Mr. Caggiano most recently served as senior vice president of U.S. search operations for Robert Half Executive Search, where he increased profitability to record levels and created a comprehensive executive search training program.
Focus Search Partners also added Seth Blumenthal as managing director to lead executive- and board-level engagements for their enterprise technology practice. “Seth’s track record of success, diverse experience and knowledge across business funding, organizational design, regulatory frameworks and executive search make him an incredible expert in the market,” said Adam Charlson, managing partner of Focus Search Partners. “Our clients will benefit tremendously from his insights and our firm is gaining an exceptional resource to solution for the needs of the venture capital community. We are thrilled to have him join our team.”
“Seth understands the needs of high-growth businesses during the various stages of their lifecycles,” said Mr. Frankenberg. “His holistic approach will create the on-brand experience for our stakeholders—both clients and candidates—that we are invested in creating across our business. Enterprise technology and deep tech is and will continue to be a focal point for our practice, and we are thrilled to add talented individuals like Seth to our growing team.”
Related: Vaco Acquired by Private Equity Firm
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor; Lily Fauver, Senior Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
