Vaco Opens New Office in Vancouver
November 19, 2020 – Brentwood, TN-headquartered recruiting firm Vaco has continued its expansion in Canada with the opening of a new office in Vancouver. The firm has named Nirad Chaudhari as managing partner. “We’ve enjoyed exciting and rapid expansion in the Canadian market in recent years, and a great opportunity for continued growth exists in the Vancouver area,” said Tom Turpin, president of technology solutions for Vaco’s Canada offices. “The Vancouver market is the fastest-growing economy in the country and has untapped potential for success. We are thrilled to have Nirad lead our growth plans in this market.”
Vaco’s Vancouver team will offer a full range of services including technology, finance, accounting, operations, administration and managed services. The new office will help Vaco reach the technology, trade, entertainment, tourism and construction industries.
Mr. Chaudhari has more than 20 years of executive recruiting and C-suite building experience for the private and public sector. Prior to joining Vaco, he served as managing director for Experis, an IT, finance and engineering recruiting division of ManpowerGroup. Mr. Chaudhari was also a director and Vancouver branch manager for Randstad Canada. He has worked in India, the U.S. and Canada.
“Vaco is an innovative company with a dynamic culture that is experiencing quick growth across Canada, and Vancouver is a thriving center for investment in the technology, IT, AI, software development, cybersecurity and retail sectors,” said Mr. Chaudhari. “I am eager to lead our team and position Vaco as a force in the marketplace poised to capitalize on the many opportunities in British Columbia.”
With its location on the Pacific Rim and at the western terminus of Canada’s transcontinental highway and rail routes, Vancouver is one of the nation’s largest industrial centers. Port Metro Vancouver, Canada’s largest and most diversified port, does more than $172 billion in trade with over 160 different trading economies annually. In recent years, Vancouver has become a center for software development, biotechnology, aerospace, video game development, animation studios and television production and film industry.
Founded in 2002 by Mr. Bostelman, Jay Hollomon and Brian Waller, 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.
Expansion in Canada
The launch of Vaco in Vancouver builds on recent expansions in Canada, following its acquisition of technology-focused recruiting firm Prodigy Bank of Toronto. The acquisition complements Vaco’s recent expansions in Canada, following its Lannick acquisition in 2017 and expansion into Montreal last year. “We felt a kindred chemistry with the Prodigy Bank team from the first meeting, and our bond was quickly steeled as we had to creatively find our way together through the tumultuousness of 2020,” said Jerry Bostelman, Vaco co-founder and CEO. “The creative spirit and progressive resiliency they’ve shown through these challenging times is one of many reasons we’re proud to fortify our Toronto operations with this extraordinary organization.”
Prodigy Bank, founded in 2016, joins an organization that delivers talent and solutions across diverse industries and to more than 10,000 clients globally. Prodigy Bank specializes in the e-commerce, technology, digital, software product development and financial services sectors, serving more than 100 clients ranging from the largest enterprises in Canada composed of financial institutions, banks and retailers to small to mid-size companies across various industries.
Earlier this year, Vaco opened a new office in West Palm Beach, FL and added two key leaders: Matt Walter, co-managing partner of the technology practice, and Albert Llodra, managing director. Mr. Walter oversees the technology practice’s temporary, consulting and permanent placement teams. Mr. Llodra has more than 30 years of multidisciplinary experience in public accounting and the private sector.
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
