Waterstone Human Capital Acquires Hire Integrated; Appoints Managing Director and President of Waterstone USA
September 10, 2025 – Culture-driven executive search and leadership advisory firm Waterstone Human Capital has acquired Hire Integrated, a U.S.-based professional recruitment firm. As part of this strategic growth, Emily Rushton has been appointed managing director and president of Waterstone USA. Based in Salt Lake City, UT, she will lead Waterstone’s U.S. operations and oversee the integration of Hire Integrated into the Waterstone group of companies.
“We are thrilled to welcome Hire Integrated to the Waterstone family,” said Marty Parker, founder and CEO of Waterstone Human Capital. “This acquisition expands our professional recruitment capabilities while staying true to our purpose: helping organizations find and build better leaders to drive better results through high-performance cultures that drive growth. With Emily’s proven leadership and deep expertise, Waterstone Human Capital is well-positioned to accelerate our growth in the U.S. market.”
Hire Integrated is a U.S.-based professional recruitment and staffing firm with a track record of helping organizations build high-performance teams. With expertise across multiple industries and functions, Hire Integrated partners with clients to deliver customized recruitment solutions that align with organizational goals, culture, and growth needs. Based in Salt Lake City, the firm is known for its personalized approach, focus on relationships, and commitment to helping both clients and candidates succeed.
Ms. Rushton brings extensive experience with over 20 years in professional recruitment, organizational growth, and culture-driven leadership. In her role, she will focus on expanding Waterstone’s growing footprint in the U.S., deepening partnerships with growth-oriented, lower mid-market, mid-market organizations and private equity-backed companies, and leveraging Waterstone’s Most Admired Cultures programs to help clients unlock culture as a competitive advantage. Ms. Rushton will also co-chair Waterstone’s newly launched America’s Most Admired Cultures program which follows Canada’s initiative.
“I am excited to lead Waterstone USA at this pivotal time,” said Ms. Rushton. “Together, we will build on Waterstone’s strong foundation of executive search, professional recruitment, and leadership and culture advisory to deliver exceptional results for our clients, candidates, and communities across North America.”
Second Significant Acquisition
This is the second significant acquisition that Waterstone has made in the last three years in the United States as it began with the 2022 acquisition of DRiWaterstone Human Capital in Arlington, VA. DRiWaterstone Human Capital is a culture-centric executive search, leadership advisory, and human capital firm focused on helping mission and purpose-driven organizations across the U.S. build high performance teams and cultures. The firm offers executive search services focused on helping clients achieve sustainable organizational and cultural growth by finding leaders who align to the organization’s purpose, and who can help take the organization and its culture to the next level.
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In 2023, Waterstone also acquired Focus Insights. Lori Moffatt, Focus Insights’ founder and principal, becomes managing director at the Waterstone Culture Institute. Focus Insights has experience in all areas of HR, including recruitment, team-building, change management organizational design, and leadership development. The company has worked with organizations of all sizes, including Fortune 100’s. Focus Insights’ assessment tools are designed to uncover emotional intelligence and highlight a suite of skills from self-awareness to self-management, motivation, empathy and relationship-building.
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Waterstone Human Capital now offers a full suite of services, including retained executive search, professional recruitment, and leadership and culture advisory—designed to help clients attract, retain, and develop the leaders and teams they need to drive performance. With 40 percent of its revenue in Canada and 60 percent in the U.S., Waterstone is uniquely positioned as a cross-border partner for mid-market and non-profit organizations.
Waterstone Human Capital is a retained executive search and leadership advisory firm specializing in helping organizations build high-performance cultures. Through its suite of services—including executive search, professional recruitment, and leadership and culture advisory, Waterstone partners with clients to recruit, retain, and develop leaders who drive growth. Waterstone is also the founder of Canada’s Most Admired Corporate Cultures and Canada’s Most Admired CEO programs and recently launched America’s Most Admired Cultures.
Mr. Parker, who founded Waterstone in 2003, has provided expert commentary on the impact and importance of corporate culture and human capital for CNBC, the National Post, Canadian Business and Profit, and has appeared on Canada AM, BNN and CP24.
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Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
