Testimonials & Endorsements

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  • Talent Acquisition Manager | Evergreen Enterprises | Plow & Hearth

    I worked with Lisa on several recruiting searches. Before each search, Lisa takes the time to understand the company's needs and asks all the right questions. She was able to present us with very qualified candidates and help us close the search quickly. She does a great job following up and giving feedback throughout the process. It was an absolute pleasure working with her!

  • Director Real Estate Law | Ross Stores

    If you want to use the absolute best in the industry, look no further than Lisa Schwartz and Marc-Allen Associates.

    I've been working as an attorney in the retail industry for nearly 20 years. In fact, a recruiter helped me land my first legal job. I've worked with a number of them over the years, but I have never had a better experience than I did working with Lisa and Marc-Allen.

    From our initial conversation all the way through accepting a new position, Lisa was not only magnificent, but equally challenged me and encouraged me every step of the way. Starting with my initial resume review, she was able to help me focus on making those changes that would help me stand out on paper. But it went beyond that.

    My interview prep was extensive and I've never seen the level of detail that she included. It was truly a top-notch experience.

    Finally, the support from her and Marc-Allen didn't simply stop once I had accepted the new role. She continued to follow up with me to ensure that any questions I had were still being answered and any needs were addressed.

  • Valvoline and Chico’s FAS, EVP Chief People Officer

    “I have had the great pleasure of working closely with Mike Powell of Marc-Allen Associates for executive search over the last 10+ years.  Mike and his team always sourced, selected and managed highly skilled, top-notch executive leaders during the recruitment process.  Marc-Allen Associates make the recruiting process easy because they make it their business to know the company culture and quickly scour the Retail industry talent pool for the best candidate fit-both skill and culture. Marc-Allen Associates always has qualified candidates that are a great match ……. the first time!”

  • Dollar Tree, VP Ecommerce Digital Services

    "I highly recommend Mike. I have had the pleasure of working with Mike in the past and he is honest, professional and great at keeping open the lines of communication. Mike not only knows the ins and outs of his profession, but also has a wide network of colleagues to draw upon."

  • Regional HR Director, off-price retailer

    “Lisa reached out to me in late 2017. She recommended me as a candidate for an open position for which she was recruiting and worked closely with me to ensure I was prepared and confident throughout my interview process. I am extremely happy with my new job and so grateful to Lisa for providing me with this opportunity. I recommend her highly to all of my colleagues and cannot thank her enough for her help.”

  • VP, Human Resources & Talent Acquisition, fast casual restaurant chain

    “Lisa, I want you to know that I’m very happy, not only with the result, but the process. I can say it was as if you were an extension of our team, and it was seamless. You presented great candidates and kept us on task. It was as if you were part of my HR team. Thank you for that. I look forward to working with you in the future.”

  • Gabriel Brothers (Gabe’s), Chief Financial Officer

    “I have been associated with Marc-Allen Associates for the past 20 years. Mike Powell has guided me to successful career decisions and has provided top talent for organizations I have led.  Marc-Allen Associates has and will be my first choice to identify and place talent.  They are a highly professional organization with deep roots in the Retail industry and have an ability to find the right candidates that meet both the technical and cultural needs of an organization.  I have NEVER been disappointed with new partners hired through Marc-Allen Associates.”

  • TJX Corp, AVP Human Resources

    "Mike is the "go to" recruiter I now use for a lot of our retail openings. He is an extremely responsive business partner and provides a well qualified slate of candidates for each opportunity. Mike goes the extra step with the candidates he presents, in that his communication to them and to us is superior. I view Mike and Marc-Allen Associates as a long-term business partnership which is what I look for in my recruiter relations. I would without any hesitation recommend him to other Companies (as long as they don't have the same openings we do and at the same time)!"

  • Gabe’s, VP Human Resources

    I have had the opportunity to work with Mike Powell and his team over the last 6 years, and I have found Mike to be a true professional.  He brings forward great candidates and, when needed, does so in a confidential manner.  Mike and his team have very high standards, vet candidates thoroughly and present only the “best of the best”.  I trust Mike and his team and Marc-Allen Associates has and will be my very first choice for external talent recruitment because they always have our organization’s best interests in mind.

  • Bi-Mart Holdings, Group VP Merchandising

    "From my perspective Mike has three characteristics that make him a special Executive Recruiter. The first is always functioning with the highest level of integrity in everything that he does. Second is that he gets things done and finally he has a great personality that makes him easy to work with."

  • Human Resources Director, D2C retailer

    I've partnered with Lisa on several occasions over the past few years for recruitment assistance for roles that are often very niche and very specific...unicorns if you will. Lisa has always been a top notch resource for these efforts. In addition to providing multiple qualified candidates, she does an awesome job of providing feedback to me regarding her search efforts and top notch summaries of the candidates presented. She does her homework and really vets candidates before presenting them. I would absolutely recommend her to anyone recruiting in the retail space. I would also recommend her to anyone looking for a next opportunity.

  • Senior Director, Retail Operations Finance, big box retailer

    "I would like to take this opportunity to provide you with feedback on Lisa - she was very professional and courteous in all of our interactions. In addition, I can tell that her work-ethic is superior to other recruiters I have interacted with recently; she always responded very quickly, no matter when I contacted her.  Most importantly, she was exceedingly knowledgeable about the role we were discussing and her knowledge about the business and retail in general were very impressive. I hope that you pass this along."

  • Tops Friendly Markets, SVP Human Resources

    "I would highly recommend Mike to any company who is in need of an Executive Recruiter. Mike over delivered on our expectations by producing more top quality candidates than we could of ever asked for in a short period of time. Mike personally traveled to meet our executives, learn about our business and master our expectations prior to reaching out to find candidates. Mike is highly professional and very trustworthy."

  • Executive Recruiter | #1 ranked, $10B, industry leading retailer

    “Lisa and Marc-Allen Associates, Inc. have helped to fill some really challenging niche roles that required very specific industry experience, with some stellar, high-quality candidates. Lisa is easy to work with; we’re always on the same page. She is awesome at what she does and knows how to help lock-in candidates. In fact, she was instrumental in filling 2 complex Manager roles in just the past 2 months!”

  • EXPRESS: Director Enterprise Organizational Development & Learning

    “I have worked with Mike Powell for over 20+ years and find his professionalism and results in the recruitment arena exceptional in the Retail industry. I would highly recommend Marc-Allen Associates and Mike Powell to anyone who is looking for a Talent Acquisition expert!

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