It's hard to believe that July 1st was the 10th anniversay of Bishop Partners and this recruiting business. I'm very thankful that we're still here! I've had recruiting colleagues who became friends over the years, who were not able to survive the past couple of years of hiring slow down. I'm thankful for my wife Barbara, who's stuck with me through the good times and the difficult times. I'm also very thankful for all the people I've met doing this work . . . many of whom I'm proud to say have become my friends . . . both candidates and clients alike.
After years at Group360 (with its previous ownership) I missed the marketing communications, comraderie and friendship that I'd developed in the St. Louis region over the previous 25 years as a commercial photographer. I was interested in staying in marketing and advertising, refreshing old relationships and developing new ones. I wanted to contribute to St. Louis and its professional advertising and marketing community. As they say, "Make a mark"! . . . Let them know you were here!
Here we are 10 years later . . . allow me to indulge myself in looking back, and being proud of what I've participated in, and in some ways accomplished!
- 75+ placements totalling almost $4.7MM in salaries.
- Successfully completing 41 out of 44 retained searches, putting Bishop Partners in the top 2% for retained recruiting success nationwide!
- I have placed candidates on tracks to become partners, or the next generation of creative, account and executive leaders.
- Over 70% of placed candidates continue to successfully contribute to my client after three years (with the record for long term placement being eight years!)
- I have helped talented professionals take advantage of opportunities for their career growth, that they didn't know existed.
- There are likely hundreds of professionals who needed some serious help with their resume and/or portfolio, and I did my best to help . . . at least get them pointed in the right direction.
- I've served on the Ad Club Board as Membership Chair for over two years.
- I was one of two founders of REBUS, a vibrant and growing regional marketing organization.
- I'm proud to have been asked to help found ready + willing, St. Louis' newest marketing organization dedicated to giving back to local charities and the St. Louis community.
- I've served on the Board of the Mid-America Association of Personnel and Staffing Services (now called MKSSA.org) for nine years, as Marketing Chair.
- I was invited to join the International Retained Search Associates, an exclusive group of retained recruiters who are leaders in their specialties.
- The whole social media extravaganza was born and started growing up in these 10 years . . . trying to find my "online legs" has been challenging, rewarding and fun!
- I've made friends . . . perhaps most importantly, I've made friends!
There's more to do. My goals are to help REBUS develop a strong organizational structure, that will be self-sufficient while continuing to provide value and benefit to the community, in ways the attendees decide. I want to see ready + willing grow, and become an indispensible resource for those charities who have no where else to turn for their marketing communications support. I want to continue to help clients learn how to retain their top performing employees, and how to attract the next generations of leadership. I want to support marketing and advertising as a viable, professional career that goes beyond "selling" to expanding its contibution to our community and culture.
I want to continue having fun, meeting new people and growing . . . both professionally and personally. I appreciate all the help, support and direction that many of you have provided for my doing just that . . . for the past 10 years! Let's do it again . . . for another 10 (at least)!