Michael J. Sterling
Founding Member

"Search work is a passion and a privilege for me. People are fascinating, and the relationships we develop are rich. Every day, I have the opportunity to make a long-lasting positive impact on peoples’ professional and personal lives. That is a responsibility I take very seriously.”

Michael has proven expertise identifying and placing accomplished finance and accounting professionals across industry sectors such as – Public Accounting, Renewable Energy, Clean Tech, Technology, Real Estate, Financial Services, Engineering, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Non-Profit, Utilities, Retail, Professional Services, Real Estate and Construction.  In addition, Michael brings corporate senior management experience.

Michael began his career with General Electric as an Area Sales Manager, progressed to American Express' financial services division as Sales Consultant, then was invited to become a National Sales Trainer.  Success there launched a sales management opportunity where he and his team earned national Region of the Year recognition.

In 1998, he was recruited into the corporate recruiting industry with a Fortune 500 firm.  Michael thrived building and leading teams for the next 8 years in Arizona, California, New Mexico, Nevada, and Utah as Branch Manager, Area Manager, Regional Director and Regional Vice President.  Again, he led his team to international Region of the Year recognition with numerous team members earning individual top producer awards.

Michael and his teams have successfully completed individual searches and customized enterprise-wide hiring projects for companies such as:  Charles Schwab & Co., Wells Fargo, McKesson, Muscular Dystrophy Association, Catholic Charities, MGM Mirage, Jelly Belly Candy Co., Restoration Hardware, Kendall-Jackson Vineyards, Lucasfilm, MindSpring, AON, Phelps Dodge Mining Company, Autodesk, Rain Bird, Zions Bank, Arterial Vascular Engineering (now Medtronic), Tucson Electric Power, University Physician's Healthcare, El Rio Healthcare, Radiology Limited, KB Homes, Long Realty, and Providence Corporation.

Michael is a graduate of Texas Christian University's School of Business.

He previously served on the Board of Directors of the Opportunity Through Entrepreneurship Foundation.  OTEF provides training and support to help at-risk youth and adults improve their lives by creating and growing entrepreneurial ventures.

Outside work,

Michael is blessed with three fantastic talented continously-on-the-go children. 

Always curious and adventurous, he has a passion for traveling and experiencing the world – from hiking the fantastic Arizona outdoors to trekking the world, studying languages, history, cultures and people watching. 

So far, he's traveled about half the US including the Virgin Islands, Alaska and Hawaii, The Bahamas, Canada, Mexico, Iceland, Luxembourg, France, Switzerland, Austria, The Czech Republic (when it was Communist Czechoslovakia), Germany, Austria, England, Scotland, Italy, and most recently China.