Experience

The Lancer Group

• United States
• Staffing and Recruiting
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Managing Partner

  • 2004 - Present



Matador Films

• Executive Producer

  • Nov 2004 - 2008

  An Emmy nominated documentary, The Matador, was a passion project (code for didn't make money), and the film debuted at the South by Southwest Festival in Spring 2008. An Emmy nominated documentary, The Matador, was a passion project (code for didn't make money), and the film debuted at the South by Southwest Festival in Spring 2008.



The Lancer Group

• United States
• Staffing and Recruiting
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Partner

  • Oct 1998 - 2003

  After leaving the Menlo Park office of Heidrick & Struggles, taking just my 2 goldfish with me, I set up Lancer Group to focus on high-touch, boutique headhunting services to PE firms investing in technology. After leaving the Menlo Park office of Heidrick & Struggles, taking just my 2 goldfish with me, I set up Lancer Group to focus on high-touch, boutique headhunting services to PE firms investing in technology.



Heidrick & Struggles

• United States
• Business Consulting and Services
• 700 & Above Employee

• Associate

  • 1997 - 1998

  Following the completion of Northwestern's 12-month MBA program at the Kellogg school in Evanston, Illinois, I returned to California and worked at a boutique headhunting firm. Then, with the internet 1.0 "boom" i relocated to Silicon Valley to join the Menlo Park office of Heidrick & Struggles. Naively, I forgot to ask the office Managing Partner how many other Associates had worked for the "big biller" Partner i would be reporting to. As I learned the hard way, who you work for is much more important that the company or firm you work for. They didn't call it "Headache" & Struggles for nothing : )



R. J. Watkins & Company, Ltd.

• Venture Capital and Private Equity Principals
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Consultant

  • 1995 - 1997

  After leaving Saeta Int'l and Mexico City and just prior to beginning the MBA program at the Kellogg school at Northwestern, I worked part-time for someone who would be a great mentor to me in the world of headhunting, Robert (Bob) Watkins. Bob is one of the last of the greats (when quality work to pride over quantity of billings). After business school in Chicago, Bob suggested I return to the firm as a full time Consultant. After leaving Saeta Int'l and Mexico City and just prior to beginning the MBA program at the Kellogg school at Northwestern, I worked part-time for someone who would be a great mentor to me in the world of headhunting, Robert (Bob) Watkins. Bob is one of the last of the greats (when quality work to pride over quantity of billings). After business school in Chicago, Bob suggested I return to the firm as a full time Consultant.



Saeta International

• Business Development Executive

  • 1990 - 1993

  Returning back to the US after my stint at Ford Motor Company, and with my offer letter at Drexel Burnham Lambert useless (Drexel filed Chap 11 in early 1990), I went to work for an entrepreneur in Mexico City. He was the 3rd generation of a family that had come from Spain and built an empire (1st and 2nd generation). The positives were that Mexico was undergoing its own economic "boom" while the US was suffering from the recession (triggered by the Savings & Loan industry collapse and the excess/repercussions of the "go-go 80s"). I travelled to 22 countries/colonies sourcing import opportunities for local demand in the Mexican market and ran basic "what if" spreadsheet forecasts. The negatives were - it turns out that adage about shirtsleeves to shirtsleeves in 3 generations hold true: )



Ford Motor Company

• United States
• Motor Vehicle Manufacturing
• 700 & Above Employee

• Treasury Analyst

  • 1989 - 1990

  In 1989, I had interviewed and been accepted for an Analyst role with Drexel Burnham Lambert where i would roll in with their 1990 class of Analysts. With that locked down in 1989 (and not knowing the firm would met down in early 1990), I took the opportunity to work internationally at Ford Motor Company's Venezuelan subsidiary, working in the Treasury Department in Valencia, Venezuela. A big "shout out" to #AIESEC that helped me get a work permit for South America and gain priceless experience working outside the US I never would have gained at my age otherwise. At the time I arrived at the Ford plant, the local currency (the Bolivar) had collapsed from 3 Bolivars to the USD to 98 Bolivars to the USD (infinitely worse today). That caused massive RIFs at the Ford subsidiary and 1,000 workers threatening to riot and burn down the factory shortly before my arrival there.Key learnings included: Learned the word "Chamo", why nothing could beat an ice cold 'Polar' cerveza, and some basic Salsa y Merengue



FNRS Financial Corp (a Management led buyout of a former Wells Fargo Holding Co subsidiary)

• Corporate Development Analyst

  • 1988 - 1989

  After wrecking my father's car on a Winter break ski trip just prior to my Senior semester at USC, I charged the repair to my credit card. With no money to pay off the bill, I was fortunate enough to get hired here by a USC alumni and someone who I consider one of my great mentors, Jim Marmorstone. Jim gave me all the rope I could take and sent me to Mexico City (and other exotic locals like Hong Kong, etc) when I barely had a passport. After wrecking my father's car on a Winter break ski trip just prior to my Senior semester at USC, I charged the repair to my credit card. With no money to pay off the bill, I was fortunate enough to get hired here by a USC alumni and someone who I consider one of my great mentors, Jim Marmorstone. Jim gave me all the rope I could take and sent me to Mexico City (and other exotic locals like Hong Kong, etc) when I barely had a passport.