Born in Ukraine and emigrating to the U.S. at age ten, he was raised in rural Erie County, Pennsylvania. He later joined the U.S. Army and served in the Middle East before earning a bachelor’s degree in accounting. Not out of passion, but to understand the language of business. While entrepreneurship had always been the goal, accounting seemed like the right foundation.

 

As it turned out, the field wasn’t the right fit, but he gained deep respect for operations and the people behind them. Even a poor fit can offer valuable lessons. His early career provided a front-row seat to how high-performing businesses operate—their strengths, challenges, and what makes them exceptional. He worked in industrial manufacturing, learning production processes, driving Lean improvements, and contributing to the design and launch of a half-million-square-foot distribution center, including WMS implementation. That experience cemented his belief that success is rooted in people and values, not just numbers.

 

That foundation eventually led him to recruiting, a profession he loves. He began in agency executive search, specializing in accounting and finance roles. After being laid off during the pandemic, he joined a former client in the financial services sector—at the time, the second-best employer in the Charlotte Metro area—supporting over 600 employees across IT and InfoSec, capital markets, finance, analytics, sales, and operations. He experienced acquisitions, layoffs, and the daily realities faced by hiring managers and HR leaders. Those experiences shaped his clear perspective on the challenges his clients face and how to help them find the right people.

 

Above all, he is a proud father to an amazing daughter who reminds him every day that the right values, the right people, and the right work are what truly matter.