Testimonials & Endorsements

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  • 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."

  • Burlington Stores, EVP/Chief Financial Officer

    “It is my pleasure to write this unqualified recommendation for Mike Powell and his team.  Before he began his first executive search at our company, Mike spent significant time meeting myself and the rest of the executive team to really understand our hiring profile and the types of executives we were looking for and the culture we were trying to create.  He has gone on to fill dozens of jobs with outstanding candidates that fit superbly within our organization.  I truly appreciate the partnership and relationship that continues to this day.”

  • 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!

  • Sr. Marketing Director, children’s retailer

    “I sincerely appreciate all that you have done through this process. You have been a wonderful advocate and the most thoroughly prepared recruiter I have ever worked with.”

  • Director, Property Management, $14B off-price retailer

    Lisa is, without doubt, the most experienced and knowledgeable real estate/retail recruitment consultant I’ve met in the 20 years I’ve been in the industry. Her detailed understanding combined with her market expertise makes Lisa undoubtedly the choice of consultant for your next career move within the retail/real estate arena.

    Besides being a reliable source of information and an extraordinary ambassador for both the company trying to recruit talent or the individual looking for a new opportunity, the most important quality that Lisa displays is Integrity.

    Lisa can be depended upon to make a good match between employer and employee. I know that I can always depend on Lisa to work in the best interest of both the company recruiting talent as well as the professional seeking a new opportunity. I believe this quality is truly rare in the world of professional recruitment and is extremely beneficial in the long-run for her clients.

    I highly recommend Lisa and her professional recruitment services. She is an honest and forthright professional in her own right and does an excellent job matching company needs to a professional’s desires.

    Top qualities: Personable, Expert and High Integrity.

  • Adam Burke, former Director Transportation | Ferguson Enterprises

    Lisa and Marc-Allen Associates were extremely helpful and provided tremendous value in my most recent job search. Her professionalism, responsiveness, and support during the entire process were by far the best search experience of my career.

    Lisa took the time to ensure I was a good fit before we engaged with her client and was very transparent during the entire process. She thoroughly prepared me for each step of the interview, offering invaluable insights and guidance. Lisa followed up with me during each step with thoughtful feedback and updates from her client.

    I highly recommend Marc-Allen Associates and Lisa to any executive or leader looking for their next career opportunity!

  • 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.

  • Fred Long, VP Logistics | Gabes

    I have recently worked with Lisa and Marc Allen Associates to secure a new job opportunity. I have to say that Lisa was the most prepared and detail-oriented recruiter that I have ever worked with. She gave solid background information about the company and culture, as well as valuable insight into how to approach each interview. It was a complete pleasure to work with her, and she was critical to my success in obtaining this new opportunity. She is professional, personable, and dedicated to her clients.

  • 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.”

  • 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)!"

  • SVP Human Resources, $1B department store retailer

    I am pleased to recommend Lisa Schwartz. She is a true professional who is pro-active, terrific communication skills and very thorough in her searching for candidates. She receives and acts upon feedback and is very flexible and timely in her response to requests. I would happily utilize Lisa in future search efforts.

  • 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.”

  • 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!”

  • Ross Stores | Director, Store Design and Vendor Management

    Lisa is a great partner and resource for anyone looking for their next hire, not only to the company but also to the possible candidate. She went above and beyond throughout the process, communicating the next steps and providing resources to prepare me for them.

    I have never had such a close line of communication with a recruiter before, and I was amazed at how well Lisa managed the entire process on both ends. She was a pleasure to collaborate with, and I know she is rooting for my success in my new role.

We place TOP RETAIL TALENT.
Guaranteed.