Testimonials & Endorsements

A satisfied customer is the best business strategy of all.

Ross Stores, former SVP Human Resources

“I've worked with Mike on a large number of searches since 2006. He has proved himself to be responsive, very well connected in the retail space, and great value. He is tenacious and works hard to identify the right candidate, and has placed some fabulous talent into our organization. He's a pleasure to work with.”

Director Financial Optimization | Leading retailer in the automotive industry

During our initial conversation and throughout the interviewing process, Lisa shared a significant amount of key information regarding the company and how to prepare for the interview process. She provided links to pertinent articles and reached out to the internal recruiter to get answers to my questions. She responded quickly to all of my requests and was always available when I needed her.

Lisa had me comfortably prepared for each interview so I was able to be my best during, what can be a stressful time. After each interview, she would follow up to get feedback from me regarding how it went and evaluate how the support she was providing was working. Ultimately, I was offered and accepted the job!


“You are the only recruiter who followed through on things that they have told me. It speaks volumes and makes candidates more seriously consider the role and relocation, as well.”

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.”

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.

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!

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."

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!

Director Digital Analytics | $4B omnichannel retailer

"One thing I will say, Lisa, is that I've talked to a few recruiters, and I must say that I found working with you so helpful. You are so organized, well prepared, and detail-oriented which I much appreciated throughout the whole process. Whether things work out in the future or not, I must say it was a pleasure!

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)!"

Asset Strategies, Director Audit Services

"When Mike first called me 13 years ago to discuss the "perfect" position it all came down to his knowledge and expertise in matching the right candidate with the right company. Mike is thorough, knowledgeable, and his efforts serve both the client and the candidate. He is an expert recruiter that I highly recommend to any professional seeking a career, or any company seeking a professional recruiting firm."

SVP Supply Chain | Burlington Stores

“I strongly recommend Mike Powell as an Executive Recruiter. My experience with Mike was as a candidate. He helped me navigate through an extensive interview and selection process at Burlington Stores. He was extremely effective at helping me understand the culture of the organization and the personality of key executives in that organization. This helped me decide if I was an appropriate fit for this company. I was indeed the successful candidate and I am enjoying the beginnings of a long and successful career with my new company. I also appreciate Mike’s effectiveness from the perspective of an Employer who has sought to fill key executive positions.”

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.”

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!”

Shinnell Posey, Head of Retail Operations & Strategy | Plow & Hearth

Lisa is not only a pleasure to speak with, but she is very detailed, organized, and thorough. Her professionalism and expertise make her a great partner to work with.

Destination XL, SVP Human Resources

“I have been working with Mike Powell since 1997 and regard him and his firm as one of our most valued business partners. Mike knows what I'm looking with regard to technical skills and understands the behavioral profile candidates must have to be successful in our environment. He consistently delivers candidates that meet or exceed my expectations.”

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.

Ross Stores | Director, Human Resources Supply Chain

Lisa provides a focused service, ensuring that both the employer and the candidate are the best fit for each other. She takes pride in successfully placing candidates. Being exceptionally dedicated to her work, Lisa gave me advice and guidance throughout the interview process.

You will receive the highest value and professionalism while working with Lisa. I highly recommend her to anyone looking for an opportunity.

Foot Locker, former EVP/CFO

“Mike was our number one outside recruiter at Foot Locker for many years. We hired dozens of high-quality people through Mike and almost all became valuable employees. Mike helped create the turnaround story at Foot Locker, which was very near bankruptcy. Many of our hires from Mike were critical in saving Footlocker. His input was accurate and supportive of our goals. He never treated us like a "to do" list and always forwarded us great candidates. A relationship with Mike is long term and he manages the relationship in that manner.”

Asset Strategies Group, Chief Financial Officer

“I have had the opportunity and pleasure to work with Mike Powell and his team both as a candidate and hiring manager in my career.  His team has a proven track record of finding the right candidates with the best credentials and experience. Mike is tenacious, trustworthy and highly ethical.  I recommend Mike and Marc-Allen Associates to my colleagues because they are the best. “

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.

Dollar Tree, VP Ecommerce Digital Services

"I highly recommend Mike. I have had the pleasure of working with Mike in the past and he is honest, professional and great at keeping open the lines of communication. Mike not only knows the ins and outs of his profession, but also has a wide network of colleagues to draw upon."

Talent Acquisition Manager | Evergreen Enterprises | Plow & Hearth

I worked with Lisa on several recruiting searches. Before each search, Lisa takes the time to understand the company's needs and asks all the right questions. She was able to present us with very qualified candidates and help us close the search quickly. She does a great job following up and giving feedback throughout the process. It was an absolute pleasure working with her!

Gabe’s, VP Human Resources

I have had the opportunity to work with Mike Powell and his team over the last 6 years, and I have found Mike to be a true professional.  He brings forward great candidates and, when needed, does so in a confidential manner.  Mike and his team have very high standards, vet candidates thoroughly and present only the “best of the best”.  I trust Mike and his team and Marc-Allen Associates has and will be my very first choice for external talent recruitment because they always have our organization’s best interests in mind.

Harry & David/Musician’s Friend, former Chief People Officer

“I had the pleasure of working with Mike on a large (50 positions), and fast hiring initiative within my organization. Mike was meticulous in his approach to understanding the scope of my needs, the skills and experience I required and the culture fit I was seeking in potential candidates. Mike delivered exceptional candidates within a very short period of time and assisted my organization in driving the talent injection we needed to meet critical business needs. Mike is a true professional and business partner who works with you to deliver outstanding results.”

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.

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.”

Senior Director, Retail Operations Finance, big box retailer

"I would like to take this opportunity to provide you with feedback on Lisa - she was very professional and courteous in all of our interactions. In addition, I can tell that her work-ethic is superior to other recruiters I have interacted with recently; she always responded very quickly, no matter when I contacted her.  Most importantly, she was exceedingly knowledgeable about the role we were discussing and her knowledge about the business and retail in general were very impressive. I hope that you pass this along."

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.

VP, Human Resources & Talent Acquisition, fast casual restaurant chain

“Lisa, I want you to know that I’m very happy, not only with the result, but the process. I can say it was as if you were an extension of our team, and it was seamless. You presented great candidates and kept us on task. It was as if you were part of my HR team. Thank you for that. I look forward to working with you in the future.”

Executive Recruiter | #1 ranked, $10B, industry leading retailer

“Lisa and Marc-Allen Associates, Inc. have helped to fill some really challenging niche roles that required very specific industry experience, with some stellar, high-quality candidates. Lisa is easy to work with; we’re always on the same page. She is awesome at what she does and knows how to help lock-in candidates. In fact, she was instrumental in filling 2 complex Manager roles in just the past 2 months!”

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