Ed Lawrence
Contract Recruiter
LAWRENCE CONTRACT RECRUITING SERVICES, INC.

Since 1985

Current or Most Recent Assignments
(just a few -- about 10 years worth!)

"This is what we do!" 

ITW Industrial Fastening Group
Elgin, IL
June 2007 to present

Alliant Techsystems, Inc.
Edina, MN
November 2006 through May 2007

ITW Paslode
Vernon Hills, Illinois

August 2006 through October 2006

Paslode, a division of Illinois Tool Works (ITW), is a leading manufacturer and marketer of cordless and pneumatic fastening systems for construction, remodeling and industrial applications.

Assignment: Recruiting Program Best Practices Discovery Project

No details can be released at this time, however, the project was successful and met the client's expectations.

"Another great little company that is a part of a larger successful company. We enjoyed the people and their mature outlook on business and life!"

Follett Software Company
(a division of the Follett Corporation)
McHenry, Illinois

July 2006 through October 2006

Follett Software Company is a division of Follett Corporation, a respected name in education which has helped to build our nation’s school libraries since 1874. Since 1985, Follett Software has developed automation management solutions that meet the demands of schools.

Assignment:
Java Software Developer
Data Specialists
Software Tester
Systems Analyst
Enterprise Software Account Executives
Publisher Relations Account Manager
Publishing Coordinator

Locations:
Chicago area and Boston
 

"A neat little gem of a company that is part of larger company steeped in tradition and is the undisputed leader in servicing school districts and libraries. Location was problematic at times but overall a good assignment.  I liked working with the HR folks immensely!"

Trex Company, Inc.
Winchester, Virginia

September 2004 through April 2006

Trex Company (NYSE: TWP) is the nation's largest manufacturer of non-wood decking, which is marketed under the brand name Trex(R). Trex Wood-Polymer(R) lumber offers an attractive appearance and the workability of wood without the ongoing need for protective sealants or repairs. Trex decking and railing is manufactured in a proprietary process that combines waste wood fibers and reclaimed polyethylene and is used primarily for residential and commercial decking. The Company sells its products through approximately 90 wholesale distribution locations, which in turn sell Trex decking to approximately 3,300 independent contractor-oriented retail lumberyards across the United States and Canada. In addition, the Company's products are sold in a limited number of Home Depot stores and are available nationally in Home Depot stores via special order.

Assignments included the following positions in their Winchester, VA Fernley, NV and Olive Branch, MS (Memphis area) manufacturing plants:

• Production Managers

• Production Supervisors

• Manufacturing Unit Engineers

• Technical Services Engineers (R&D)

• Engineering Technicians

• Plant Logistics Manager

• Plant Controller

• Senior Financial Analyst

• Plant Human Resources Managers

• Director of Logistics

• Process Engineers

• Quality Assurance Engineer

• A/P Administrator

• IT Applications Development Manager

"Extremely nice people. A wonderful assignment".

Newark InOne
A Premier Farnell Company

Chicago, IL
April 2004 to present
(concurrent with Pactiv, Trex and Follett Software)
and
November 2000 to September 2001
(concurrent with United Airlines)

Newark InOne, formerly Newark Electronics, is the market leading catalog distribution company in North America and the largest part of the worldwide catalog distribution division of Premier Farnell plc, the $1.9 billion global powerhouse headquartered in London, England. (NYSE symbol PFP). With offices throughout North America, Newark supplies 150,000 electronic components and related products from over 300 manufacturers.

Current assignment:

• Product Management Director, Semiconductor Lines
• Product Mangers (4)

Past assignments covered positions in Chicago, IL and Cleveland, OH and included:

• Several senior management positions in sales, marketing, finance, and logistics.
• Process Engineer
• Director of Global Supplier Programs
• Project Managers
• Human Resources Manager
• Segment-Channel Marketing Managers
• National Accounts Sales Managers
• Branch Sales Managers
• Call Center Telesales Reps
• Credit & Collection Reps
• Branch Inside Sales Specialists
•  Web Developer
• Oracle Database Administrator
• Help Desk Analysts (Level 1)

Newark InOne has a 50-year record of success as one of North America's most successful, yet quiet, companies. Its sales and marketing infrastructure is tailor-made for CRM methodologies and it is re-focusing its business operations around this model. With a fairly new, yet dynamic and well credentialed, senior management team the company is up to its elbows in progressive and effective change.

"This is the kind of assignment a recruiter lives for -- adequate resources, leading-edge technology support, quick hiring decisions, and something different every day. The  extraordinary pace, excitement and challenges continue. A genuinely enjoyable assignment?" 

Lake Forest, Illinois
April 2004 to July 2004

Pactiv Corporation (NYSE:PTV) is a leading producer of specialty packaging products with sales of $3.1 billion and operations in 14 countries. Pactiv is a market leader in targeted sectors of the packaging industry: Consumer Products, with the Hefty^® brand; Foodservice/Food Packaging; and Protective and Flexible Packaging. With one of the broadest product lines in the specialty packaging industry, the company derives more than 80 percent of its sales from market sectors in which it holds the No. 1 or No. 2 market-share position.

My assignment was to recruit, 

• Industrial Designers

• Product Development Engineers

• Product Researchers

• Product Development Managers

"Was experiencing lots of growth and giving solid performance in the face of change during my time with them. Employee relations and diversity leadership is exceptionally talented."

U.S. Cellular Corporation

Chicago, IL
June 2002 to March 2004

With a customer base exceeding 4 million, U. S. Cellular was the nation's eight largest wireless telephone service provider during our time there (AMEX: USM). The company operates 140+ majority-owned (consolidated) wireless systems in 26 states and has approximately 7,600 associates led by a veteran team of senior telecommunications executives.

My role started out providing support for the marketing organization and was expanded to include recruiting for all levels of leaders and associates throughout the company -- across all disciplines -- and assisting in the on-boarding of new senior leaders. When the dust settled, 86 positions were filled. Here's a representative sample:

• Vice President Shared Services

• Senior Director, National Financial Services

• Director, Program Management

• Director, Business Development & Planning

• Director, Marketing & Product Management

• Director, Corporate Real Estate Services

• Director, Human Resources

• Director, IT End-User Services

• Director, Diversity Strategy & Compliance

• Manager, Brand Communications

• Manager, Regional Advertising

• Manager, Segment Marketing

• Manager, Retention & Loyalty

• Manager, Business Systems Support

• Operations Analyst

• Oracle DBA

• Planning Analyst

• Programmer Analysts

• UNIX Systems Administrator

• Desktop IT Support Specialists

• Marketing Analysts

• Product Managers

• Corporate Attorney

• Corporate Recruiter

• Numerous Admin Assistants & Coordinators

"An exceptional customer service orientation is pervasive throughout the company. Check out their DYNAMIC ORGANIZATION people-centric business model. Great company - with superior leadership - in an extremely fast-paced industry sector. A special place!"

Tanox, Inc.

Houston, TX
December 2001 to April 2002

Tanox (NASDAQ symbol TNOX) is a biopharmaceutical company with demonstrated expertise in monoclonal antibody technology. The Company is engaged in the discovery and development of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies designed to address significant unmet medical needs in the areas of asthma, allergy, inflammation and other diseases affecting the human immune system. The company successfully completed an initial public offering (IPO) in April 2000 raising $244 million. With the benefit of the funds raised, Tanox has been able to expand clinical activities for the products in its developmental pipeline: TNX-901 is in a Phase II study for peanut allergy; TNX-100 is in a Phase I study for Crohn’s disease; TNX-355 is in a Phase I study for treatment-refractory HIV infection; and TNX-224 will enter clinical studies for prevention of organ damage associated with cardiopulmonary bypass procedures next year.

This assignment included heavy-duty sourcing and qualification for  the following positions:

• Director of Drug Development

• Director of Cell Culture Development

• Director of Quality Assurance - Quality Control

• Sr. Manager of Regulatory Affairs

• Research Scientists - Cell Biology

• Research Scientists - Molecular Biology

• Research Scientists - Bioinformatics

• Mechanical Engineer (Drug Plant Maintenance)

• Research Associates in Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, Quality Assurance, and ELISA Assays.

• Process Development Associates

• Manufacturing Associates

"Great assignment. Good company. Nice people with high expectations. I learned quite a bit".

Zebra Technologies Corporation

Vernon Hills, IL
January 2001 to November 2001

Zebra Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ symbol ZBRA) manufactures and distributes Zebra brand on-demand thermal bar code label printers and Eltron brand secure ID printing systems and plastic card printers used in automatic identification and plastic card personalization applications worldwide. The company, with an installed base of more than 1.9 million printers, also offers software and related supplies, including more than 1,000 label and ribbon combinations.

This assignment included:

• Electrical Design Engineers
• Firmware Development Engineers
• Design Assurance Quality Engineers
• Facility Industrial Engineers
• Firmware QA Test Engineers
• Quality Systems Analysts
• Technical Documentation Supervisor
• Internal Auditor
• Visual InterDev Web Developer
• Sales Applications Engineers
• Product Managers

Zebra is the worldwide leader in the bar code industry with a long history of consistently successful performance and proven products. This was my second assignment with them in six years. The company is not exactly a household name outside its industry but man do they make  fantastically reliable products.  A good company  

"It was a challenge in more ways than one. Whew!"

United Airlines

WHQ
Chicago, IL
May 1999 to January 2001

INFORMATION SYSTEMS DIVISION: This assignment was at United's world headquarters and supported the Computer Operations and Technical Services group (600+ employees).  Requisition load included:

• Systems Engineering Managers

• Oracle DBA's

• IT Change Managers

• Process Architect

• Project Managers

• Technical Analysts

• Systems Programmers (Mainframe)

• Network Engineers (UNIX and Novell)

• Systems Administrators (UNIX and Novell)

• Help Desk Analysts
  (Levels 1-3)

With over 90,000 employee-owners worldwide, United is one of the largest commercial air carriers in the world. Its information technology enterprise not only drives the internal infrastructure, it is the strategic and operational foundation for the Company's products and services as well. These are all mission-critical positions.

"Had all the makings of a super assignment -- instant brand recognition, strongly employee-oriented culture, huge volume, lots of activity, and supportive hiring managers.  Lots of fun!"

Nexiv, Inc.

Chicago, IL
March 1999 to December 1999
(Concurrent with United Airlines)

Web Design firm located downtown Chicago, Nexiv was engaged in web site design, e-commerce, virtual community building, and other Internet related products and services.  It had one of the strongest collections of Internet savvy graphic artists, programmers and related web-heads in the nation.  Positions successfully filled:

• Senior Graphic Designers

• Web Programmers

• Sales Executives

• Network Engineer

Given the state of the Internet space at that time, this assignment was demanding, educational, frustrating and fun-filled day in and day out. Average time-to-fill ran just under 30 days. All hires were identified and recruited using the Internet.

"Having worked for the President and CEO of Nexiv at two other software companies, and dearly loving to work around techies and artists, this assignment was beyond fun, it was simply delightful!"

[I heard the company was successfully merged with another in early 2002]

Abbott Laboratories

Abbott Park, IL
October 1997 to February 1999

Finance and Accounting: Headquartered in suburban Chicago, Abbott is a $12 billion manufacturer and marketer of pharmaceutical, agricultural, hospital and consumer health care products in over 130 countries. Requisition load included:

• Division Controllers

• Financial Planning & Analysis Managers

• Senior Financial Analysts

• Senior Cost Analysts

• Senior Staff Accountants

• Credit Representatives

• Tax Analysts

• Financial Interns

186 positions were filled in 1998-99 with an average "time-to-fill" of 36 days. Candidate sources included the Internet, professional associations, search firms, newspaper and magazine advertisements, career fairs, campus recruiting, alumni associations, research firms, employee referrals, and my own network.

"Abbott was a fun assignment!  Great company with good name recognition, lots of volume, fast paced, and willing hiring managers. Super friendly employees and a world class staffing organization."