Senior Executive Recruiter Joins Laurel Group's Veteran Team

Leading West Coast Boutique Search Firm Expands Silicon Valley Footprint

Every search is an opportunity to build and create, with clients and colleagues. The Laurel Group represents a special opportunity: to be a part of an organization - a fast growth enterprise in its own right - that is changing how human capital offerings are delivered to clients and the market.

Campbell (PRWEB) July 8, 2008 -- The Laurel Group, an executive search firm focused on the human capital needs of leading high-growth technology companies, both private and public, announced today the addition of Teague Splaine as a new Managing Partner in the company's Silicon Valley office.

Splaine joins current Managing Partners of the Silicon Valley office, Mike Taft and Steve O'Deegan.

Splaine will dedicate his energies to sourcing executive search opportunities and securing C-suite personnel for leading Silicon Valley companies, especially in the Consumer/Internet, Software, Communications, Cleantech, and Semiconductor sectors.

"We believe human capital, no matter the economic cycle, is the cornerstone to America's innovation economy," says Tom Taft, founder and Managing Partner at the Laurel Group. "Teague understands how to match a company's business blueprint to the interests of top tier executive candidates. Mike, Steve, and Teague give us a trio of significant senior credentials as we continue to extend our reach in Silicon Valley and Southern California.

Prior to joining the Laurel Group, Teague was a Senior Principal and Managing Director at Howard Fischer Associates (HFA). Having joined HFA in 2000 as the firm's second Bay Area employee, Teague was instrumental in helping build HFA into one of Silicon Valley's most reputable search firms and was a key component of their West Coast search practice. Teague also co-managed day to day operations of HFA's Silicon Valley office which, in addition to search execution, included helping direct the firm's strategy, planning, and hiring practices. Prior to joining HFA, Teague worked within SpencerStuart's Menlo Park, CA IT practice.

"Helping emerging growth companies build successful leadership teams is the challenge and enjoyment," says Splaine. "Every search is an opportunity to build and create, with clients and colleagues. The Laurel Group represents a special opportunity: to be a part of an organization - a fast growth enterprise in its own right - that is changing how human capital offerings are delivered to clients and the market."

Splaine's Silicon Valley colleagues Mike Taft and Steve O'Deegan bring a combined twenty-five years of executive search experience. Taft is a Managing Partner and opened the Silicon Valley Office for the Laurel Group in 2006. Prior to joining the Laurel Group, Mike spent six years in search after founding the Trovare Group, a boutique Bay Area search firm. Earlier in his career, Mike spent over 15 years as a successful executive in sales, marketing and business development in a variety of industries where he consistently built winning sales and sales support teams. Steve O'Deegan, also a Managing Partner, joined the Laurel Group in 2007. Prior to joining the Laurel Group, Steve was among the highest producing Principal's in Howard Fischer's (HFA) Silicon Valley office for over three years. He successfully completed over forty searches managing and executing CEO, Officer and VP level searches for high-growth private and public technology companies. Steve's early career included a Partner role with Austin McGregor (a Dallas based retained search firm), the founder of Celerity (Bay Area retained search firm) and six years with Quest Search Associates as Director of the firms Software search practice.

About Laurel Group
The Laurel Group was founded in 2002 and since it's founding, the firm has been consistently recognized as one of the premier national human capital solution firms. The Laurel Group employs over forty professionals in two locations; Seattle, Washington & Campbell, California (Silicon Valley) and specializes in working with high-growth technology companies, both private and public. The firms search concentration has historically included Board's of Director's, CEO/Officer and VP's across all functional areas. In 2007, Laurel Group was named the Fastest Growing Private Company in Washington State. For more information, please visit www.laurel-group.com.

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