About Us
Excellence in recruiting for telecom, tech and more.
Precision Talent Matches
Expertise. Innovation. Results.
Meet Our Team
The People Driving Your Success
The Stern Recruiting team leverages years of experience in our focus disciplines to make the right match.
Rick Stern
CEO
Rick Stern - Founder & CEO
Rick Stern is the CEO and founder of Stern Recruiting. During his 25-year tenure as the CEO and founder of Nitel, a nationally recognized telecommunication company, Rick recruited thousands of individuals for various roles across the business, including accounting, operations, engineering, product development, systems, sales, marketing, and technical support. Throughout this period, he established and refined his unique approach to hiring, recognizing the need for a more effective method of talent recruitment.
Having witnessed firsthand how recruiters often “missed the mark,” Rick built Stern Recruiting to approach talent acquisition from the hiring manager’s perspective. The company utilizes an innovative approach to sourcing and vetting candidates, providing better-qualified applicants for its clients.
Rick earned a bachelor’s degree in Telecommunications from the University of Florida in 1990 and served six years in the U.S. Naval Reserve. He is a 2009 graduate of Harvard Business School’s Executive Education program. In 2010 and 2018, he was named a Midwest finalist for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award, and in 2011, he was inducted into the University of Illinois at Chicago’s Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame. He is also a member of the University of Florida’s College of Journalism and Communications Hall of Fame.
Rick is a former Chair of the Ambassador Board at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls and an active philanthropist, donating to over 20 charities. Most notably, he has contributed to the Colorectal Surgical Center at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
Todd Miller
CIO
Todd Miller - CIO
Todd has a distinguished career in technology as both an entrepreneur and executive leader. He has provided technology and strategy expertise to multiple organizations over the past 30 years. Formerly, he was a co-founder and CTO of a managed services provider (MSP), building a hybrid multi-tenant cloud architecture that included one of the first desktop-as-a-service (DaaS) offerings .
He has also served as Vice President of Product and Technology Solutions in the telecommunications industry. With over twenty years in the information technology consulting arena, he has provided technology strategy, architecture, and deployment assistance in the areas of networking, security, and cloud solutions. He understands startups, technology, and building high-performing teams and organizations through technology and talent.
Todd proudly served three years in the Army as a Military Policeman in Germany as part of the 204th MP Company, 14th MP Brigade.
Erica Guo
Chief of Staff
Erica Guo - Chief of Staff
Erica Guo is a dynamic executive with a proven track record of driving strategic growth, operational excellence, and innovation across technology, finance, and entrepreneurial ventures. As Chief of Staff at Stern Recruiting, she serves as a key advisor and operational leader, while spearheading initiatives across sales, marketing, and business strategy.
With a career spanning enterprise organizations and startups, Erica brings a wealth of expertise in scaling businesses, launching products, and leading high-performing teams. At Uber and Orbitz, she led cross-functional teams to successfully launch new markets and products, accelerating business expansion and revenue growth. She began her career as an equities analyst and later co-founded a fintech startup.
Erica holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA from the University of Chicago.
Lisa Kamins
Executive Assistant
Lisa Kamins - Executive Assistant
Lisa Kamins has 30+ years of experience in the telecommunications and technology sectors. At Stern Recruiting, Lisa serves as the Executive Assistant to Rick Stern, CEO where she leverages her extensive industry knowledge to support executive operations and strategic initiatives.
Throughout her career, Lisa has developed a strong skill set in project management, organizational efficiency, and stakeholder communication. Her background includes significant roles in various tech companies, where she contributed to both operational success and team development. Lisa prides herself on her strong rapport with coworkers, emphasizing the importance of teamwork and collaboration and thrives in a positive work environment where laughter and camaraderie are integral to daily interactions.
Maria Zehren
Managing Director
Maria Zehren - Managing Director
Maria is a telecommunications and technology industry veteran with over 25 years of experience working with Fortune 500 clients in sales, account management, and procurement. She ensures the highest level of service for the most demanding customers. Maria knows the ins and outs of these roles and what it takes to excel in them. She is highly adept at finding the best talent to properly manage customer relationships at the highest level.
Paul Asquini
Managing Director
Paul Asquini - Managing Director
During his four-decade-long career in technology, Paul has been recognized as a leader and top performer. He partners with global, national, and startup organizations alike, providing strategic direction on building teams through human capital. Paul serves as a partner to clients at both the commercial and candidate levels, specializing in the placement of talent in all aspects of client services. He thrives on the fast-paced nature of professional search and works diligently to identify top talent for his clients.
Troy Prario
Managing Director
Troy Prario - Managing Director
With over 30 years of experience in the telecommunications and technology sectors, Troy has expertise in sales, carrier relations, procurement, and regulatory affairs. He specializes in connecting candidates with opportunities in all areas of telecommunications and technology. Troy leverages his extensive experience to help bridge the gap between talent and opportunity, ensuring placements that benefit both candidates and organizations.
Chris Kelleher
Managing Director
Chris Kelleher - Managing Director
Chris brings decades of sales leadership experience from top companies like LinkedIn, BT and Modern Health. With firsthand knowledge of building high-performing teams, Chris excels in recruiting top sales leadership, sales and marketing talent for clients in the technology sector.
In addition to his corporate expertise, Chris has a proven track record of recruiting nonprofit executives, including CEOs, Executive Directors, and Chief Development Officers. His ability to connect mission-driven organizations with transformative leaders ensures impactful placements tailored to each nonprofit’s unique mission.
Chris holds a BA from the University of Michigan and an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
Eric Gustin
Managing Director
Eric Gustin - Managing Director
Eric has over 30 years of management experience in the banking, leasing, and financing industries.
With a specialty in the software, telecommunications, and information technology sectors, Eric has hired, developed, and led high-performing teams throughout his career. His industry knowledge and keen sense of vetting competencies and proficiencies are his strong suits. His ability to leverage strategic vision and operational expertise makes him highly qualified to diagnose organizational priorities and match top-tier talent with organizational culture.Eric has over 30 years of management experience in the Banking, leasing and financing industry.
With a specialty in the Software, Telecommunications and Information Technology industries, Eric has hired, developed, and led highly performing teams throughout his career. His industry knowledge, and keen sense of vetting competencies and proficiencies, is his strong suit. His ability to leverage strategic vision and operational expertise make him highly qualified to diagnose organizational priorities and match top tier talent with organizational culture.
Jeff Neal
Talent Acquisition Specialist
Eric Gustin - Managing Director
With over 30 years of Sales, Management and team building experience, Jeff is an expert with people. He has a unique ability to understand corporate needs and employee potential. As a Master Practitioner and Master Trainer of Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP), Jeff possesses the skills to find the best and get the best out of everyone he works with. Outside of the office, Jeff conducts public speaking training and dabbles in acting and stunt work. Oh, did we mention he was an MMA champion and coach?
Sales
We specialize in placement across the full sales spectrum, from sales team members to senior executives who lead teams and drive strategy.
Sales Engineering
Account Management
From account coordinators to senior account managers, we connect dedicated professionals ready to enhance client satisfaction and drive long-term relationships through exceptional service and strategic oversight.
Project Management
We place skilled project managers who can lead initiatives, optimize resources, and deliver results on time and within budget, helping organizations achieve their strategic goals.
Marketing
Build brand identity, engage audiences, and drive business growth. We connect marketing experts with the companies that need them most.
Product Engineering
We place professionals who excel in innovation, design, and development to bring high-quality products to life and keep organizations at the forefront of their markets.
Information Technology
From systems administrators to IT directors, we connect technology experts who can manage, innovate, and secure IT infrastructure, supporting business success in a tech-driven world.
News, Advice and More
Industry Insights
Featured News
In today’s fiercely competitive job market, securing the attention of top-tier talent—especially those targeting six-figure...
In today’s fast-paced digital age, the hiring landscape is undergoing a remarkable transformation. As organizations...
In today’s fiercely competitive job market, securing the attention of top-tier talent—especially those targeting six-figure...