Mike Gamble
President and CEO

Tara Farrington
Director of Operations

       
Mark Gnatovic
Vice President
Holly Mulvaney
Executive Assistant

Kellie Henderson 
Executive Recruiter

       
John A. Marks 
Executive Consultant and Coach

Jim Sweeney
Executive Consultant and Coach 

Brent Lubahn
Executive Recruiter


       

 

 

 




Mike Gamble

President and CEO

Company Headquarters
320 Myrtle Street West
Stillwater, MN 55082
(p) 651-275-1370
gamble@searchwide.com
 
As co-founder of SearchWide™ in 1999, Mike's primary focus is to ensure that SearchWide™ exceeds client and candidate expectations every day. While striving to add value and develop new opportunities for SearchWide™, Mike ensures the team stays very focused on our core mission.  Through his cooperative leadership style he creates a secure and productive environment for the teams’ success.  Additionally, Mike handles "C" level searches across all sectors of business and often assists other recruiters with their assignments.

Prior to SearchWide™, Mike served as Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing for the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau (PCVB). During that time, the Philadelphia Business Journal, named Gamble one of the most successful business leaders under the age of 40 in Philadelphia. Prior to the PCVB, he spent 9 years with Marriott International in various sales positions in Dallas, San Antonio and Chicago. He has been active in all industry associations and served as chairman of the MPI Foundations Board of Trustees and served on the PCMA Foundation Board as well.

Mike’s extensive career in the hospitality industry began when he earned a B.S. degree from the University of Wisconsin-Stout in Hotel and Restaurant Management.  He currently resides in the Twin Cities area with his wife and four children.

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Jim Carra
Executive Vice President

P.O. Box 956
Traverse City, MI 49685
(p) 231-995-0567
carra@searchwide.com

Jim provides executive search services to global hospitality companies and related renowned industry brands.  His expertise includes senior level search assignments in the lodging sector, for the attractions industry, convention centers and destination marketing organizations.  With over ten years experience at SearchWide™, Jim has been instrumental in building client satisfaction and evolving services to meet the needs of an ever changing environment for talent acquisition.

Prior to joining SearchWide™, Jim held leadership roles in the CVB and hotel industry.  His experience includes work in New York, Chicago, Dallas, New Orleans, Washington DC, and Baltimore.  He has worked for Loews Hotels, Fairmont, and Marriott International in Sales and Marketing, after an earlier career in hotel operations.  

Jim has enjoyed involvement with trade groups like the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), Meeting Professionals International (MPI), Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA), and International Association of Exhibits and Events (IAEE).  He has been a speaker and written articles on human resource issues and recruiting for numerous publications and organizations.  A native New Yorker, Jim is a graduate from Ashland University and currently resides with his family in beautiful Northern Michigan

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John A. Marks
Executive Consultant and Coach

Tucson, AZ 85750
(p) 520-664-4281
jmarks@searchwide.com

Prior to joining SearchWide, John Marks served as President and CEO of the San Francisco Convention & Visitors Bureau from 1987-2006. The Bureau, founded in 1909, is San Francisco's official visitor promotion agency.

Marks served as National Chairman of the Travel Industry Association of America (TIA) in 2003, he is a Past Chairman and current member of its Foundation Board; served as Co-Chair of the U.S./Japan Tourism Export Expansion Initiative (2002-2005); was a founding member of the California Travel and Tourism Commission (1998-2003), and is Past President of the California Travel Industry Association (CALTIA) in 1999-2000.

From 1982 until his appointment to the San Francisco Bureau, Marks was president and CEO of the Phoenix & Valley of the Sun Convention & Visitors Bureau. Prior to 1982, he held posts as chief executive of the Arizona Office of Tourism, the Scottsdale Chamber of Commerce and on the staff of the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce.

A native of San Francisco, Marks graduated from the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California with a bachelor's degree in communications and he now resides in Tucson, AZ with his wife Marty.

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Jim Sweeney 
Executive Consultant and Coach

Chicago, IL 60614
(p) 773-975-1878
sweeney@searchwide.com

Jim Sweeney, previously served as CEO of American Dental Association (ADA) Business Enterprises before joining SearchWide™ in 2008 as an executive consultant and coach.  Sweeney brings stellar association industry experience that has spanned thirty years, in ever advancing roles and highlighted by his many years with the ADA as Assistant Executive Director, Conference and Meeting Services.  Sweeney will be based in Chicago, with his consulting efforts concentrating on introducing SearchWide’s™ proven executive search process to the association and not for profit industry sector. 

Beyond his executive staff roles in associations, Jim Sweeney has served on numerous boards and advisory committees including; the Professional Convention Management Association,  Sheraton, Hilton and Starwood Hotels, several leading Destination Marketing Organizations and the Hawaii Convention Center.

A native of Northern California, Sweeney graduated from the University of California, Berkley with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration.  Jim currently resides in Chicago.

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Kellie Henderson
Executive Recruiter

Springfield, VA 
(p) 703-942-5465
henderson@searchwide.com

Kellie provides consulting and coaching services for hotels, convention and visitor bureaus, event companies as well as association and association management firms.  Located in Washington, DC, she is an expert at recognizing her clients’ needs and being able to identify talent that is best in class. Her expertise includes Director level assignments, account management and business development.

Kellie has significant experience in the hospitality industry and has held sales positions with convention and visitors bureaus and hotels in the Washington, DC region. She has worked for Destination DC, Marriott International and the Puerto Rico Convention Bureau.

Kellie enjoys her active participation with Meeting Professionals International (MPI), Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA), Association of Meeting Professionals (AMPs), American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) and the National Coalition of Black Meeting Planners (NCBMP). Originally from Philadelphia, Kellie has been a long time resident of the Washington, DC area. She attended Howard University and lives in Virginia with her husband and 2 children. 

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Mark Gnatovic 
Vice President

Dallas/Fort Worth, TX
(p) 972-906-9118
gnatovic@searchwide.com 

Mark provides executive search services to the events, tradeshow, experiential marketing industries and to companies within and adjacent to the hospitality industry.  His expertise includes strategic business development, account management and senior level sales and general management executive search.  Mark is very solid at client and candidate retention while understanding client strategies and their core business' to be able to recognize valued talent. 
 
Prior to joining SearchWide, Mark has more than 15 years of experience in the hospitality industry.  His experience includes work in Chicago, Minneapolis and Dallas.  He has eight years experience with the Hilton Anatole, two terms at the Chicago Hilton & Towers, as well as the Palmer House Hilton, O'Hare Hilton and Minneapolis Hilton & Towers.  He has participated in the opening of two Hilton Hotels and has experience within food and beverage management, convention management and sales management. 
 
During Mark's career he has been involved with Meeting Professionals International (MPI), Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) and International Association of Exhibits and Events (IAEE).  A native Chicagoan, Mark is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin - Stout and currently resides just outside Dallas with his wife and three kids.

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Brent Lubahn
Executive Recruiter

Company Headquarters
320 Myrtle Street West
Stillwater, MN 55082
(p) 952-431-5968

lubahn@searchwide.com

Brent provides executive search services to the events, tradeshow, and experiential marketing industries.  His expertise includes uncovering and qualifying candidates across all segments of our business.  He has conducted search for senior level sales, account management and has assisted in several strategic senior level search assignments in both operations and sales.  Brent is extremely effective at understanding our clients needs to effectively market, prospect and qualify candidates and is very effective at managing candidates throughout the search process.
 
Prior to joining SearchWide, Brent has leadership experience within Division 1 collegiate sports where he was responsible for sales and marketing and overall execution of events, promotions, sponsorship and revenue growth.  Brent also spent time within the convention industry at one of the largest convention hotels in the southwest in both market research and sales management. 

Brent has been involved with the local DFW Chapter of Meeting Professionals International (MPI) and has been our company leader navigating the importance of online networking sites such as Linkedin.  A graduate of Texas Christian University (TCU), he currently resides with his family in Apple Valley, MN.

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Tara Farrington 
Director of Operations 

Company Headquarters
320 Myrtle Street West
Stillwater, MN 55082
(p) 651-275-1370

farrington@searchwide.com

As Director of Operations, Tara oversees all aspects of SearchWide’s service delivery promise to ensure that all of our offices and associates consistently deliver extraordinary service to exceed our client and candidate expectations.  Tara has been instrumental in helping guide SearchWide through years of new growth and development with a focus on implementing technological and operational enhancements for continued effectiveness. 

Tara joined SearchWide in August 2001, starting as the office manager and executive assistant to the CEO.   Tara brings over 14 years of experience in service and operations. Previously she worked for Randstad North America, a staffing company, as an Account Executive. 

A graduate of Saint Cloud State University and a native Minnesotan, Tara resides with her family in St. Paul.

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Holly Mulvaney 
Executive Assistant 

Company Headquarters
320 Myrtle Street West
Stillwater, MN 55082
(p) 651-275-1370

mulvaney@searchwide.com

Holly provides administrative support to several of our executive recruiters.  She works closely with our clients and candidates throughout the search process to provide exemplary service.  Holly is an integral part of the search process from start to finish.  She prides herself on customer service and customer satisfaction.
 
Holly’s background and education has been centered on public relations and communications.  She has worked in a supportive role assisting professionals for over 14 years and has been with SearchWide for almost 5 years. 

Holly currently resides with her husband and three children in Minnesota and is based out of SearchWide’s headquarter office in Stillwater, MN.

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New website coming soon!

“Our placed candidate is doing a great job and has brought many new and fresh ideas with him. He hit the ground running and survived our major city festival. Thanks again for your excellent job finding us candidates for our President position.”

Tim Haggart
Chairman
Lansing Entertainment and Public Facilities Authority

   


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