Testimonials

See what people are saying about us below.

John Kessler, Chief Strategy Officer at Encova Insurance (formerly Motorists Insurance Group)

“At Encova Insurance, we were at the forefront of a major transformation involving our culture and entire business infrastructure (organizational, operational, financial and technology). Rich Grunenwald and Advisory & Consulting Services were a strategic partner with us on this journey.

We were being hindered by outdated recruiting and hiring practices that were no longer responsive nor effective. Rich recognized that traditional placement services were not enough to help us advance our organization to where it needed to be, so he proposed an innovative model that enabled us to hire the talent we needed in a much more timely manner, ensuring both cultural and technical fit. His model cut our time to hire by over 50%, reduced our interview-to-hire ratio from 12-to-1 down to under 3-to-1, and eliminated falloffs in the first year.

Through our cooperative partnership with Rich and Advisory & Consulting Services, we were able to reinvent our talent acquisition process and thus successfully execute the most transformational strategy in the history of our company.”

John K Drugan

As a senior professional, I have worked with numerous recruiters and agencies over my career. Most recently, I had the good fortune to connect with Rich Grunenwald of Advisory & Consulting Services. Rich listened to what was important to me, and found a role that aligned with my needs. Moreover, he was completely transparent and supportive through the entire process, providing insight and coaching throughout. I’ve now landed the ideal position, thanks to Rich and his firm.

Shaun Frecska, Driven, Experienced and Diversified Sales Leader

Rich is one of those go-to resources, and experts, I frequently head to when in need of a valuable insight, thorough perspective and tangible strategies that can deliver immediate impact. Whether it’s talent acquistion, thought leadership or business insight – I would highly recommend him to other executives – regardless of your industry.

Heather Rodriguez, Project Manager

I connected with Rich and his firm through a mutual friend. Though he did not have an immediate opening for me, he took the time to get to know me and what I was looking for, provided connections, and kept watch for positions of interest. Rich provided advice regarding my resume’, job search, and interviewing that was instrumental in ultimately landing a position. I highly recommend both firms looking to hire and individuals looking for their next role to reach out to Rich and his firm, Advisory and Consulting Services LLC.

Keith Stevens, Founder / Advisor / Investor

I’ve known Rich for years as we worked as business partners in the past. Once he established Advisory and Consulting Services, we leveraged his background in the central Ohio market to jumpstart our growth in the IT staffing space. He worked with our team to provide IT training as well as coaching and mentoring in sales and recruiting. He provided referrals to talent which all helped build a foundation for the growth we are experiencing today.

Sabrina Stover, CFO & COO at ERPA

“We engaged Rich and his team on a strategic search on a position that we had been challenged with. Since the position was a new role for our organization, it was not particularly well defined. After meeting with us to understand the role and our company, Rich and his team provided a set of candidates that fit not only the stated requirements but our culture, resulting in rapidly filling a critical role in our organization. I highly recommend Rich and Advisory & Consulting Services for a strategic search.”

CJ Gross, Sogeti USA, The Technology & Engineering Services Division of Capgemini America, Inc.

Rich is awesome, a true thought leader in the Staffing Industry. There are a lot of pretenders in our space but Rich is the genuine article. You can count on one hand the number of people in Columbus, OH that have his expertise. The clincher is that you get to tap into his vast wealth of knowledge without the baggage of dealing with a huge ego.

Janette Crispi, Technical Recruiter at Revel IT

I have known Rich in a professional capacity, as my manager, for over 5 years and have found him to be hardworking, honest, reliable, dedicated, patient, conscientious and extremely knowledgeable in all aspects of the consulting world. He was not only a great boss but a wonderful mentor. He did what he could to make sure all his employees were happy and successful. I would work for him or with him again without a second thought. Rich would be an incredible asset to any company!

Roger Custodio, Chief Information Officer (CIO)

Rich Grunenwald has a very broad professional background encompassing project and program management, sales and marketing, business management, recruiting, consulting, and operations. I had the opportunity to work with Rich on a vast variety of initiatives and projects in multiple industries. He was always focused on increasing productivity, maximizing profits, and improving margins while delivering value to his customers. His professional demeanor, business acumen, and integrity are evident in his interactions with peers and clients. Rich is a true leader and a seasoned professional with progressive experience in the IT industry. I recommend Rich Grunenwald to any organization looking for ways to improve its operations and bottom line.

Bruce Rowles, CSSR, Regional Recruiting Manager at Experis

I have had the pleasure of working in the same office as Rich the last 2 years. Even though I did not report directly to Rich we did work together on a couple of projects and opportunities. I found Rich to be hard working, easy to talk with and approachable. Rich’s knowledge within IT Services and his networking contacts within the community helped make him the leader he is. I look forward to networking with Rich in the near future.

Carrie Archer, Vice President at MAXIMUS

Rich is one of the smartest, hardest working people that I know. I have had the pleasure of working for him and with him over the last 12 years. He has an in-depth knowledge of the IT Professional Services market. He is an expert at Business Development, Talent Acquisition and Financial Management. He is a great leader and mentor. Rich is a person of integrity and can be counted on. I enjoy working with him every chance I get.

Nick Riehl, Team Lead - Communication Team & Disaster Assistance at American Red Cross - Volunteer

During the 12 years I worked with Rich at Compuware and Experis, he was an outstanding Account Manager and Managing Director. He kept current on the latest technologies; he demonstrated exceptional sales and communication skills; he went out of his way to mentor, counsel, and stay in touch with his clients and consultants. In my 45 year career, Rich rates on the top of my list of best people to work with, always demonstrating integrity and professionalism.

Catherine Lang-Cline, President and Co-Creator of Portfolio Creative • Placer of Creative Talent • Public Speaker • Board Member

We had Rich serve on our advisory board as a non-competing staffing specialist. The insights he brought to those meetings were amazing and I can truly say that it effected the efficiency of our business. Rich is a true professional. He gained the complete respect and friendship of both me and my business partner and couldn’t recommend him more highly as either an addition to a board or as an addition to a team.

Janice Worthington, MA, CPRW, JCTC, CEIP, Safe Job Search | Executive Career Coach | Custom Resumes | Outplacement | Interview Prep | WorthingtonCareers.com

What a powerhouse of all things superior in the recruiting industry! Rich combines hands-on talent and experience with management savvy. Whether clients, candidates or direct reports, professionals repeatedly praise his skill and integrity. I learned our industry from a pro much like Rich and I can only begin to imagine the numbers he has mentored. Reputation is everything and Rich exemplifies this through his relationships. I am thrilled to be working with him on the TechColumbus CareerTrack initiative.

Janet Mihalopoulos, Infrastructure & Operations Manager, Data Management, Design and Administration at Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation

I’ve known Rich since I worked at Motorists 16 years ago. he was my manager and mentor. People enjoy being on Rich’s team. He is a very personable person, has a great sense of humor and always looked out for what was best for me. Rich has an amazing ability to sort things out quickly and get directly to the discussion at hand. He has interpersonal skills that surpass anyone else I know. His honesty and integrity is what I admire most about him.

Dave Turano, President at JCE Consulting

I’ve had the pleasure of calling Rich Grunenwald a teammate for the past four years. He’s got a quick wit, a great sense of humor and is one of the most good-natured people that I have had the chance to work with at COMSYS. Rich is also passionate about selling and managing sales people; and is someone that I often turned to when I wanted a fresh perspective on a sales challenge. He and I successfully collaborated on several projects together and I always knew that I could count on Rich to provide thoughtful input. I hope that we have an opportunity to work together in some capacity in the future.

John Wenzel, Application Developer III at Sprint

I meet Rich when working at Compuware. He was both my mentor and account manager on several assignments. Everyone at Compuware who knew Rich spoke very highly of him. Rich is a highly polished and season IT professional of the first caliber. I would not hesitate taking a job working for Rich.

Lori Yonek Stofko, Director / Strategic Initiatives & Transformations / Program Management

Rich was my Account Manager at Compuware and I feel fortunate to have met him. He is a true professional with integrity and compassion that is hard to find! He always treats his clients and consultants with great respect and has the best interpersonal skills that I have ever encountered! I always felt I could go to him and get straight-forward honest advice – he is very approachable and despite his extremely busy schedule always makes time for you. He is simply a great leader that is enthusiastic about getting the job done right!

Teresa Toler, Sr. Systems Analyst at OhioHealth

I have known Rich for over 20 years and worked with him at Motorists Insurance as well as for him as a consultant through COMSYS. Rich is very efficient, has great technical skills and interpersonal skills and will go the extra mile to make sure things are done the right way. I would work for Rich again in any capacity and feel confident that he would always have my best interests in mind. He is by far one of the best managers that I have worked for.

Dave Carver, Mobile Consultant at CareWorks Tech

During my time at Compuware I can count three project managers that would want to work for again in the future. Rich is at the top of this list. He not only treated the customer well and with respect, but also treated those that were working at his clients with the same level of respect and professionalism. He was always available to listen for new opportunities and would address issues that were brought to his attention in a timely manner. Rich would do what was needed to get the job done, and it was a pleasure to work for him on a couple of assignments.

Ken Platenak, Senior Consultant at Sogeti

Rich is a consummate professional with a unique ability to establish sincere bonds with both business leaders and technical resources in the community. He is highly admired not just because of his naturally friendly demeanor and calm approachable character… but because he is a person of integrity, respectfulness, and effective counsel. I look forward to working for him in future endeavors. 5 out of 5 stars!

Derek Kane, Drive revenue, improve the customer experience and enable faster decision making using Event Streaming.

Rich was my account manager while I worked at Sterling Commerce and was always willing to take time to discuss any issue work or personal to keep his staff and his clients happy.

Rich is a terrific manager who leaves a trail of strong relationships in his path. I have never heard an unkind word mentioned about him. He is hard working and genuinely cares for everyone that he works with. As a result he has one of the largest networks of friends and contacts that I have ever seen. I would be happy to work with Rich again in the future.

Andy Hoying, Enterprise Telehealth Consumer & Provider Solutions

Rich goes the extra mile for his clients and consultants. He is respected in the professional services industry because of his strong networking skills and ability to anticipate a customer’s need. I highly recommend Rich to any customer.

Mukesh Joshi, Cloud Identity and Security Architect, CISSP, PMP

Rich was my hiring manager when I joined Compuware Columbus branch. I worked with him for 8 years during which he developed many large accounts and helped Compuware become one of the largest consulting firm in Columbus. He has excellent rapport with his customers and the people who work for him. He is one of the few managers that I really trust to do the right thing at all times.

Michael Conner, PMP, CSM President & CEO at Conner Winery

Rich is a very personable and savvy business person. His keen ability to relate to technical and executive level individuals places him in a rare and advantageous position to excel in his technical endeavors. His business acumen and expert judgment are reasons Rich should be considered for positions of increased responsibility and risk. When steering the ship, hand over the helm to Rich.

Mike Murdock, Director of Information Technology at the Ohio State Bar Association

Rich will always stand out in my mind as a person with the utmost integrity, professionalism and genuine compassion for those around him. He is a very capable leader who easily gains the respect of those who work for him. I look forward to our paths crossing again.

Dan Houser, Information Security Officer and Data Protection/Privacy Expert. vCISO and Strategist.

Rich has many admirable qualities, and I appreciated his strong ethics and integrity, insight, great sense of humor, and astute navigation of politics without playing the politics game. Rich was a great advocate, and I wouldn’t hesitate to be on his team again.

Tina Kreminski, MPOD, PMP VP, Business Program Manager at JPMorgan Chase & Co. Tina Kreminski, MPOD, PMP VP, Business Program Manager at JPMorgan Chase & Co.

It’s hard to say enough about Rich’s abilities–he stands out professionally in almost every way. But it’s his deep integrity, generosity of spirit, and good humor that make working with him so memorable!

testimonials