2025 Retained Rewind: A Year in Review

One of the most rewarding aspects of my career has been the opportunity to lead in ways that positively impact people and communities. While my roles have spanned park districts, the YMCA, health charities, tech associations, coaching companies, and staffing firms, a consistent playbook has guided my work: listen closely to customers and prospects, attract and develop exceptional talent and partners, build a strong brand, and consistently exceed expectations in delivery.

Retained. has been no exception.

In January, Retained entered its second year as a core division of Tier4 Group. Under the leadership of Betsy Robinson, Tier4 Group has become a powerhouse in delivering high-quality recruiting services, reflected in a remarkable 96 Net Promoter Score. While the team had already completed several executive leadership placements, Retained was, in many respects, still a startup throughout 2024.

Last year we laid the foundation and activated the playbook. Anyone who has launched a company or built a new division understands that success begins with a strong product, but brand awareness is just as critical. While Retained offered a differentiated and high-quality executive search solution, it was not yet widely known or fully understood in the marketplace. Many organizations already rely on long-standing search partners or internal recruiting teams, making market entry less about relationships and more about earning trust and share.

Throughout 2024, our focus was on building the brand, assembling the right team, and developing the infrastructure to scale. We successfully completed several searches that validated our approach and positioned us for meaningful growth. As a result, we entered 2025 primed for expansion. We exceeded our goals, growing closed searches by more than 300%. Still, like most leaders, we’re not satisfied.

Looking forward to 2026, we’re ready to scale even further. In order to support our ambitious growth, we’ve expanded our marketing capabilities and are adding a Business Development Director to our growing team. We see even greater opportunity ahead, and we’re just getting started.

If you’re planning an executive search in the year ahead, let’s talk. Retained brings deep expertise, a commitment to inclusive hiring, and a relentless focus on results. Backed by an award-winning recruiting team that knows how to deliver, you can be confident that we’ll find the right fit, the first time.

Thank you for your continued support!