Mark Suss entered the world of Recruiting in 1983 when he purchased a Franchise from a nationally recognized recruiting firm that specialized in the retail industry. In 1988 he chose not to renew his contract and formed Retail Placement Associates and then expanded the business to the Advertising Industry in 1989 when he started Executive Placement Associates. In 1993 Mark supplemented his services by forming the 2nd Opinion division, dedicated to pre-employment personality evaluations and background screening. In 2003 he published his first newsletter which he sells to other non competing recruiting firms and in 2004 he formed a partnership with his daughter Ilissa ,(of course he had to promise her the sun, moon, and stars), who came to the business after spending 11 years recruiting for staffing firms and Big 4 Accounting/Consulting firms. They created Contract Placement Associates, LLC, dedicated to working exclusively in the Technology field.
Mark is a Charter member of the Top Echelon Network, Current Vice President of the Maryland Recruiters Assn, and past President of the Maryland Recruiters Assn for 8 years (normally a 2 year term that kept going, and going, and going, don’t ask!). He has conducted seminars for TopEchelon at both their Regional and National conventions on a wide range of subjects such as his multi-step methodology for running a successful recruiting desk, creative marketing techniques for building your business, closing techniques, and more. In addition, Mark has consulted to other recruiting firms on compensation issues, creative hiring ideas, and training and retention issues. He has also consulted to Retail and Restaurant companies on business valuations, merchandising, hiring, training, and retention issues, and overall retail operations.
Mark grew up in Northern New Jersey (Hey! How you doin? You doin awright?) and graduated from Teaneck High School. He received a 2 year Management degree from the Fashion Institute of Technology and finished his 4 year education at Bradley University. He graduated WITHOUT DISTINCTION and a BS degree in Marketing. He also met Marcia Gilbert with whom he formed a MLP, (MAXIMUM LIABILITY PARTNERSHIP), more commonly known as marriage, for over 35 years.
Mark spent the first 15 years of his career rising through the ranks at Bloomingdales in NYC. He attained the level of a Division Manager for a $45,000,000 Menswear business. When he was in his mid 30’s he woke up one day and realized he would be carried out of the store in either a straight jacket or a body bag, 2 scenarios’s which he actually witnessed during his tenure. He decided it was time to find a new career. Somehow the Recruiting Industry became the lucky recipient of his many talents and yadda, yadda, yadda, he’s still hanging around.