Newlin Associates

Newlin Associates is an executive search company that presents itself as a trusted advisor for senior executive recruiting in the wine industry. Its focus is on CEO, president and general manager level roles, plus their direct reports. The company argues that the recruiting and hiring model is broken and that clients should not have to fix it themselves, since failed searches are disruptive and painful, time is money, and a search cannot be affordably repeated. Its answer is a proprietary method developed to solve today's real hiring challenges rather than transactional recruiting services.

The single sector is wine. The company says it has closed more than 200 placements over more than twenty years of recruiting in that industry, continually refining its methods to deliver what it calls great hires rather than just great candidates. Named clients include Crimson Wine Group, whose board search committee engaged the firm for a chief executive appointment, Cline Cellars and Jacuzzi Family Vineyards, and Peter Michael Winery, which used the firm for two high level, mission critical roles.

The method starts before any candidate is seen. David Newlin builds a Performance Success Profile, a document that identifies the skills needed and a path to success, and then defines the opportunity for candidates with specific, measurable goals for each position. Candidates are carefully screened, psychologically tested for fit and thoroughly background validated, with a ninety minute session spent walking a candidate through their assessment results. Clients describe detailed written candidate previews that came to life in interview, timely communication, and continued contact after the hire is made. Board members at Crimson Wine Group note that his insights into the industry helped them identify candidates with the skills to succeed in the future of the wine industry rather than its past. Hiring companies and job seekers both begin by requesting a consultation.