The Carlisle Group

What The Carlisle Group does

The Carlisle Group (TCG) is an independently owned executive search and recruitment firm founded in February 1996 (originally as Management Recruiters of Carlisle, Inc.) and headquartered in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. The firm provides retained, engaged, contingency, and interim/contract executive search services alongside complementary offerings including proprietary behavioral and emotional intelligence assessments, reference checking, compensation research, succession planning, outplacement, and talent acquisition advisory. Its core technology stack consists of PCRecruiter (applicant tracking), Google Analytics, and standard productivity tools; the firm's "Predictive Performance Profiling" and "Emotional Intelligence Assessment" are branded as proprietary evaluation methodologies rather than AI-native systems.

TCG targets employers across ten specialized verticals: Animal Health & Pet Food, Ingredients & Flavors, Insurance, Grocery Retail, Food & Beverage, Industrial, Human Health & Nutrition, Nonprofit, Public Transit, and Distribution & Logistics. The client base includes 19 Fortune 100 and 135+ Fortune 500 companies alongside mid-market and cooperative organizations, with claimed reach across 13+ nations spanning North America, APAC, EMEA, and South America. Revenue mechanics are project-based across the four engagement models (retained, engaged, contingency, contract), with quote-based pricing and no publicly disclosed fee schedules.

The firm is co-owned and operated by the Wendeln family (Bert F. Wendeln as President/CEO and Shelly A. Wendeln as COO/Co-Owner) with an executive leadership team including Chief Sales Officer Tony Frey, Managing Directors Kaitlyn Vinson (Food & Beverage/Ingredients/Animal Health), Marc Gyimesi (Insurance), and Brett Myers (Grocery Retail), plus dedicated research staff. Since operating as an independent entity after its tenure as a top-10 franchisee within MRINetwork's global network, TCG has accumulated 6,500+ search engagements, 1,600+ C-suite placements, a 98% client satisfaction rating, and a 97% long-term candidate retention rate across nearly three decades of operation.

Name

The Carlisle Group

Legal name

Management Recruiters of Carlisle, Inc.

Website

https://tcgrecruit.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Carlisle Group (TCG) is a privately held, family-owned executive search firm founded in 1996, providing retained, engaged, contingency, and interim staffing services to employers across ten specialized verticals including Food & Beverage, Insurance, Grocery Retail, Animal Health, and Industrial.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Mechanicsburg

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Retained Executive Search: Full-cycle executive search with upfront client commitment. TCG partners with organizations for dedicated, priority service on critical leadership roles, typically C-suite and senior executive placements. Clients pay a retainer fee with search conducted exclusively for them.
2. Engaged/Financially Committed Search: Committed search engagements with financial investment from client, offering a middle ground between retained and contingency models with guaranteed service priority.
3. Contingency Search: Success-based placement where TCG is only compensated upon successful placement. Client has no upfront commitment.
4. Professional Interim & Contract Staffing: Contract-based staffing solutions for organizations needing temporary professional support or interim leadership while searching for permanent hires.
5. Research & Consulting Services: Market research, compensation analysis, succession planning, and talent acquisition advisory services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Carlisle Group (TCG) is a private executive search and recruitment firm that identifies, evaluates, and places senior leadership and specialized professionals for client organizations. The firm offers retained executive search, engaged search, contingency search, and professional interim/contract staffing engagements, supported by proprietary candidate assessment tools including Predictive Performance Profiling and Emotional Intelligence Assessment. TCG operates across multiple industry verticals including Food & Beverage, Insurance, Industrial, Grocery Retail, Animal Health, Ingredients & Flavors, Human Health & Nutrition, Public Transit, Nonprofit, and Distribution & Logistics.

Product overview

The Carlisle Group (TCG) is an executive search and recruitment services firm offering a comprehensive suite of talent acquisition solutions. The core portfolio includes three primary search modalities: Retained Executive Search (upfront commitment model), Engaged Search Services (financially committed engagements), and Contingency Search Services (performance-based placements). Supporting these are specialized assessment tools including Predictive Performance Profiling and Emotional Intelligence Assessment for candidate evaluation. The firm provides verification services (Professional Reference Checking), strategic consulting (Compensation Research & Analysis, Position Profile Creation, Succession Planning & Career Pathing), and transition support (Outplacement Services, Relocation Package Analysis). Additional offerings include Professional Interim & Contract Staffing for temporary needs, Research & Consulting Services, and Talent Acquisition Department Guidance. The firm operates across multiple industry verticals including Food & Beverage, Insurance, Grocery Retail, Animal Health, Ingredients & Flavors, Industrial, Distribution & Logistics, Nonprofit, and Public Transit.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Retained Executive Search Full-cycle executive search with upfront client retainer, providing exclusive access to candidates and dedicated consultant attention for C-suite and senior-level placements across multiple industries.
• Engaged Search Services Search engagements with financial commitment from the client, involving active candidate development and a structured hiring process with performance-based elements.
• Contingency Search Services Performance-based search where the firm is paid only upon successful placement, offering clients a risk-reduced approach to filling mid-level and specialized positions.
• Professional Interim & Contract Staffing Temporary staffing solutions providing skilled professionals for short-term needs, bridging gaps during leadership transitions or covering roles while permanent hires are sought.
• Predictive Performance Profiling Behavioral profile assessment using predictive analytics to evaluate candidate work styles, decision-making patterns, and performance potential.
• Emotional Intelligence Assessment Evaluation tool measuring interpersonal effectiveness, self-awareness, and EQ competencies to assess candidate cultural fit and leadership potential.
• Professional Reference Checking Comprehensive reference validation service verifying candidate background, work history, and professional reputation through structured interviews.
• Compensation Research & Analysis Market intelligence on salary ranges, benefits packages, and compensation benchmarks to support competitive hiring offers.
• Position Profile Creation Development of detailed job specifications, required qualifications, and role expectations to attract qualified candidates.
• Succession Planning & Career Pathing Long-term workforce planning services helping organizations identify and develop internal talent for leadership transitions.
• Outplacement Services Support services for departing employees including resume writing, career coaching, and job search assistance.
• Relocation Package Analysis & Services Assessment and planning of employee relocation support including cost analysis, area information, and transition assistance.
• Research & Consulting Services Customized research and advisory services supporting talent strategy, market analysis, and organizational development initiatives.
• Talent Acquisition Department Guidance Advisory services helping organizations build or improve internal recruiting capabilities, processes, and team structure.

Quantifiable outcome

• 6,500+ successful search engagements completed
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments12 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered former flagship and core.

• MRINetwork (Management Recruiters International)former flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 1996TCG was founded in February 1996 as a franchisee of MRINetwork (one of the nation's largest search firms). The firm rose to be ranked top 10 within their global network over three decades, earning awards and industry recognition. TCG has since become independent but gained invaluable global perspectives and best practices through this partnership.
• Main Sequence TechnologiescoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology vendor hosting and supporting PCRecruiter, TCG's Applicant Tracking Database. Main Sequence Technology, Inc. is located in Willoughby, OH and provides the core technology infrastructure for candidate tracking and recruitment workflow management.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• DHR Global: Mid-sized global executive search firm formed as a partnership of former larger-firm partners. Most directly comparable in scale and operating model to TCG, with similar practice-area specialization across industries.
• WittKieffer: Executive search firm with deep specialization in healthcare, insurance, and nonprofit sectors. Strongly comparable to TCG's industry-specialized model and mid-market positioning.
• True Search: Boutique executive search firm focused on private equity-backed and growth-stage companies. Comparable in size and consultancy-led engagement model, though with a different end-market emphasis.
• Odgers Berndtson: International executive search firm with industry-specialized practice groups. Comparable boutique-to-mid-market positioning with similar sector-focused team structure.

Broad incumbents

• Egon Zehnder: Privately held global executive search and leadership advisory firm. Highly comparable business model and culture of vertical practice specialization, but at substantially larger scale.
• Korn Ferry: Largest executive search firm globally, expanded into talent consulting and RPO. Comparable in executive search and leadership advisory but operates a much broader HR services portfolio.
• Heidrick & Struggles: Global executive search and leadership advisory firm. Directly comparable in core service offering (executive search) but operates at significantly larger scale across geographies and industries, with broader leadership consulting adjacencies.
• Spencer Stuart: One of the world's leading executive search firms with deep board and CEO placement practice. Same core business model (retained executive search) with similar vertical specialization, but at materially larger scale.
• Russell Reynolds Associates: Global executive search firm with strong practice in board, CEO, and financial services placements. Closely comparable service offering and retainer-based model, at larger scale.

Others

• MRINetwork: Global executive search and recruitment network under which TCG operated as a franchisee from 1996 until becoming independent. Provides franchise infrastructure and shared resources to independent search firms, including TCG historically.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/TCGrecruitConst
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheCarlisleGroupTCG
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-carlisle-group-tcg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Carlisle Group