Palmer Group
Palmer Group is an employee-owned Iowa-based employment agency and talent solutions firm founded in 1998, providing contract, contract-to-hire, direct hire, executive search, and HR/IT consulting services across seven industry verticals to employers ranging from local businesses to Fortune 500 companies in Iowa and Minnesota.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1998
- HeadquartersWest Des Moines, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Palmer Group does
Palmer Group is a West Des Moines, Iowa-based employment agency and talent solutions provider founded in 1998 by Austin Palmer. The company delivers staffing and recruitment services across seven industry verticals—Accounting & Finance, Administrative & Customer Service, Construction/Engineering/Manufacturing, Human Resources, Information Technology, Mortgage & Banking, and Sales & Marketing—operating through three Iowa office locations (West Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, and a broader Eastern Iowa market) with additional reach into Minnesota.
The company's core technology consists of an online job search platform hosting 200+ active positions, an applicant tracking system accessible through the website, an employee portal, and an online time reporting and approval system used by employees, independent contractors, and business clients. These are standard commercial staffing-platform capabilities rather than proprietary differentiators. The firm augments its core staffing offering with a broader services portfolio: outplacement and career transition, candidate evaluation and assessments, retained executive search, HR and IT consulting, and accounting and payroll services. An annual Iowa Salary Guide (2026 edition) serves as a content-marketing and market-intelligence asset.
Palmer Group became a 100% employee-owned company through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) in 2016, when founder Austin Palmer sold the business to its employees. It is privately held with no external PE/VC involvement. Revenue is generated through transaction-based placement fees on employer clients (contract, contract-to-hire, and direct hire), retained executive search fees, and professional services fees for consulting and payroll. Job seeker services are provided at no cost, with the employer side monetized through custom-quoted, multi-year engagements. The company employs 70+ staff including 50+ recruiters, serving clients ranging from local Iowa businesses to Fortune 500 companies. David Leto serves as President & CEO (since 2023), with Traci Ellis as CFO.
Palmer Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Palmer Group
- Legal name
- Palmer Group, Talent & Business Solutions
- Website
- https://thepalmergroup.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1998
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Palmer Group is an employee-owned Iowa-based employment agency and talent solutions firm founded in 1998, providing contract, contract-to-hire, direct hire, executive search, and HR/IT consulting services across seven industry verticals to employers ranging from local businesses to Fortune 500 companies in Iowa and Minnesota.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Palmer Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Staffing & Recruitment Services
- NAICS
- Employment Placement Agencies and Executive Search Services (56131), Temporary Help Services (561320)
- SIC
- Services-Employment Agencies (7361), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Local & Regional Generalist Staffing Agencies (BPACACAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Multi-Site / Branch Network Staffing (BPACACAJ), Professional Employer Organization (PEO) / Co-Employment Services (BPACAHAB)
Keywords
Where Palmer Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- West Des Moines
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Palmer Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Employer Staffing and Placement Fees: Palmer Group earns revenue by charging employers for staffing and recruitment services, including temporary staffing, contract-to-hire placements, and direct hire placements. The company acts as an intermediary, screening and placing candidates with client companies.
- Professional Services: Palmer Group offers consulting services in HR and IT, accounting and payroll services, and outplacement services to employers. These services generate additional recurring revenue streams.
- Executive Search: Retained executive search services for organizations seeking senior leadership placements, typically on a fee basis for successful placements.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free job seeker services |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Multi-year contract | Employer staffing services |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels9 records
Palmer Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Palmer Group is a regional employment agency and staffing firm that places candidates with employers across seven industry verticals via contract, contract-to-hire, and direct hire arrangements. Beyond core staffing, the firm provides executive search, outplacement and career transition services, candidate evaluation and assessments, HR and IT consulting, and accounting and payroll services. All employer services are monetized while job seeker services are provided at no cost.
Product overview
Palmer Group is an employee-owned employment agency and talent solutions company providing a comprehensive suite of staffing and human resources services since 1998. The company's offerings include core staffing services (contract, contract-to-hire, and direct hire placement), outplacement and career transition services, candidate evaluation and assessments, executive search, HR and IT consulting, and accounting and payroll services. The portfolio is organized around connecting employers with talent across seven major industry verticals: Accounting & Finance, Administrative & Customer Service, Construction/Engineering/Manufacturing, Human Resources, Information Technology, Mortgage & Banking, and Sales & Marketing. Additional resources include an annual Salary Guide with Iowa market compensation data, career planning tools, and a job search platform featuring hundreds of open positions.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Staffing & Direct Hire Dynamic staffing solutions featuring contract, contract-to-hire, and direct hire placement options to connect employers with qualified candidates across multiple industries.
- Outplacement & Career Transition Services Personalized career transition support services for employees undergoing workforce changes, including resume assistance, job search guidance, and interview preparation.
- Evaluation & Assessments Quality assessments and professional feedback tools for hiring, evaluation, and retention efforts to help employers make informed talent decisions.
- Executive Search Premier executive search service to help organizations identify and recruit visionary leadership talent for senior-level positions, typically conducted on a retained fee basis for successful placements.
- HR Consulting Strategic human resources consulting services covering policy development, compliance support, employee relations, and leadership development to optimize workplace culture.
- IT Consulting IT consulting solutions including consulting services, managed capacity, and succession planning to maintain and grow strong IT systems for business clients.
- Accounting & Payroll Services Streamlined accounting and payroll operations services ensuring accuracy and compliance for business clients.
- Job Search Platform Online job board featuring over 200 current job openings across seven major industries with job alert subscription capabilities via text or email, supporting placement activities.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 200 current job openings available through the platform
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Palmer Group
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Palmer Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Palmer Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Regional Organizations (Iowa)minorPalmer Group developed its 2026 Salary Guide for the Iowa job market in partnership with regional organizations. The guide provides salary data and insights into industry trends, based on survey data and analysis, emphasizing stability in compensation and the importance of in-person collaboration amidst market volatility.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Palmer Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Aerotek: Specialized staffing provider covering engineering, manufacturing, technical, and professional placements under the Allegis Group umbrella. Comparable to Palmer Group's Construction/Engineering/Manufacturing and IT practice areas, with overlap in candidate profile and employer client base.
- Express Employment Professionals: Franchised staffing agency providing temporary, contract, and direct hire placement across administrative, commercial, and professional roles with strong regional franchise footprint. Closely comparable as a multi-vertical, locally-operated staffing brand with employer clients ranging from local businesses to enterprise accounts.
- Robert Half International: Global staffing and consulting firm with deep placement, temporary staffing, and executive search capabilities across finance, accounting, technology, and administrative roles. Highly comparable as a multi-vertical staffing agency serving both SMB and Fortune 500 employers, though at much larger scale than Palmer Group.
- Kforce: Professional staffing firm focused on technology, finance, and accounting placements with temporary and direct hire solutions. Closely comparable to Palmer Group's IT and Accounting & Finance verticals with similar placement fee revenue model.
- Kelly Services: Global staffing provider offering temporary staffing, direct hire, and workforce solutions across multiple industries including professional, industrial, and educational segments. Comparable in multi-vertical contract and direct hire placement, with substantially larger geographic reach.
- Insight Global: Large national staffing firm providing contract, contract-to-hire, and direct hire placements across IT, finance, accounting, engineering, and other professional verticals. Directly comparable in service mix and multi-vertical GTM, though Insight Global operates across dozens of U.S. metros versus Palmer Group's Iowa concentration.
Emerging players
- TEKsystems: IT staffing and services provider specializing in technology talent placement, managed services, and consulting. Comparable to Palmer Group's IT Consulting and Information Technology vertical, with a deeper technology-only focus.
Broad incumbents
- Adecco: One of the world's largest staffing firms offering temporary staffing, permanent placement, and workforce solutions across virtually all industries. Comparable as a broad-based incumbent whose portfolio overlaps with all seven of Palmer Group's verticals, though Adecco operates at global scale.
- ManpowerGroup: Global workforce solutions company providing staffing, recruitment process outsourcing, and career management across professional, commercial, and industrial segments. Comparable to Palmer Group's full-service staffing-plus-consulting model, though at global enterprise scale.
- Randstad: Global HR services and staffing leader with temporary staffing, permanent placement, and talent solutions across enterprise and mid-market clients. Comparable as a broad incumbent serving Fortune 500 employers with multi-vertical offerings similar to Palmer Group's portfolio.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Palmer Group social profiles
Digital presencePalmer Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Palmer Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Palmer Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Palmer Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Palmer Group
What does Palmer Group do?
Palmer Group is a regional employment agency and staffing firm that places candidates with employers across seven industry verticals via contract, contract-to-hire, and direct hire arrangements. Beyond core staffing, the firm provides executive search, outplacement and career transition services, candidate evaluation and assessments, HR and IT consulting, and accounting and payroll services. All employer services are monetized while job seeker services are provided at no cost.
Is Palmer Group a public or private company?
Palmer Group is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Palmer Group founded?
Palmer Group was founded in 1998. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Palmer Group based?
Palmer Group is headquartered in West Des Moines, United States, in the North America region.
How does Palmer Group make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Employer Staffing and Placement Fees are the primary driver. The others are professional Services and executive Search.
Who are Palmer Group's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Aerotek, Express Employment Professionals, Robert Half International, Kforce, Kelly Services and Insight Global. TEKsystems is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Adecco, ManpowerGroup and Randstad.
Does Palmer Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for Palmer Group.
What industry is Palmer Group in?
Palmer Group's product category is Staffing & Recruitment Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPACACAH, Local & Regional Generalist Staffing Agencies, with a secondary code of BPACACAJ, Multi-Site / Branch Network Staffing. Its NAICS code is 56131 and its SIC code is 7361.