What Heron Wolf does

Heron Wolf Staffing LLC is a private, independently held B2B staffing and executive search firm specializing in the heavy civil construction and commercial real estate sectors across the United States. The firm operates from a New York headquarters with regional offices spanning eight states and offers a unified service portfolio covering contingent staffing, retained executive search through the Heron Wolf Executive sub-brand, specialized support for diverse certified firms, a multi-agency coordination platform called the Staffing Ownership System, and an annual Hiring Trends Analysis report. Its go-to-market is exclusively direct and relationship-driven, with dedicated consultants engaging enterprise and mid-market clients in construction, infrastructure, and real estate rather than using marketplaces or self-service channels.

The firm's revenue model is professional-services fees negotiated on a per-search basis, mixing contingent placements with retained executive engagements whose value scales with role seniority. Differentiators are concentrated in vertical specialization rather than proprietary technology: consultants average 13+ years of tenure versus an industry norm near three years, the firm operates without outside capital or commission-driven placement quotas, and it contributes thought leadership to major industry bodies including AGC, BOMA, PDCA, and CMAA. In 2025 the firm was recognized as Construction Business Review's Top USA Construction Staffing Firm and a Top 5 US-based firm in the Global Recruiter Awards, and the 2026 Hiring Trends Analysis drew on data from over 3,000 professionals.

The company is structured as a Delaware LLC, reports headcount of 1-10 employees, and has no disclosed funding, parent company, or M&A activity. The founder, Dan Wellings, also leads the commercial real estate staffing and executive search practice. The product surface is non-technological in character, and there is no evidence of AI, machine learning, or proprietary software investment; competitive defensibility rests on specialist talent tenure, vertical reputation, and the process integration provided by the Staffing Ownership System.

Name

Heron Wolf

Legal name

Heron Wolf Staffing LLC

Website

https://heronwolf.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Heron Wolf is a privately held B2B staffing and executive search firm serving heavy civil construction and commercial real estate firms across the United States, offering contingent staffing, retained executive search, diverse-firm services, and multi-agency recruitment coordination.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Construction and Real Estate Staffing Services

NAICS

Employment Placement Agencies and Executive Search Services (56131), Executive Search Services (561312), Employment Services (5613)

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro primary industry

Functional Leadership Search (HR/Finance/Legal/Marketing/Sales/Ops) (BPACAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

C-Suite & Board Search (BPACAAAA)

Keywords

• Construction staffing
• Executive search
• Commercial real estate
• Civil construction
• Recruitment services

Headquarters

HQ city

New City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Recruitment and Staffing Services: Heron Wolf generates revenue through recruitment and staffing services for heavy civil construction and commercial real estate firms. Services include direct headhunting, talent sourcing, screening and interviewing, with both contingent and retained search fee structures. The company also offers executive search services through their Heron Wolf Executive brand for C-suite and leadership placements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Heron Wolf is a specialized B2B recruitment and executive search firm that places project managers, engineers, superintendents, and senior leadership for heavy civil construction and commercial real estate firms. Services include direct headhunting, candidate screening, salary benchmarking, and retained executive search, supported by a proprietary Staffing Ownership System (SOS) that centralizes coordination across multiple external recruiting partners.

Product overview

Heron Wolf is a specialized civil construction and commercial real estate staffing and recruitment firm offering a unified service portfolio. The core offering centers on Staffing Services (direct headhunting, screening, and placement) and the Staffing Ownership System (centralized coordination for managing multiple agency relationships). The portfolio includes Heron Wolf Executive for retained C-suite and leadership search, Career Change Services for job seekers, and Diverse Firm Services for MBE/WBE/DBE firms. Supporting offerings include the Hiring Trends Analysis annual report, two industry-specific scholarships (Civil & Infrastructure and Commercial Real Estate), and social media advice resources. The company positions itself as a non-volume-driven, specialist firm with consultants averaging over 13 years of experience.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Heron Wolf Executive: Retained and executive search services division of Heron Wolf, specializing in C-Suite and leadership placements for construction (infrastructure, marine, bridge, rail, power, energy) and real estate (corporate, office, industrial, retail, healthcare) sectors.

Products and services

• Heron Wolf Staffing Services Core recruitment and staffing services connecting heavy civil construction and commercial real estate firms with qualified talent. Includes direct headhunting, talent sourcing, screening, interviewing, market insights, employer branding, retention strategies, salary benchmarking, and post-placement follow-up.
• Heron Wolf Executive Retained and executive search services for construction (infrastructure, marine, bridge, rail, power, energy) and real estate (corporate, office, industrial, retail, healthcare) sectors, providing precision-driven placement of C-suite and senior leadership roles such as CEO, CFO, COO, and SVPs.
• Career Change Services Personalized career transition support including job matching, interview preparation, resume building, online presence optimization, access to off-market roles, and ongoing post-placement support for construction and real estate professionals.
• Diverse Firm Services Specialized staffing services for diverse firms (MBE, WBE, DBE, SDVOB, SBE) and specialty firms, including retention support and expert consulting on company branding and virtual presence.
• Staffing Ownership System (SOS) Centralized recruitment coordination system that manages resume flow, enforces submission standards, and coordinates vendor communication across multiple external recruiting partners to reduce duplication and improve transparency for clients managing multi-agency hiring.

Quantifiable outcome

• Consultant tenure 13+ years vs. industry average of ~3 years (4x industry norm)
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Tough LeafcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHeron Wolf is the exclusive staffing partner of Tough Leaf, which connects General Contractors and Developers with Qualified Minority, Women and Disadvantaged Business Enterprises. This partnership provides Heron Wolf's diverse firm clients with access to qualified MWDBE contractors while strengthening Tough Leaf's staffing capabilities.
• The Associated General Contractors of America (AGC)minorOthersCorporate membership providing industry networking, advocacy, and visibility through chapters including General Contractors Association of New York (GCA of New York) and Associated Construction Contractors of New Jersey (ACCNJ).
• BOMA International and BOMA New YorkminorOthersMembership in Building Owners and Managers Association providing networking within commercial real estate sector, professional development resources, and industry advocacy.
• CREW NY (Commercial Real Estate Women New York)minorOthersMembership supporting women professionals in commercial real estate through networking, mentorship, and professional development opportunities.
• Pile Driving Contractors Association (PDCA)minorOthersIndustry association membership supporting marine and deep foundation contractors, providing networking and industry thought leadership opportunities.
• 212 Chamber: Greater New York Chamber of CommerceminorOthersLocal chamber of commerce membership providing business networking, advocacy, and community engagement within the Greater New York area.
• New York Building CongressminorOthersMembership in organization advocating for the building industry in New York, providing networking with construction and real estate leaders across the region.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• CyberCoders: Tech-enabled professional recruiting firm covering construction-adjacent and engineering roles; represents the emerging digital-search model that competes with boutique recruiters on speed and candidate reach.

Direct peers

• Lucas Group: Executive search firm with dedicated construction, engineering, and manufacturing practice; comparable to Heron Wolf in functional leadership search and industry specialization.
• Aerotek: Construction and industrial staffing specialist within the Allegis Group, placing trades, project professionals, and engineers — directly overlapping Heron Wolf's civil construction staffing segment.
• The Planet Group: Staffing and search firm focused on construction, engineering, and real estate professionals, with a multi-agency coordination model similar in spirit to Heron Wolf's SOS approach.
• Kimmel & Associates: Construction and real estate executive search firm specializing in mid-to-senior placements for contractors and developers — the closest direct peer to Heron Wolf in vertical focus and operating model.
• IESF (Industrial-Engineering Search Firm): Specialized executive search firm placing senior leaders across construction, engineering, and industrial sectors — comparable in vertical niche and senior-level mandate focus to Heron Wolf Executive.

Broad incumbents

• Hays: Global staffing group with a Construction & Property division covering similar project management, surveying, and real estate roles, though as one segment of a large multi-specialty firm.
• Michael Page: Global professional recruiter with a dedicated Property & Construction practice, addressing similar mid-to-senior roles but as part of a much broader multi-vertical portfolio.
• Robert Half: Large generalist staffing firm with a dedicated Property and Real Estate practice serving CRE finance, property management, and corporate real estate — overlapping Heron Wolf's commercial real estate segment at broader scale.
• Randstad: Global staffing leader with construction and property practices; competes for the same enterprise hiring budgets as Heron Wolf but with a much broader portfolio across industries and geographies.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/heron-wolf

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Heron Wolf