Vortex Search

Why Choose Vortex Search?

I’m glad you asked the question, “Why should I choose Vortex Search?”

My name is Spencer Tashima, and I founded Vortex Search to provide exceptional search services to my clients.

No matter what search firm you choose, the service that you receive will be dependent upon the abilities of one or two key individuals that are working with you and their commitment to your search. All too often, it is not the abilities of the individuals, but their commitment to your search that falls short, which leads to a less than satisfactory result.

Retained Search

I want to assure all potential clients that if Vortex Search accepts a key retained search assignment with your company, that we will be 100% committed to your satisfaction. We will work closely with you and your executive management team to assure a successful conclusion of the search.

When we take on your search, we become an extension of your company and work hard to understand the intangibles – beyond skill sets, education and experience – that ultimately result in a successful, long-term match.

Contingency Search

We will selectively accept key contengency search assignments, and we apply many of the processes that we use to fill retained search openings, as applicable to the contingency business model.

Contract Engineering Services

For critical short-to-medium term projects, Vortex Search has helped clients by quickly finding the appropriate resource for their projects. As a client, your critical needs become our highest priorities.

Recruitment Programs

For full-service recruitment programs, we can provide both onsite and offsite services, working with top management and hiring managers to plan and execute a cohesive, company-wide recruitment strategy.

Go to the “Recent Searches” page for more detail on positions that we have successfully filled.

EXCELLENCE        COMMITMENT         RESULTS

 

Retained Search Process

1.  Accept the Assignment:  We will only accept assignments that we are confident that we can successfully complete.  Success requires focus.  Focus requires selectivity.

2.  Understand the Landscape:  When we take on your search, we become an extension of your company and work hard to understand the intangibles – beyond skill sets, education and experience – that ultimately result in a successful, long-term match.  Whenever possible, we meet with all necessary people on your team (CEO, executive management team, Directors, etc.), to understand the company culture, history, market environment, etc. and the dynamics of the open position.

3.  Create the Search Strategy:  We work with you to create an overall search strategy – Where to look for the right people and How to attract them to your company once we find them.  This includes how to present your company and reasons to join your executive team.

4.  Create the Position Profile:  We work with you to create a position profile, including responsibilities and performance objectives, selection criteria, and how to best present the opportunity to prospective hires.

5.  Recruit the Right People:  Armed with the knowledge of where to look, how to attract them, and what kind of people fit your company culture, we contact the typically happily employed, top-performing executives, establish a working relationship, and generate an interest in joining your company.

6.  Qualify and Screen Prospective Hires:   Prior to being presented to you, we interview all prospective hires and screen them for background, skill set, personality and career objective fit.  Whenever possible, we meet with the prospective hires and present only those that are appropriate.

7.  Facilitate the Interview Process:  We work with you to facilitate the interviewing process and follow up with both sides to work through issues and/or concerns.

8.  Close the Deal:  We work with you through the final selection process,  perform in-depth reference checks, and facilitate the terms of the offer to the finalist.  We work closely with both sides to insure that the offer is accepted.

9.  Oversee the Transition:  We stay close to the new hire through  resignation, counter-offer, new start with your company and transition to becoming a member of your executive team.

EXCELLENCE          COMMITMENT           RESULTS

 

Our Team

Spencer Tashima, Principal

Spencer has over 20 years of experience in various aspects of the emerging communications marketplace. In March of 2001, Spencer founded Vortex Search to provide Executive & Technical Search services to the High Technology Startup marketplace.

Prior to this, Spencer was a co-founder and Executive Vice President of Essential Solutions, a leading Silicon Valley Executive and Technical resources firm focused on the Communications and Internet industries.  While at Essential Solutions, Spencer managed the Executive Search Division and led the Internet recruitment efforts for Essential Solutions.  While managing the Executive and Technical Search Division at Essential Solutions, he has successfully assisted in the career advancement of key executive professionals in Communications, Multimedia, Networking, Semiconductor, Disk Drive, Computing and Internet industry segments.  Spencer has successfully placed Vice President and Director level professionals, as well as numerous key individual contributors, in Engineering, Sales, Marketing, Manufacturing, and Quality Assurance.

Prior to joining Essential Solutions in 1993, Spencer was the worldwide Sales Manager for Cougar Components, a wireless communications startup company.  Before that, he held positions as a Product Line Manager, Applications Engineer, Project Manager and an RF/Microwave Design Engineer at Watkins-Johnson Company.  Spencer holds Bachelors Degrees in Physics and Music from the University of California, Santa Cruz.

Mark Nakano, Principal Recruiter

Mark has over 15 years of hardware and software experience in engineering management, marketing and sales for the telecommunications industry. Mark joined Vortex Search in 2003, primarily focusing on engineering searches.

Prior to this, Mark was a partner and Vice President at Essential Solutions, Inc., managing the hardware division of Essential Solutions.  As Vice President, Mark’s technical knowledge and expertise brought value to his team and clients in the emerging technologies and communications marketplace. 

Prior to joining Essential Solutions in 1995, Mark held a number of engineering and management positions with Rolm Corporation and Centigram Communications.  Mark holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of California at Davis, and has taken graduate level engineering courses at the University of Santa Clara.

EXCELLENCE        COMMITMENT        RESULTS

 

Executive and Technical Searches
Successfully Completed

Executive Search

The following are some of the Executive searches that we have successfully completed.  Our clients have been very satisfied with our service and this has resulted in repeat business and continued long-term relationships with many clients.

• CEO – Portable/Mobile Consumer Electronics Startup Company
• Vice President of Marketing – $B Global Consumer Electronics Company
• Vice President of Sales – $B Global Consumer Electronics Company
• Vice President of Engineering – Semiconductor Startup Company
• Vice President of Corporate Quality – Broadband Systems Company
• Director of RFIC Engineering – Wireless Semiconductor Startup Company
• Director of Hardware Engineering – Broadband Systems Company
• Director of Manufacturing – Broadband Systems Company

Technical Search

We have focused on long-term recruitment relationships.  For example, for a key wireless communications hardware startup company we placed approximately 20 people at  in multiple technical and operational disciplines, over the course of their trajectory from early stage startup to successful IPO. 

The following are examples of positions successfully filled in various companies.

Analog/Mixed Signal/RF Engineers	RF/RFIC Test Engineers
Antenna Engineers	IC Layout Engineers (Analog/Digital/RF)
Field Applications Engineers	DSP Engineers
ASIC Engineers	Digital Hardware/FPGA Engineers
ASIC/IC Verification Engineers	Network Protocol SW Engineers
Technical Support Engineers	Process/Mfg/Pkg Engineers
Sales/New Business Dev	Mechanical Engineers
Security/Malware Engineers	Embedded SW/FW Engineers
Cloud Infrastructure/Backend Eng	Analytics/Data Scientists
Big Data DevOps Engineers	Android/iOS/Mobile Apps Eng
Full Stack SW Engineers	Web/GUI/UI Engineers

Contract Engineering Services

For critical short-to-medium term projects, we have helped clients by quickly finding the appropriate resource for their projects.  As a client, your critical needs become our highest priorities.

Recruitment Programs

For full-service recruitment programs, we can provide both onsite and offsite services, working with top management and hiring managers to plan and execute a cohesive, company-wide recruitment strategy.

EXCELLENCE         COMMITMENT         RESULTS