Executive search firm believes in giving back
Five years may not seem a long time in the life of a company but those few short years since Pekarsky Stein was founded have given the boutique, highperforming search firm much to celebrate.
Lawyer Adam Pekarsky and accountant Terry Stein both decided to leave their professions to satisfy desires to own a company and become their own bosses. They had met when their paths crossed at a search company they joined and where they built up a good relationship.
Pekarsky hails from Edmonton and says he comes by his entrepreneurship naturally — his grandfather Henry Singer launched his first menswear store in 1938 with only $300 in his pocket.
Pekarsky became a lawyer, moving to Calgary in 2001 to get experience with Milner Steer. Later he joined Robert Half, a specialized staffing company where he led a team in the recruitment of lawyers and was able to negotiate a contract to continue to recruit lawyers for his former legal firm.
Stein is a Certified Management Accountant and Canadian Human Resources Professional who also moved to Calgary from Edmonton to get corporate experience in the finance department of TransAlta, where he worked for 10 years in several senior level financial positions. Human resources and collective bargaining there was his introduction into the HR world.
He was involved in residential property for a time, developing the 16-hectare Spring Willow Estates before also joining Robert Half, where he met Pekarsky.
Pekarsky started his own search firm in 2009 and Stein joined him as a partner the following year.
Their experiences complemented each others as they worked together to build the “We know people” boutique firm with Pekarsky continuing to concentrate on the search for legal professionals and Stein using his accounting, finance and HR management strengths.
Earlier this year, Ranju Shergill, who has been with the firm since its inception, was made a partner. The Calgary complement also includes principal Lisa Luedtke, associate Brendan Wade, and Jessica Young, the newest associate imported from Montreal who holds a masters in communications and media from McGill.
They all operate under the watchful and helpful eye of office manager Patrick Malachi.
Last November, an Edmonton office was opened with Rick Vogel the partner along with principal Marie Iwanow. They plan to move into larger space later this year to be able to expand their presence.
But Stein says the firm will remain as a boutique specializing in difficult positions across multiple industries from manager level up to the C-suite, taking on challenges with a sense of pride, humour and purpose.
That keeps the teams very busy but their core values of trust and integrity go beyond office time. All staff are involved in the community, supporting a number of organizations including the Alberta Children’s Hospital, Hospice Calgary, Tourism Calgary, Calgary Women’s Emer- gency Shelter and a favourite — the Pekarsky Stein Pro Bono Hockey team that has raised over $300,000 for Alzheimer’s research as part of the Gordie Howe Stick It To Alzheimer’s tournament.
Pancakes, bangers and beans are still a favourite Stampede dish but many events held during the 10-day — and more — extravaganza have gone increasingly upscale with their food offerings.
The invitation to last Tuesday’s grand opening celebration of Million Air, the Fixed Base Operator facility at Calgary International Airport for private aircraft, gave instructions for guests to wear “country glam.”
The dress code went well with the display of aircraft that guests were able to inspect including a Gulfstream 650, Falcon 200, Challenger 605 and Legacy 650 and a number of luxury cars from Ferrari Maserati of Alberta.
Add the Giusti and Zorcal wines served with Italian cuisine by chef Giuseppe Piruzza in the new 40,000-square-foot hangar and it was quite a grand Stampede week event.
The Mayor’s Breakfast for Sport will be held at the Telus Convention Centre on Sept. 10 and the Calgary Sport Tourism Authority will again present an award recognizing exemplary leadership and exceptional contribution to the attraction and delivery of a national or international sport event to this city.
Nominations must be submitted by Friday, July 25.