Where your career is our number one priority
Craig Chrest - Principal Executive
Craig is the principal at The Top Gun Executive Group, which consists of 2 Programs - an exclusive and extensive, one-on-one program for senior executives to develop personal Introductions and job interviews and retained executive recruiting. Unlike executive search firms that wait for companies to announce a job opening, Craig doesn’t wait but knocks on companies’ doors with his client’s resume in hand. This solution selling approach to a job search builds a quality pipeline of network connections, potential opportunities that are real jobs, and ensures a proper introduction to the hiring authority. Most high level people don’t have the time and aren’t necessarily experts at marketing themselves outside their company. Their political reality can make it close to impossible. However, they do know how to surround themselves with exceptional talent to get the job done. That’s why many have Craig in their inner circle to help them find the position that best suites their career goals. Craig and his people have placed 333+ senior executives through the Executive Talent Program. These placements produce his secondary revenue stream: retained executive search work, which allows him to continue to build his network and services over many industries throughout the country. Craig has 25+ years of corporate experience with positions ranging from individual contributor to SVP of Sales and Marketing. He is trained in a number of the world’s most respected selling process, holds a BS in Mass Communications from the University of Wisconsin-Lacrosse, and a short course MBA sponsored by University of Dallas. Sample list of companies were Craig placed executives from his Executive Talent Program: Seagate, Hologic, Johnson and Johnson, HP (Formerly Compaq), HEB Foods, Kraft, MasterCard, Whirlpool, Gores Technologies (VC), Home Depot, Eaton corp., Dresser Rand, Cameron, Bearpoint and many others range from 5MM- &750MM. His typical career coaching client is a senior executive whose total benefit package exceeds $400K
Norm Uhlir - General Manager
Following Mr. Uhlir’s graduation from Case Western Reserve University as an MBA he began his career under the tutelage of the “Whiz Kids” with the Ford Motor Company in 1959. Following completion of an extensive training program he rose through the chain of management responsibility. Subsequently, he was recruited by TRW, Inc. to participate in the company’s global expansion. He traveled throughout Europe, South America and the Far East in search of complimentary businesses that would aid in the expansion of the company throughout the world. Tiring of the extended travel and recognizing the responsibility of raising a young family he accepted the invitation of Bearing Point (formerly KPMG & Peat Marwick Mitchell) to join the firm as a manager in the management consulting area. As a result of forming a client relationship with the Huffy Corporation, he was persuaded to join the company as the company’s Chief Financial Officer. During his tenure with Huffy he became very active in the Financial Executives Institute attaining the position of President. From this exposure with the FEI he was recruited to Sundstrand Corporation, in the year 1975 to the position of Aerospace Chief Financial Officer. In 1980 he left Sundstrand to participate on a team charged with the responsibility to turnaround The Parker Pen Company. Success was attained and he returned to Sundstrand Corporation in 1985 to head the start-up of a new division of the company in San Diego, California. The excitement of turning a company around however returned in 1989 when he was asked to assist in the turnaround of The Van Dresser Corporation. Some would say that this effort was successful even though he lead the company through a Chapter 7 bankruptcy through to the sale of the company. Concluding this effort in1992 he chose retirement and relocated to Nashville, Tennessee with his wife, Fran. After one year of so-called retirement and after fighting off successfully the evil of cancer he decided to pay back the business world for the benefits he had received throughout his career and entered the field of consultancy. He began his new consultancy career with The George S. May International Company and subsequently spent time with the firms of Smith-Laurin Group, International Profit Associates and Managed Profit America, Inc
Carl Maxie - Executive Recruiter
Frank Perkins Jr. - Account Executive
Frank brings to The Top Gun Executive Group a high level of hands-on managerial experience in addition to the MBA he earned in earlier life. He is a graduate of Prairie View A & M University, a highly acclaimed university in the Houston area. He has used his education to advance himself in the business circles of Finance, Investment, Real Estate and General Commerce. In general commerce he functioned in excellent fashion in Sales/Marketing and Project Management and in fact lead the startup/launch of two companies that have experienced great success over the last five years of operation. Frank knows what it takes to be successful and works with clientele assigned to ensure they are seeing the light and striving toward greater opportunity. Frank is that talented, cool, laid-back type of guy that knows the answer BEFORE the question is asked. He has compassion for all clientele assigned to his tutelage and drives himself to attain their desires. He deals in a “no-nonsense”, honest manner and is the Star amongst Stars in his work habit and ambitions. Work with him and you are assured of success.
Sean E. Scott - Account Executive
Walking off the campus of the University of Houston many years ago, Sean embarked on a very successful career in sales and business development, primarily within the profession of legal documentation. Soon tiring of the legal profession regiment he was prompted to enter the executive recruitment profession with a prominent executive recruitment firm that specialized in the placement of clients closely oriented to the legal profession. His success in the sourcing and placement of high-level legal professionals was unparalleled. Drawing on his knowledge and experience in sales, business development and executive recruitment he applied his enthusiasm to a fledgling transportation/logistics company; taking the company to heights unbeknownst before. Subsequent to implementing best practices and controls and resurrecting the company to a saleable commodity; he sold the company to a major transportation company in the area. He now applies his knowledge and experience as an Account Executive with The Top Gun Executive Group, an award winning, reputable and growing Executive Search firm. Operating as such, Sean supports and practices the morale, ethical and aggressive “vision” of the Firm. Solid performance is his passion – his passion is to assist clients attain a better life and a strong, upward career path in the shortest period of time.
Joe Flores - Business Development Manager
Joe L. Flores received a Master of Arts Degree in History and a Bachelor of Arts in Special Education from the University of Houston. He proudly served his country in the United State Army and taught public school for three years. Joe began his recruiting career at The Liberty Group in 1997. As a Director of Recruiting with Liberty, he successfully completed numerous national senior level assignments in a broad range of fields including: Accounting/Financing, Construction, Development, Information Technology, Human Resources, Management Operations, and Sales. He is a Certified Personnel Consultant (CPC) and most recently joined The Top Gun Executive Group as a Business Development Manager to help promote the company’s long standing history of coaching, promoting, and placing Senior Level Executives in some the most prestigious Fortune 500 companies.
Brian McKay - Executive Recruiter
Brian brings a varied recruiting background and a wealth of staffing experience to the Top Gun Executive Group. Brian has enjoyed a very high level of success in the industries of IT, Health-Care and most recently Energy / Oil & Gas, placing high profile and technical people in various sized companies nationwide, from Fortune 500 to private companies. Brian has over fifteen years experience in developing needs within hiring companies and targeting todays hidden market candidates and referral candidates. He excels at matchmaking relationships and opening new doors for continuous opportunity. His passion and insight to a solutions approach allows him to create the sense of urgency in a world of identifying/separating the candidate from the herd. Brian attended Indiana State University, majoring in business administration.
Nicole Lewis - Account Manager
Nicole joined The Top Gun Executive Group a few years back as an Assistant Marketing Representative. Through a dedicated work effort and determination to learn and succeed she has been elevated to the position of Account Manager. As an Account Manager she works closely with the Account Executive(s) to research for client opportunities and once found follows through with making contact, and sometimes friends of Hiring Authorities throughout the world. Nicole’s college education and personality drives her continuously toward success for her and the clientele she serves. She is a leader in outside endeavors and is able to balance the responsibilities that come from these outside interests while maintaining a focused effort for the Firm’s and clientele interest. She is versatile, tenuous, aggressive and determined to assist in getting all clientele to reach for the stars. No job is too big, or too small for Nicole, she’ll get it done accurately, in good order and on-time.
Karina Velazquez - Account Manager
Karina joined The Top Gun Executive Group following her strong due-diligence effort of the Firm because she wanted to be sure she was joining a moral, ethical and professional firm that always has the interest of the client at the forefront. She, being the bilingual professional with many years of corporate level involvement is very knowledgeable of what an executive’s life is about. She has been there and has listened, learned and practiced the disciplines of corporate life and is very interested in utilizing the skills she has and are needed to assist executive clients. She is well educated from the University of Houston and has held positions of responsibility in the functions of sales, HR and finance along with her excellent performance as assistant to a number of senior executives. She knows from experience the duties of an executive “gate-keeper”. She is a go-getter with a compassion for helping others who desire improvement in their career and life. She is one of Top Gun’s GO-TO people to get the job done quickly, completely and accurately all for the benefit of the client.
Susan Merna - Executive Recruiter
Experienced recruiting professional. More than 20 years in the staffing industry.
Tenacious in securing customer loyalty and forging strong relationships with external business partners.
I have specialized in Information Technology and Engineering for the last 10 years.
The candidates I work with are intensively screened to ensure their experience and needs are appropriate for the job and culture of my clients
To every search, I bring unrivaled recruitment resources, techniques and a personal commitment to excellence
Bachelor of Science Degree, Illinois State University
"A wise man
learns from his
own mistakes,
a genius learns
from everyone
else's."
"Professionals
hire a manager
to increase
their chances
of winning,
amateurs
don't"