Senior Biographies
Thomas J. Helbling, President
Tom's executive search career began in 1978 and his expertise spans multiple disciplines within the construction, facilities management, real estate, and engineering industries.
Because of Tom's broad range of experience, our client organizations value his perspective and consultative approach regarding their search assignments as well as their internal strategic initiatives.
Helbling & Associates has grown and thrived because of Tom's commitment to developing long-term relationships with diverse client organizations that are prestigious within their vertical markets. And, he has structured our firm to have the capabilities to perform for those clients.
Tom's philosophy is that we are "only as good as our last assignment" and we approach each search by that principle. He enjoys the challenges that new assignments bring, and his diligence to exceed our clients' expectations is instilled within each team member.
A recognized expert within our specialized industries, Tom writes articles for publication, offers his viewpoints to industry editors and speaks at training seminars and annual meetings at our clients' requests. He is active in the New York Building Congress, the Washington Building Congress and Urban Land Institute.
Tom holds a dual Bachelor's degree in Business Administration & Economics from Thiel College.
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James G. Lord, Managing Director
As Managing Director, Jim plays an instrumental role in the company's strategic vision, development of our vertical markets and enhancing the efficiency of our internal operations. He is also responsible for search strategy development, management and direct recruiting for many of Helbling's facilities management search assignments. He partners extensively with healthcare and higher education institutions securing professionals involved in all facets of facilities management, including utilities, energy and sustainability, and capital programs.
Because of his expertise and knowledge within this sector, Jim is involved in client development and is an active member of Construction Owners Association of America.
While Jim specializes in performing facilities management searches, he also conducts operations and senior-level management searches for public agencies, corporations, and general, heavy civil and specialty contractors.
Prior to joining Helbling & Associates in 1998, Jim performed as a Group Leader with an international consulting firm providing executive assessment and development to the manufacturing industry. He is a summa cum laude graduate of Duquesne University and holds a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology.
Jim recently assisted in writing Helbling's Facilities Management Outlook 2012. Among his recent placements is the Assistant Vice President of Planning, Design & Construction for a higher education institution. He is currently managing and recruiting on a search for an Assistant Vice President for Fiscal & Management Services for the facilities division of a university in the northeast.
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Tracy L. Boczkowski, Managing Director
Tracy has been a member of the Helbling & Associates team since 1995. She plays an active role in the strategic vision of the company, development of our vertical markets and ensuring the efficiency of our operations. Her responsibilities encompass accounting, human resources, legal activities, information technology, marketing and business development, and general administrative oversight. She is also responsible for directing research activities related to search assignments, overseeing and enhancing the use of our internal proprietary database, and developing and recommending procedures to expedite and coordinate our search process.
Tracy holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Secondary Education, Mathematics Concentration from The Pennsylvania State University, and is an active member of the Society for Marketing Professional Services.
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Marc K. Datz, Senior Managing Consultant
Marc is a senior consultant with Helbling & Associates, responsible for client development, search strategies and management, and direct recruitment of candidates.
Joining Helbling in 1998, much of Marc's recruiting experience involves partnering with and representing real estate developers, property managers, and residential builders in securing senior executive-level professionals. In addition to his specialized concentration in the real estate industry, Marc conducts assignments for contractors, construction managers, public agencies, engineering firms and corporations securing professionals for executive management, financial, marketing, and operations roles.
Marc is actively involved in CoreNet Global, and holds a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science and a Minor in Economics from the University of Pittsburgh.
He recently assisted in developing Helbling's A/E/C Outlook 2012 article and is currently managing and conducting a search for Vice President of Operations, Federal Programs for an international federal contractor and is also performing executive recruitment of a Vice President of Human Resources for a multi-national construction firm.
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Richard T. Nawoczynski, Senior Managing Consultant
Rick began his executive search career with Helbling & Associates in 1999. He has since become a senior consultant specializing in facilities management and capital program assignments for healthcare and higher education institutions, responsible for client and strategy development, search management and the direct recruitment of professionals.
He also performs senior executive-level searches for public agencies, general and specialty construction companies, real estate developers, engineering firms and corporations.
Rick is an active member of the American Society for Healthcare Engineering and the Washington Building Congress. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Business and Behavioral Sciences with a Minor in Economics from Pennsylvania State University.
He recently placed a Project Manager with a prominent higher education institution known for its biomedical research and is currently recruiting for an Associate Director for Utilities & Plant Engineering for another university in the Midwest.
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Matthew D. Lesher, Managing Consultant
Matt's recruiting experience is extensive having managed and performed a wide range of search assignments for multi-disciplined construction companies, construction managers, engineering firms and corporations since joining Helbling in 2003.
He has been successful in securing senior-level executive management, operations, business development, and preconstruction professionals for projects ranging from healthcare to pharmaceutical and from high-end residential to educational institutions. Among his key accomplishments is assisting a major client to secure over fifteen executives for its southeast business unit.
An active member of the Master Builders Association of Western Pennsylvania and the Associated General Contractors of America, Matt earned his Bachelor's degree in Business Management from Robert Morris University.
Matt recently assisted in developing Helbling's A/E/C Outlook 2012 article. Among his current recruiting assignments is a Roofing Estimator for a Midwest specialty contractor as well as confidential positions with a Northeast healthcare system.
He will be attending the Construction Industry Evening of Excellence on February 23, 2012 at Heinz Field, an annual event sponsored by the Master Builders' Association of Western Pennsylvania.
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Ryan R. Pugh, Managing Consultant
Ryan has been in the recruitment industry since 2000, becoming a search consultant for Helbling & Associates in 2004. His recruiting experience is diverse and he is responsible for managing search assignments and recruiting candidates for higher education institutions, heavy civil and specialty contractors as well as construction management and engineering firms.
He performs searches for professionals within facilities management, executive management, operations, and green and sustainability roles.
Ryan is an active member of the Urban Land Institute and Washington Building Congress.
He recently placed a Director of Facilities Planning for a Mid-Atlantic healthcare institution and a Project Coordinator for a Mid-Atlantic mechanical contractor. His current recruiting assignments include varying levels of Superintendents for a Northeast general contractor / construction manager and confidential searches among the engineering / construction sectors.
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Wes R. Miller, Managing Consultant
Since joining Helbling & Associates in 2005, Wes has successfully managed and recruited on search assignments for healthcare and higher education institutions, specialty contractors, construction managers and engineering firms. His key assignments have included assisting a Fortune Global 500 civil contracting firm in restructuring its entire management team. His placements range from executive management to business development to operations professionals.
Wes is a graduate of Florida State University with a Bachelor's degree in Communications, and is actively involved in the Washington Building Congress.
He recently placed an Associate Vice President of Facilities Services & Campus Planning for a Mid-Atlantic university and is currently recruiting for a Regional Vice President for a large mechanical contractor and for a Business Development Leader for a Southeast construction manager among other construction and facilities management assignments.
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Joseph F. Wargo, Search Consultant
Joe has been an executive recruiter with Helbling & Associates since 2006. His recruiting experience is broad having completed searches for heavy civil and electrical contractors, construction managers, national energy management firms and healthcare and higher education institutions. In addition to candidate recruitment, Joe teams with our senior consultants to conduct research for senior level roles.
He is a member of the New York Building Congress and holds a Bachelor's degree in Finance from Robert Morris University.
Joe recently assisted in writing Helbling's Facilities Management Outlook 2012 and he is currently performing executive recruitment for a Project Manager for the pipeline division of a Mid-Atlantic energy contractor involved in the Marcellus Shale.
He will be attending the Construction Industry Evening of Excellence on February 23, 2012 at Heinz Field, an annual event sponsored by the Master Builders' Association of Western Pennsylvania.
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Thomas M. Dunn, Search Consultant
Tom joined Helbling & Associates in early 2010 and he has performed recruitment on diverse executive searches for domestic and international contractors, specialty contractors, energy management firms and owners (healthcare systems, universities and colleges, and internationally renowned cultural institutions). He has placed professionals in roles within construction operations and business development as well as within newly created and existing senior level executive and facilities management positions. In addition to performing executive recruitment and managing searches, Tom assists our senior consultants by conducting research for additional construction, engineering or facilities management executive searches.
Tom is a 2008 graduate of Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University where he earned a B. A. in English.
He recently placed a General Counsel with a specialty contractor in the Northeast. Along with other assignments, Tom is currently representing a specialty contractor seeking a Regional Manager for its Canadian division and is performing executive recruitment for a confidential senior-level assignment with a multi-national construction firm.
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Sami L. Barry, Strategic Market Development
Sami joined Helbling & Associates in 1994. Having the role of Director of Business Operations until 2008, her experience with the firm has included financial management, executive recruitment, human resources, information management, marketing and business development.
Due to her marketing background, thorough understanding of our internal processes as well as her knowledge of the industries we serve, Sami focuses her efforts on diverse initiatives including social media, creating print and online marketing materials, expanding our web presence, writing articles that address industry topics for our quarterly newsletter and blog, and assisting our recruiters with strategic business development efforts.
Sami holds a Bachelor's degree in Journalism from the University of Kentucky and is a member of the Washington Congress. Her recent articles include A/E/C Outlook 2012, Facilities Management Outlook 2012 and Millennials - Engaging Them & Maximizing Their Potential.
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