7 Questions with Enlow & Associates CEO Mark Enlow
Mark Enlow is the man behind one of California’s top executive search firms: Enlow & Associates. Unlike some CEOs who take a backseat after gaining success and growing their teams, Enlow is active in all aspects of his clients’ executive recruiting needs.
Mark and his clients are strategic partners and work towards recruiting the most exceptional executives for the most critical roles. After years of building executive teams for top global companies on the Fortune 500 list, he established Enlow & Associates.
While Mark Enlow typically likes to focus on serving his clients, he’s giving you a rare peek behind the curtain and into the origins of his career and passions outside of work.
We’re sharing an opportunity to get to know this top California recruiter.
Keep reading to learn:
- Who Mark Enlow is
- What the Enlow & Associates recruiting firm specializes in
- Enlow’s philosophy for successful recruiting
- How Mark Enlow got started in executive recruiting
- What he loves most about his job
- Mark Enlow’s proudest career victories
- Enlow’s passions outside of work
1. Who Is Mark Enlow?
Mark Enlow is the founder of Enlow & Associates; a premier retained executive search firm based in Santa Rosa, California.
Enlow has been recruiting for more than 40 years. During that time, he has served more than 120 clients and placed 520 executives in roles at Fortune 500 and 100 companies, including 186 placements at airplane engineering conglomerate Honeywell.
Enlow is a proud alumnus of the University of Southern California, from which he holds a Bachelor’s in Business Administration.
Outside of work, Enlow prides himself on upholding his core values of faith, family, fitness, and finances. He’s a family man and a father to three incredible children: a daughter and two sons. Primarily because of his loving relationship with his children, Enlow is passionate about helping kids through his charity work.
2. In What Focus Areas Does the Enlow & Associates Recruiting Firm Specialize?
Mark Enlow’s executive recruiting firm, Enlow & Associates, specializes in retained executive search. Enlow and his team serve startups, private equity firms, and Fortune 500 companies. Their placement focus areas include the aviation and private jet, private equity, and industrial and manufacturing industries.
Enlow & Associates does more than just talent acquisition. They support clients across the entire recruiting journey, including developing role specifications, identifying qualified candidates, conducting interviews, and creating enticing offer packages.
3. What Is Mark Enlow’s Philosophy for Successful Recruiting?
Mark Enlow’s philosophy for recruiting is that the success of a company depends on its executives. This philosophy informs every part of Enlow & Associates’ work.
Enlow & Associates avoids working on commission, which often leads to quick recruiting fixes rather than long term fits. Instead, Mark Enlow and his team work on retainers with their clients.
This model means that Enlow & Associates is the exclusive team dedicated to filling the position and works alongside the hiring manager to make sure it gets done well. They’re focused on the long term success of the candidate in a role, rather than placing someone who will be in the position for only several months.
4. How Did Mark Enlow Get Started with Recruiting?
Early on in his career, Mark Enlow recognized that he had a talent for making connections with people, identifying talent, and positioning talent for career success.
At the age of 24, Enlow joined a top retained executive search firm’s research department. He quickly moved up to the role of Executive Recruiter. He placed 220+ candidates while in this role and became a proven partner at the company.
After 15 years at that firm, Enlow moved to AlliedSignal, an airplane, automotive, and engineering company. Through his recruiting expertise, Enlow helped position the company for its $15 billion sale to Honeywell.
In 1987, Mark Enlow founded Enlow & Associates to help everyone from startups, and private equity firms to Fortune 500 companies find the best executives. He worked with General Electric, placing 500+ candidates in all divisions and levels of this Fortune 100 company.
5. What Does Mark Enlow Love Most About His Job?
Enlow loves that his work allows him to connect with people and get to know them on a deeper level.
He started Enlow & Associates because of the satisfaction resulting from finding great employees for companies and helping people find their perfect careers. Enlow feels grateful that his job allows him to do this every single day.
6. Of What Career Accomplishments Is Mark Enlow Most Proud?
Mark Enlow’s executive recruiting career has been full of successes.
These are the accomplishments that he’s most proud of:
- Being named top recruiter for four private equity firms four years in a row.
- Building General Electric’s executive team by placing 500+ candidates across divisions, including Honeywell Aerospace, GE Appliances, and GE Oil and Gas.
- Placing 169 candidates at roles across AlliedSignal, which helped position the airplane, engineering, and automotive company for a $15 billion sale.
7. What Are Mark Enlow’s Passions Outside of Work?
Enlow’s off-hours passions contribute to his recruiting success. He enjoys making a positive impact on the world by helping those who can’t help themselves.
Enlow is passionate about helping kids and is involved in several charities dedicated to making children’s lives better.
He’s a proud supporter of the Oscar De La Hoya Foundation, which improves the lives of children in East Los Angeles by providing them with after school programs.
Mark Enlow also supports the George Lopez Foundation, which helps children affected by kidney disease and organ donation.
In light of the struggles that children are facing due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Enlow wanted to do something more to help his favorite causes. In 2020 he purchased an Embraer Phenom 300 private jet to help support his charity events and transport food and supplies.
Mark Enlow is grateful for the success he’s encountered in his career and sees giving back to those less fortunate as a duty.
Final Thoughts: Get to Know Mark Enlow, Top California Recruiter
Mark Enlow is a business leader, philanthropist, and family man. His passion for making connections with people extends beyond his executive recruiting work. Enlow works hard to match top companies with the best management leaders.
If you’re ready to build or strengthen your executive team, contact Mark Enlow today to start your executive search.
