Meet Our Team
Quinn Sheridan Executive Search’s team has the breadth of experience and sector-specific expertise necessary to find the leaders and innovators you seek.
Take a look at who we are; then, get in touch.
Patrick Quinn
President & Founding Partner
Patrick established Quinn Sheridan Executive Search in 1995. A retained search firm whose focus is the consumer packaged goods, construction/engineering and technology sectors, Quinn Sheridan boasts a client list that includes many Fortune 100 companies as well as Mid-cap and startup companies.
Patrick has spent his entire professional career in executive recruitment, having joined a Boston-based national search firm in 1989, after graduating from the University of Maine. During his six-year tenure there, Patrick worked with name-brand, national clients, such as Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, Novartis, Sanofi and AstraZeneca. Patrick still does business with many of the executives he placed early in his career.
Quinn Sheridan’s own client list includes internationally and nationally known companies, such as DuPont, IBM, GE, Perdue and McDonald’s.
Being a business owner, Patrick is uniquely positioned to understand his clients' needs.
"At Quinn Sheridan, we look at every company like it's our own. We scrutinize candidates. We ask ourselves if we would want this executive working for or running Quinn Sheridan. Most importantly, we become students of our candidates' pasts to understand how our clients' cultures may or may not be a long-term fit for both parties. Our clients retain us to solve a problem and we need to find the right solution.
"And there's nothing better than the feeling that you've gone out and found your client a game-changer, a person who will help the client realize their goals. That's the win-win you're looking for."
Patrick divides his time between his Rhode Island and Florida offices. He has been married to his wife, Randi, his college sweetheart, for nearly 25 years. They have three children: Jack, Riley and Mae. Off-hours, Patrick spends his time golfing, sailing and keeping up with his children's demanding social lives.
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Robert Hartman
Corporate Vice President & Senior Partner
Robert has close to 30 years’ experience in the world of executive search –- much of it in senior management. He is ranked in the top 1% nationally among recruiters.
Robert’s expertise lies in the construction, engineering and design sectors. His business is global in scope. Robert attributes Quinn Sheridan’s global reach, in part, to the firm’s in-depth network.
"Ninety-eight percent of our business is repeat business," Robert says. "Quinn Sheridan has an edge over larger companies because our people all have their areas of expertise. Our business is adding value. We’re about identifying the exceptional candidate who can add value immediately."
Knowledge, tenacity and transparency equal success for Robert.
"Consulting: it’s all about building consensus. You must be an honest, hardworking person, transparent in communicating with candidates and clients. You must be able to identify the candidate who fits the client’s technological and strategic needs, as well as the company culture."
Robert has a bachelor’s of education degree from the University of Rhode Island, Kingston. He and his wife Mary Ellen have four grown children: Stephen, Michael, Jennifer and Allison. A sports fan, Robert has spent more than 15 years coaching competitive wrestling, football and baseball.
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Frederick Croft
Partner
Frederick has close to 20 years’ experience in executive search, with expertise in the consumer packaged goods, manufacturing and pharmaceutical industries. His clients are blue chip companies looking for director-level to C-suite candidates.
Finding the right candidates for premier companies poses a particular challenge. Frederick often finds himself approaching top talent who are happily employed.
“I’m looking to find the candidate who will be an asset to my client. The person I want to talk to is the one who says, 'I’m happy where I am.' Getting someone who enjoys working for Pepsi to go to a promising start-up can be difficult. You’re running up against brand loyalty.
"Our advantage is our history and work ethic. We have some clients we’ve been doing business with since 1995. I have candidates I’ve been talking to for 14 years."
Another advantage: perseverance.
"We’ll talk to hundreds of people to find that one right person. We’re willing to make those calls to get to the right person."
Frederick has a degree in business administration from the University of Rhode Island.
He and his wife Michelle have two children, Tyler and Jake. "My off time is spent chasing kids on the beach and at baseball. Being with them as much as possible is the goal."
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Nelson Pires
Partner
Nelson has more than a decade's experience in executive search for the construction and engineering sectors. His client base reaches from regional to national top-rated organizations. Nelson works for clients seeking mid-level and director-level executives with 10-to-15 years’ experience.
"The challenge clients face today is that many people in the industry have gone into a parallel or different career direction because of the economy. We have the history, the business knowledge and the great relationships to find the ideal candidate for our clients. We understand company needs and candidates’ needs and that’s key."
Nelson continues to expand his business to include real estate development, renewable energy, and facilities management.
"Much of my job is relationship building. It’s also service-driven. We build relationships with clients with the idea of working with them for years to come. It’s a good day when I know both the client and the candidate are happy. When both parties have the same expectations and their short- and long-term goals are covered –- that’s a win."
Nelson is a graduate of the University of Rhode Island in Kingston. He has a business management degree.
He and his wife, Christine, have three daughters: Reagan and twins Sage and McKenna. The twins are only 18 months younger than their older sister. "It’s just chaos –- in the best sense. I spend as much time with them as I can, playing, going to the park, bike riding."
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Richard Dupee
Partner
Richard is a veteran of executive recruiting, having spent nearly 15 years in the field. His particular area of expertise is in the technology sector, specifically in computer software industry sales and sales management.
Richard works with national and international clients. And he’ll cast a wide net to find them the ideal candidate. "My day-to-day motivation is to help my clients with all their most urgent needs. The challenge in the technology marketplace is its ever-evolving nature. Capabilities shift. I’m looking for specific skill sets for synergy placements that fit the culture of the corporation.
"Every candidate I introduce to my clients can do the job on paper. Our challenge then is to find the best culture fit."
Success in the technology sector is about staying current, Richard says. "I’m proactive in trying to engage with people to see where technology is trending. It makes me a powerful resource for my clients."
And Quinn Sheridan’s process is another differentiator.
"We’re able to articulate a specific process that we follow, a highly developed process that leads to the right candidate. It’s repeatable and it works."
Richard is a graduate of Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, North Adams, MA. He and his wife Gretchen have a daughter, Dylan. Off-hours, Richard may be found on the golf course or in the kitchen. "I live and die by Bravo and the Food Network. I make a killer chili and ribs. I would challenge anyone to a chili contest."
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Matthew Gurjian
Partner
Matt has more than 15 years’ executive search experience, with expertise in the consulting and technology sectors.
He places senior management- and partner-level candidates. Matt consults specifically within ERP sales and delivery for world-class integration firms. Matt’s clients benefit from his discretion, market knowledge and depth of experience in this industry.
"I enjoy getting to understand complex business issues and finding solutions. This business is about helping people. When you can help people –- that’s a fulfilling feeling."
Staying current in an ever-changing industry is a challenge Matt enjoys. His value lies in knowing where to find qualified candidates for his clients –- not always an easy task.
"A skills gap has formed as our economy has changed. We’ve transformed our economy and there’s a massive shortage of talent."
In addition to his expertise, Matt says clients return again and again to Quinn Sheridan for its proven process –- an in-depth, comprehensive assessment of a candidate’s qualifications as they apply to the client’s needs.
Matt and his wife, Jennifer, have two sons, Jake and Caden. A native Rhode Islander, Matt enjoys raising horses and spending time with family.
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Bob Pacitti
Account Executive
Robert has over 25 years of experience in global sales leadership and brings expertise and enthusiasm for addressing the needs of organizations operating in a global world. The newest member of Quinn Sheridan, he joins the team to apply his consumer-focused sales expertise to the recruitment and sourcing process. Like any sales leader, his approach focuses on the strategic indentifying of needed talent.
“Quality of communication has become not only important, but essential. It’s easy to send someone a quick email about what you need. But that rarely makes an impact. The real goal is thinking about the person you’re building a relationship with. What do they need? What adds value to their day?”
“The heart of effective recruitment is about good communication, minus the nonsense.”
Robert has a degree in Political Science from Providence College. He lives in Rhode Island with his wife, Joyce. He enjoys 1960s spy films, The Beatles, plays the guitar and enjoys fitness. He travels to New York frequently to visit his two daughters, Amanda and Sarah. |
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'High Attention to Detail'
"Quinn Sheridan is well-versed in the nuances related to senior level searches. There is a high level of attention to detail and thoroughness to ensure a proper fit on both sides of the search. Quinn Sheridan is able to balance the needs of all parties as well as set the stage for a successful transition for the candidate."
- Daniel Donahue
Senior Vice President
Research & Development
TreeHouse Foods