Sarasota firm re-eclipses $1M

SARASOTA -- Brooke Chase Associates, an executive search firm, saw revenues grow 45% in 2011, pushing total business generated back above $1 million.

In 2006, the company led by CEO Joseph McElmeel was doing $2 million in annual business. But the recession pushed revenues down, to a low of $560,000 in 2009. Last year's growth pushed revenues back to $1.1 million.

“We're very pleased with these results given our industry focuses in sectors that have suffered through the worst downturn in decades,” McElmeel says. His firm specializes in placements for home furnishing and materials companies, among others.

“Many of our clients realized you cannot save your way out of a recession and began to focus on gaining market share through new product development, product innovation, expansion of product lines, and adding to and upgrading their staff. For those reasons, we experienced an increase in the number of searches we conducted for Sales and Marketing positions,” he adds.

McElmeel says his firm hired two additional researchers in 2011 to support the company's growth.

Headquartered in Sarasota, FL, Brooke Chase Associates has been in business since 1980.