Testimonials
From California Headquarters to South Bend, Indiana
Satisfying Client Needs Anywhere in the Country
Bill McAlpine, Director of Tax
PriceWaterhouseCoopers
“A highly valued client had a Director of Tax position that they needed to replace quickly and it was in a unique location: South Bend, Indiana. I spoke with the VP of HR and the CFO at my client’s company and they mentioned that several other executive recruiting firms had determined that there was no tax resource available either in South Bend market or someone who would relocate. I recommended that they call Pro-Tax Executive Search. I had known the president of Pro-Tax, Paul Yroz, for several years and was aware that he and his firm had incredible contacts in the tax industry. But, this would certainly be a test.
  The main challenge was finding a candidate interested in the opportunity and the prospect of relocating to South Bend. The ideal solution would be for Paul to find a candidate in the South Bend area. My client called Pro-Tax, and engaged Pro-Tax Executive Search. Within a few days, Paul faxed three resumes for qualified candidates, all located in the South Bend area! I knew Pro-Tax had extensive contacts, but had no idea just how extensive they were.
Paul’s reach extends far beyond his California headquarters. He finds the people who aren’t necessarily looking, who are often the best talent available. This example is a testament to Pro-Tax’s ability to quickly execute a targeted search, even in South Bend, Indiana.”
Specializing in Tax: The Differentiating Factor
Colleen Dooley, Talent Acquisition Associate Director
Patricia Busse Oganavich, Experienced Hire Recruiter
Ernst & Young
“Pro-Tax Executive Search, with Paul Yroz at the helm, brings us knowledge of the tax industry that we clearly needed. In trying to identify new energy for our firm, Pro-Tax’s pure tax industry knowledge exceeded that of other firms we considered. We believe it’s Pro-Tax’s specialization that is the differentiating ingredient needed to conduct the highly targeted searches we require. Paul’s awareness of tax professionals in the industry avoids time wasted interviewing candidates with skill sets divided between audit and tax, which we have often found with general accounting search firms.
Another challenge we face is changing the perception of how candidates view public accounting firms due to the lack of life/work balance that existed in the past. Many outstanding candidates were not aware of the changes until hearing Paul explain how the culture has improved. We had a candidate recently that was not interested in taking a position in the public arena, until they talked to Paul. Since Paul began his career in public accounting, he understands the full spectrum of improvements and can attract outstanding candidates that otherwise would not have been open to the idea of working for us.
Finally, due to Paul’s time investment in learning about our firm, he has been able to service multiple E&Y offices throughout the country. This streamlines our processes by allowing us to use his executive search firm for various needs in the tax area.”
Market-Based Compensation Comparisons
An Extra Value to Pro-Tax Clients
Don Slome, Director, Corporate Taxes
USG Corporation
“At USG Corporation, we had used a local recruiter for about 14 years. I had been familiar with Pro-Tax Executive Search, however, since the president, Paul Yroz, made it a point to stay in touch with me over the years. I knew Pro-Tax offered services beyond recruitment to a few clients, and last Fall when we needed a market-based compensation comparison, I called Paul.
Our goal was to analyze the compensation packages in our geographic area to ensure that USG’s offers to new hires and the salaries of its current employees remained competitive. Our HR folks compiled their data using HR consulting firms, but with tax being so specialized, I questioned the accuracy of their data due to its general nature. Since the data had been pulled from a variety of companies and then summarized, it lost accuracy in the translation.
But Pro-Tax used a more targeted approach. They asked us to specify in detail USG’s search parameters. Paul Yroz used our data to compare compensation packages of individuals at similar companies in similar positions. When he delivered the salary survey, it was hard to argue with the facts. The survey that Pro-Tax prepared told us in no uncertain terms what tax professionals were making, and the data was not summarized. This information captured the true picture of today’s market-based pay scales, and gave us an exact comparison of where we stood among other organizations.
Another very important part of working with Pro-Tax involved their unique approach to the search process. After taking the time to get to know what made our tax department tick, they directed that knowledge toward finding the kind of a person that would be successful working at USG. Paul raised questions that I wasn’t necessarily thinking about such as personality, motivations for leaving a current position, and future goals. These questions helped draw important information from candidates, and as a result, we could identify whether a person would be successful working in our department.
With Pro-Tax, there was never a shortage of excellent tax professionals. For a typical search, Paul presented 10-12 resumes, and I would interview two thirds of the group. Interestingly, almost every one of the candidates could have done the job; they were a very heterogeneous bunch. At first I relied on my judgement entirely, but today we rely more on Paul’s expertise. He has done a great job pulling together people, checking references, and gathering very candid input on their strengths and weaknesses. All of this information goes a long way in the decision process to hire someone new for our tax department, particularly when you only spend about 2-5 hours interviewing a candidate. The added insight that Pro-Tax offers is extremely important to helping us choose new talent at USG.”
Value Added Services Beyond the Executive Search
“Pro-Tax is a full service staffing firm.”
Rich Fabrini, Chief Financial Officer
Lane Industries
“Unlike typical search firms, Pro-Tax Executive Search invests significant time and energy into understanding a company’s culture. We were extremely impressed when Paul Yroz scheduled individual, 1-hour meetings with our staff to become familiar with their objectives, and learn what is unique about how we do business. He then met with me to understand my objectives for the department as a whole, and from this starting point, he went to work.
Over the past five years, Pro-Tax has placed 11 tax executives with Lane Industries in virtually all types of tax positions including federal, state, local, and international. Although we had used recruiters before, only Pro-Tax provided the caliber of talent we really needed to achieve our goals. Because Pro-Tax made the necessary time investment in understanding our business, they now serve as a double-check when we outline new positions. Paul is not afraid to ask the hard questions that he believes will lead us to a better end result, even if it means more time invested by his firm. He takes each search personally, as if he were placing someone in his own company.
In addition to finding great people, Pro-Tax has excellent insight into how a tax department operates. Paul Yroz has a lot of information! At any given time, he can start at the top of a company roster and name all the tax professionals working there. Also, because he is so informed, he can connect with that great person sitting at their desk working away. It expands the list of candidates we can choose from to a much larger universe, not just the ones looking for new positions. And he remains informed on trends that dramatically effect the tax job market.
Pro-Tax covers our staffing needs from many different angles. We’ve used the firm as a resource at performance review time to get up to speed on market-based pay because there is so much variation. In a nutshell, Pro-Tax is a full-service search firm that can offer solutions in almost every area of tax professional staffing.”
Client Service Second to None
Jim Dite, Director of Tax
Tellabs, Inc.
“Paul’s reputation preceded him before we ever worked together. I had heard from my colleagues in the tax industry that Pro-Tax was an excellent resource for multi-level staffing and recruitment, and also had the latest market information regarding compensation and trends.
Before I had a search assignment to give Pro-Tax, Paul Yroz came to Bolingbrook, IL to get acquainted with me and with Tellabs, Inc. He told me about the services Pro-Tax could offer, and took the time to understand my style so he could make appropriate matches in the future.
When I needed to fill a position in my tax department, I called Paul. The work went very well and Paul provided excellent candidates with skill sets that matched what we were looking for.
There were several benefits to working with Pro-Tax. Paul Yroz and his staff provide a level of client service that is second to none. They have an incredible amount of integrity, and know a lot of the people in public accounting and in the industry in general.
And Paul knows more than just candidates. He knows people who know the people you’re considering hiring. It’s more extensive than the average background check.
Pro-Tax can conduct very specific, targeted searches. On one of our searches, we required local candidates only. We did not want to include relocation in the package. Paul was willing to present a lot of candidates adhering to this requirement.
Paul also offers non-resume feedback that you could only know by working with someone that knows a lot of people in the industry. If someone has a shining record, we will have that confirmed. And if there are issues to weed out, that becomes obvious, too. After our first contact with the candidate, if they aren’t a right fit, we discuss what wasn’t right to further refine the search process. We do our homework on the front end and find the person with the right motivation for leaving their current position and joining Tellabs, Inc. You really feel you’re working together as a team.
Essentially, we rely very heavily on Pro-Tax to provide professional, effective searches for our company. We feel there is significant pay back from working with Paul Yroz and his firm. The value that the Pro-Tax team brings helps us find people with an array of talents, interests and motivations, rather than limiting ourselves to the pool of candidates found using conventional hiring methods.”
Creating a Business Partnership
“A firm that treats both candidates and clients with the same level of professionalism is unique in the recruiting industry.”
Jeffery Young, Vice President and Chief Tax Officer
GATX Corporation
“It is my professional opinion that Pro-Tax Executive Search, Inc. is one of the premier professional search firms in the tax industry.
Paul Yroz has brought another dimension to the job search market. His recruiting process helps to build a business partnership with the client that is not unlike the relationship a corporation would build with its bank or public accountants. It is this commitment to providing clients with the best possible professional services available that holds Pro-Tax Executive Search, Inc. head and shoulders above the competition.
This business partnership is fostered by Paul’s technique of taking ownership of recruiting engagements. By treating a search as if he were filling positions within his own company, he helps provide clients with employees who are looking to build a long-term career.
The comfort level that you get working with Pro-Tax is attributable to the complete professional job that Paul Yroz will provide.”
The Search Process
“A total solution, from A to Z”
Jeffery Young, Vice President and Chief Tax Officer
GATX Corporation
“I’ve known Paul Yroz since 1988, and during that time our relationship has changed from potential new recruit to a client-based business partnership. I’ve use the term “business partnership” because it best describes the relationship Paul strives to foster. He develops a partnership through the recruiting process he uses which is what sets him and his firm apart from other professional search firms.
Paul begins the recruiting process by garnering as much information as possible about the position, and the company. Paul truly takes ownership of the search process, and treats each recruiting engagement as if were a position at his own firm. After acquiring a thorough working knowledge of the position to be filled, he begins the screening process with potential recruits. During these interviews Paul learns the recruit’s requirements for a new position, and also their long-term goals. By understanding the requirements of both client and recruit, Paul can fill the position with someone that will fulfill the needs of the client. Simultaneously, he provides the recruit with valuable long-term career path input.
After narrowing the field of potential candidates down to a group that provides the best possible fit for the position, Paul begins the interview process. At this time the client is provided with a critique of each potential recruit to use for internal screening to determine which candidates will be interviewed. Since Paul has taken the time to get to know each of the candidates, he is able to provide invaluable insight to the client about each potential candidate. At the same time, Paul provides candidates with as much information as possible about the corporation, the position, the personalities of the department, the potential career paths available, and his own personal assessment of the candidates fit with the corporation.
In my candidate-client experience, Paul’s insight is the most valuable information in my decision making process. His assessments are always accurate, concise and on point. As the actual interviews begin, both sides are comfortably familiar with the requirements and needs of all parties. Throughout the interviews, Paul continues providing information and insight to both sides to get closer to identifying the best fit for the position.
Once the field has been narrowed, and the client agrees which candidate is the best fit, an offer is extended. At that point, Paul’s knowledge of regional tax markets, the client’s compensation and benefits parameters, and the recruit’s expectations come into play. Paul reviews with me benefits packages that will be competitive in the market, while keeping within our compensation limitations. He works with the recruit to evaluate their compensation expectations and ensure they are in line with the recruit’s experience, education and knowledge base.
At the conclusion, both the client and the recruit are comfortable with knowing they have made the best decision. This comfort is based upon complete knowledge of all available information regarding the position and the recruit, as well as knowing that all steps in the interview process have been thoroughly completed. Pro-Tax offers a total recruiting solution, from the beginning of the search to bringing the candidate on board.”
Pro-Tax Serves Multi-Level Staffing Needs
Susan Clifford, Director of Tax
GE Capital Auto Financial Services
“In the past, I have worked with Pro-Tax and Paul Yroz to locate and recruit staff at multiple levels in my tax department. I am most impressed with the personal level of service I have received, and the counsel that Paul provides during the search process. He has filled positions from the staff level all the way to tax director level positions. Paul offers a level of integrity and trust that gives me comfort that I don’t waste my time interviewing candidates that won’t “work out”.
He makes it a point to visit our office, and he brings a great network of tax talent. Although there are several recruiting firms that stay in touch with me, I have chosen to work with Paul because he has been not only a resource for great people, but for additional job market information. His knowledge of other positions and salary levels in my market has given me the concrete supporting data I needed to obtain salary adjustments for those people that were key performers and that I wanted to make sure stayed with the company. Paul was able to locate similar job descriptions and then ferret out the details of their compensation package.
Because he is a very pleasant, professional person, I have developed a level of trust with Paul that makes me feel comfortable enough to rely on Pro-Tax exclusively for my tax placements. I am pleased to report that Paul Yroz found the best associate I have ever worked with: a senior federal income tax manager. This, again, tells the story of how well Paul executes the prospecting process. He knows what I am looking for, and he delivers candidates of that caliber with the right personality and skill set.”
From Candidate to Client
“Staffing a Tax Department with Pro-Tax”
John Mann, Director of Tax
Dean Foods
“Having known and worked with Paul since 1988, as both a candidate and client, I am very familiar with his level of professionalism and integrity. From the candidate standpoint, Paul spent a significant amount of time getting to know me, as well as my career aspirations. At one point Paul conducted a skills assessment which allowed us to closer pinpoint the type of organization I would fit well in.
In addition to assessing my skills, Paul offered input that challenged some of my thinking regarding the position I was then seeking-federal tax manager with a publicly traded firm. We discussed opportunities that became available over the next year, and as we explored various opportunities, we discussed the pros and cons in detail. Until we actually got to the best position for me, however, I did turn down offers that would clearly have been money-making propositions. But, in keeping with his very high level of integrity and honesty, Paul would make it known when he felt that perhaps the position was not necessarily the best fit for me. In the same vein, on the hiring side, as I work with Paul as a client, he also steers me away from decisions that he believes are not the best fit for my department- even if it means delaying the placement.
I have used Paul and his firm solely for every position I have hired at Dean Foods where I am currently Director of Tax. Paul and his staff have helped us hire the right people and examine the role that new staff will play in the department. We work with Paul to modify job descriptions, due to his excellent understanding of tax department operations. We also tap into his insight in career tracking and compensation packages.
When I first joined Dean Foods, Paul pointed out after a salary analysis, that several staff needed to be adjusted upward. With Paul’s guidance, we handled the situation over a two-year period, and got staff up to the competitive levels that would allow us to keep the good talent we had in the department.
The thing that makes Paul different is that he clearly is in it for the long haul. This is obvious in the way he takes time to understand the culture on the client side, extending that knowledge out to how a particular hire will impact the company for the long term.
Also, as a testament to Paul’s talent for seeing through the hiring authority’s eyes, at times if he feels completely confident that he has the right candidate he will not deluge the manager with a number of resumes, but present only one. In my case, I was that single resume. And for the past three years, I have been Director of Tax at Dean Foods.”