Business Details
24 Years
experience
Trusted Executive Search Experts for Financial Services
Huffman Associates has been delivering high-performance executive recruitment solutions since 2002. Our boutique approach combines specialized market insight with trusted industry relationships to connect mortgage, financial services, and fintech organizations with leadership talent that drives measurable results. With expertise in retained search, contingent search, and recruiting-as-a-service models, we focus on mid-to-senior level placements where larger firms often fall short. Our proven process consistently achieves 90%+ candidate retention rates and fills roles 30% faster than industry averages. Backed by decades of combined experience, our team of senior recruiters works closely with clients ranging from Fortune 100 companies to fast-growth startups and private equity-backed firms.We maintain rigorous research standards and cultural alignment practices to ensure optimal matches between executives and organizations. Our commitment to quality is evidenced by our 60-day placement guarantee for contingent search engagements. Through our relationship-driven approach, we've built a reputation as trusted partners in talent acquisition across residential and commercial mortgage sectors, fintech platforms, and capital markets. Our operational excellence framework ensures consistency and efficiency throughout every search engagement lifecycle.
Services
Retained Search
Contingent Search
Recruiting as a Service
Contract Placement
Executive Recruitment
Talent Acquisition
Leadership Search
Details
- Year established: 2002
Highlights and features
- 20+ years of specialized expertise in mortgage and financial services recruitment
- Proven recruiting process with 90%+ candidate retention rate
- 30% faster placements compared to industry averages
- Senior recruiters with deep industry relationships and market insight
- Relationship-driven approach with 60-day placement guarantee
What people say
True professional
Exceptional insight
Deep understanding
Fast and quality candidates
Measurable business outcomes
Services
Retained Search
Our retained executive search model provides dedicated senior recruiter support for critical leadership roles. We manage the complete process from targeted outreach to final negotiations, ensuring quality placements aligned with organizational culture. Clients benefit from exclusive focus and priority access to our industry network while maintaining cost efficiency through structured fee arrangements based on candidate compensation.
Contingent Search
This cost-effective solution delivers qualified candidates without upfront financial commitment. Our active sourcing approach combines rigorous screening with cultural alignment assessment, backed by a 60-day placement guarantee. Ideal for organizations seeking quality candidates while maintaining budget flexibility through success-based payment structures tied to successful hires.
Recruiting as a Service
Our monthly RaaS model offers scalable recruitment support tailored to organizational needs. This flexible solution provides access to expert recruiters on demand, enabling companies to manage fluctuating hiring demands without expanding internal teams. Clients receive consistent quality through our proven sourcing methodologies and market intelligence.
People
Michael Huffman
CEO / Founder
With two decades of executive search experience, Michael leads boutique recruitment strategy across real estate finance. He specializes in mortgage lending and financial services, building leadership teams that deliver measurable business outcomes for organizations ranging from Fortune 100 companies to startups.
Phil Feigenbaum
Senior Vice President
Bringing nearly 20 years of executive search expertise, Phil manages mortgage banking and traditional banking searches. He focuses on strategic alignment between client needs and candidate capabilities, ensuring successful placements through comprehensive process management from initial strategy to final placement.
Jennifer LiCausi
Senior Vice President
Jennifer specializes in retained and contingent executive search across fintech and financial services. Her relationship-driven approach combines deep industry knowledge with precise candidate assessment to deliver leadership solutions that align with organizational culture and strategic objectives.
Corby Keenan
Vice President
Corby focuses on senior financial services recruitment with expertise in fintech, cybersecurity, and compliance. She combines research excellence with industry-specific knowledge to identify leaders who drive organizational success through strategic talent matching.
Lisa Carter
VP of Sourcing and Research
Lisa plays a critical role in executive candidate identification and engagement. Her expertise in sourcing strategies and commitment to relationship-building ensure effective matching of leadership talent with client requirements across diverse financial industry sectors.
Questions
What industries do you specialize in?
We focus on mortgage lending, financial services, fintech platforms, and capital markets, with expertise in placing executives across residential and commercial real estate finance sectors.
How does your retained search process work?
Our retained model provides exclusive senior recruiter support for critical roles, managing the complete process from targeted outreach to final negotiations with guaranteed candidate quality and cultural alignment.
What's your candidate retention rate?
We maintain a 90%+ candidate retention rate after one year, significantly exceeding industry averages through our rigorous matching process and cultural alignment assessment.
How quickly can you fill positions?
Our average days to fill is 70 compared to the industry's 90-100 days, achieved through proactive talent pipelines and specialized market intelligence in financial services sectors.
Do you offer flexible recruitment solutions?
Yes, our Recruiting-as-a-Service (RaaS) model provides scalable, on-demand executive search support tailored to fluctuating organizational needs while maintaining consistent quality standards.
What guarantees do you provide?
We offer a 60-day placement guarantee for contingent search engagements and maintain performance metrics that consistently exceed industry benchmarks for candidate quality and retention.
