Durakis Executive Search Family News

Many who know Durakis Executive Search and have been part of our extended network for some time know that we have supported companies in their search and recruiting needs, in one form or another, since 1974. Much of our philosophy and the values that make us the firm we are today come from our founder, my father Charlie Durakis, who helped pioneer and build the retained search industry.

I write to share the news that my father passed recently. Whether you knew him or not, I trust that you can sense the imprint he made on our firm and in the countless businesses with whom we’ve placed candidates. I learned so much from him as a father and business partner. He made me the man I am and made DES the business we are today.

I’d like to leave you with a story.

For over 20 years, he and I worked side by side with a singular focus — to help businesses find the absolute best candidates for their most critical roles. Even after he retired, he was my sounding board and trusted advisor, reminding me of our foundations.

As technology progressed and became more integrated with search, I would frequently update him on the latest in databases, research platforms, and remote recruiting trends. He’d listen patiently at the new tools for candidate identification and assessment, about Zoom interviews, background checking, and the like.

Once, when I was reviewing our new process with him, he smiled and waited for me to finish. “So,” he said, “you meet the client to pick up the specs, identify and interview potential candidates, present the best, negotiate compensation, and then an offer is accepted?” He paused and added, ”Search hasn’t changed a bit!”

What he knew, and what I hope we never forget, is that there will always be something new that disrupts any industry, for good or bad. But the strength of any business is built on the lives enriched through the connections between people. And our focus on finding the right people to connect is part of his legacy that continues today.

Be well,

Chuck.