Adaptive Solutions Group Management Team

As one of Adaptive Solutions Group's three founding partners, Brad Wood is responsible for all the business operations involved in the company. His biggest challenge? Finding the right people for the job in the IT realm, where unemployment levels are low, and premium talent is always in short supply. Thus, companies need talented IT recruiters who network with IT consultants on a constant basis, who intimately understand employers' real needs, and who prove adept at finding the right personnel to fill those roles.

'The art of the placement,' he says, 'isn't only about matching up with the needed technical skills, but also with the character and personality traits of the existing team.'

To Brad and his colleagues, ASG's approach is important in an increasingly complex technology staffing industry. 'The industry continues to become commoditized by larger clients limiting interaction between the vendor (us) and the customer (them). This hinders the ability of the vendor to fully understand a customer's needs, and the ability to provide the right person the first time. A lot of time is spent 'guessing' on a customer's needs…this makes the process significantly lengthier than it needs to be.'

Adaptive Solution Group's answer: treat people as people, not commodities, an approach that's 'sincere and appreciated by both our employees and customers,' he points out. 'The last time I checked, people weren't commodities.' ASG customers and consultants alike are made to feel special and valued, and receive a closeness of service that makes connecting the right people with the right jobs more efficient and rewarding for all concerned.

Brad is proud of the internal team ASG has assembled, and gets a great sense of accomplishment watching them grow personally and professionally, thanks to the environment he and his partners have fostered. 'They all believe in treating people with respect and it shows.'

Brad is a graduate of the University of Missouri – Columbia, with a Bachelor's in Science with emphasis on Statistics. He is also a member of the Entrepreneurs' Organization in St. Louis. After starting out as a technical recruiter in the mid-Nineties, he worked up through the ranks of the industry to become a regional sales manager for his previous employer before he returned to St. Louis to start Adaptive Solutions Group.

His two children, Connor and Danielle, are actively involved in sports and dance. Their dad is an avid runner and triathlete himself, having completed numerous marathons and triathlons, including a full Ironman with more in store. His other passion is cooking, and he harbors an ambition to one day attend culinary school.

As Vice-President and a founder of Adaptive Solutions Group, Brent is involved with all aspects of decision-making within the firm, but focuses primarily on managing the St. Louis recruiting and sales teams.. He also acts as the Facility Security Officer for ASG, a role that encompasses processing and administration of employee security clearances, an absolute requirement for our Department of Defense clients.

'Our clients are always looking for ways to reduce costs within their IT organizations, but still improve mission-critical systems that IT supports. Combine that with the constant evolution of technology, and we're seeing a trend where many clients continue to increase the percentage of contingent IT workforce over full-time, which allows more flexibility in an unstable global economy. With this shift, our clients can quickly add critical technical skillsets and knowledge.'

ASG, Brent points out, was founded on the principle of 'prioritizing people' with an emphasis on personal relationships with both its clients and consultants. 'We believe in treating people as people and not as commodities.' As competition in the IT staffing industry increases, along with ever-growing restrictions imposed by vendor management systems, the ability to truly develop strong relationships and deliver exceptional service becomes more important than ever. 'We strive to make our consultants feel as though they're part of a company that truly values their efforts and cares about the direction of their careers.'

'From the back office support staff to the frontline Technical Recruiters and Account Managers, our team is the reason for our success,' he says. 'Each of them understands the importance of personal relationships and treating each other with respect.' That accounts for ASG's low attrition rate over the years. An environment that allows employees to grow professionally and personally has given Brent a lot of satisfaction over the years.

Brent graduated from Eastern Illinois University in 1995 with a B.S. in Environmental Biology before starting work as an IT Recruiter in Los Angeles. While in L.A. he advanced through a variety of roles in the IT Recruiting arena prior to starting ASG with Brad Wood and Matt Twyman.

Brent has a 'wonderful' family which includes his wife, Amy and three young children: Hudson, Max and Grant. Brent recently completed his first half-marathon, which he ran with Amy; he also truly enjoys golf, a pastime he hopes to enjoy with his boys in the future, and pursues photography and acoustic guitar playing too.

As one of the three founders of Adaptive Solutions Group, Matt participates in the strategic direction of ASG and specifically manages growth of the Kansas City office. Launched in 2009, he oversees its sales, recruiting, training and operations functions. To Matt, it's crucial that Kansas City, like our original St. Louis office, continues to promote the same kind of culture and approach that distinguishes ASG among the competition.

That mission has been integral to ASG from the start, thanks to 'a shared belief amongst the Owners that we could add a breath of fresh air to a field that was in dire need of such an approach,' he notes. 'The pace can be so frantic that our competition will skip steps and not take the time to focus on the details. Adaptive Solutions Group has always placed our relationships with people on the forefront of our focus.'

The firm's success has presented both opportunities and challenges: 'The biggest challenge…is to continue to hold true to our founding principles in the midst of continued growth,' Matt points out. 'As a small company we have excelled at prioritizing people on both the client and candidate level. The care and attention we put into building each relationship has been the core of our success. As we expand we will have to strive more than ever to instill these same principles into our new employees so that we continue to separate ourselves in an intensely competitive field.'

Involved in technical staffing since 1994, Matt has never seen the IT staffing industry 'as active as it is today.' With more competition for skilled people, putting people and relationships at the forefront is an important point of difference for ASG with clients and candidates alike. 'When the demand pendulum outweighs supply, it can lead to a frantic pace which can adversely impact service levels,' he explains, so ASG strives to continue providing top-shelf service by offering unique talent in a tight IT labor pool.

'We are absolute and non-wavering in our approach,' Matt says, 'which includes meeting every candidate, running proper references and ensuring we send only the top talent along for consideration.'

After receiving a Bachelor's Degree in History from the University of Missouri – Columbia, Matt worked for a multinational technology staffing firm for several years, and helped establish a K.C. office on its behalf, valuable experience he's put to good use in founding and expanding Adaptive Solutions Group.

Matt and his wife have 4 active children to keep up with; on his own, he enjoys competitive running, triathlons, snow skiing, reading and guitar playing. His family additionally contributes to the Kansas City community by hosting the Benjamin E Twyman Memorial Golf Tournament; an annual event to raise money for Children's Mercy Hospital.

Andy has been with Adaptive Solutions Group since 2006. He has noted that his on-the-job enjoyment comes from genuinely helping people better their current situations, and working for a company that feels more like an extended family then a corporation.

Andy came to ASG after earning a B.A. in Business Administration from Hanover College and followed by 3-years with Enterprise Rent-A-Car. Before school, he grew up on his family's corn and soybean farm in central Illinois. Andy is married with two children and loves golf, camping, and spending time with his family and friends.

Brian Scott has been with Adaptive Solutions Group since 2004, helping to perpetuate what he terms a unique environment. 'This fosters a great group of people which makes coming to work every day enjoyable.'

As a graduate of McKendree University, with a B.A in Marketing, Brian's previous jobs include working at Northwestern Mutual Financial Network and Balls-n-Strikes. In his personal life, he's a husband and father of three, a baseball and golf enthusiast, and a fan of the Colts and Cardinals.

Kristin joined Adaptive Solutions Group as the Payroll/Accounting Manager in 2011. She's fully on-board with the challenges of the staffing industry and fast-paced nature.

Kristin is a graduate of Maryville University, where she acquired a double-major B.A. in Psychology and Sociology.

Rachel has been with the team since 2010. She truly enjoys the staff she works with which she describes as 'a fun group who make every day interesting and entertaining!'

A veteran in IT staffing with over 15 years' experience combined with her PHR and SHRM-CP certifications, Rachel brings a high degree of commitment, focus, and in-depth experience to the job.