Founded by Julie Allen in 2003 after building a medical device recruiting practice for SC OakBrook, IL, Allen Executive Search, Ltd., has had success helping start up, venture-backed, small-to-mid-size medical device companies more aggressively reach their business objectives through the executives they have placed. Rich Allen, Julie's husband, joined the firm in 2005.

Their deep company knowledge, extensive industry network, thoroughness and foresight have gained them a reputation of excellence and placement-to-tenure ratios that are unmatched. Their understanding of both company and candidate is so intimate that it has on occasion led to "investment hires" — the creation of positions resulting from an understanding that company goals could be attained quicker with the skills and leadership of key individuals who were brought forward. Their perceptiveness has led many of their clients to not only trust them to build their executive teams, but their field clinical and sales teams as well.

Allen Executive Search will remain a boutique retained search firm by design so partners, Julie and Rich Allen can form a select number of direct, hands-on, high-value relationships with the CEOs who are committed to building their companies on solid foundations — clinically, technologically, financially and culturally.