Jess Marino, Stephen Benson and Bradley Morrison Named Partners at Direct Recruiters, Inc.

December 17, 2024

Solon, Ohio – Direct Recruiters, Inc. (DRI), a Starfish Partners Company, is proud to announce the promotion of Jess Marino, Stephen Benson, and Bradley Morrison to Partners. This recognition reflects their outstanding contributions to the firm and their dedication to delivering exceptional results for clients and candidates.

Since joining DRI in 2022, Jess has made an extraordinary impact within the Material Handling, Packaging, and Food Processing practice areas. With a strong foundation in recruiting and consulting, Jess has successfully leveraged her expertise and emotional intelligence to build meaningful relationships with clients and candidates, resulting in outstanding career matches. Her dedication, grit, and results-driven approach have been instrumental in delivering success for both her clients and our organization. Jess's ability to understand industry needs and connect top-tier talent has set her apart as a trusted partner in executive search.

"It is with immense pride and pleasure that I now call Jess Marino my Partner within the Starfish Family. Jess’s accomplishments never come as a surprise, as her exceptional work ethic and meticulous attention to detail make her success appear effortless," said Cherie Shepard, Managing Partner, Material Handling, Packaging & Processing. "As a key team player, Jess is often called upon to mentor our newest colleagues, a role she embraces with grace and expertise. Her natural ability to build meaningful relationships with clients, candidates, and team members consistently goes above and beyond, ensuring that everyone feels valued and important. I am thrilled for her and her growing family and look forward to witnessing her continued, exponential success in the years ahead."

Stephen Benson has been with Direct Recruiters since 2017, starting as a Project Manager, being promoted to Principal Recruiter, then as Recruiting Director - HIT. Over the years, Stephen has been instrumental in identifying and placing top talent across sales, product management, customer success, engineering, and operations for healthcare IT companies. With a strong background in executive recruitment and a proven ability to work with high-growth, PE- and VC-backed healthcare software companies nationwide, Stephen has become a trusted leader within the HIT team.

Bradley Morrison joined Direct Recruiters in 2019 as a Project Manager on the Healthcare IT team, being promoted in 2023 to Principal Recruiter. Bradley has demonstrated a unique ability to understand both client and candidate needs, enabling him to build strong, lasting relationships across the healthcare IT sector. Bradley’s ability to match high-performing candidates with key opportunities has made him an integral part of DRI’s success in delivering exceptional executive search and recruitment services. Throughout his tenure, Bradley has consistently upheld DRI's core values, ensuring a seamless experience for clients and candidates alike.

Mike Silverstein, Managing Partner of Healthcare IT and Life Sciences said, “I am so proud to be able to celebrate the accomplishments and contributions of my new Partners, Bradley Morrison and Stephen Benson. Both of these gentlemen exemplify our core values and are the consummate teammates both within our group and across all of Starfish Partners. They are both extremely skilled at their crafts, but they are even better people. I am thrilled for each of them and their families and can’t wait to see what the future holds”