The Jacob Group consistently ranks in the top 3% among independent search firms, with many practices ranking in the top 1%. A key reason for this success is the quality of our practice team leaders. Each has either extensive industry/function expertise on your side of the desk and/or deep experience recruiting within a particular specialty area.
Don’s roots in recruiting began directly out of college with Leonard and Associates. He leveraged those early skills with Oscar Mayer and Pepsi-Cola for 17 years. Don and his family moved 12 times in these 17 years progressing through the ranks of marketing, sales and general management; several at the VP level with Pepsi-Cola.
As founder of The Jacob Group in 1992, Don has built a nationally recognized firm principled around a better way of conducting search. His personal practice was consistently ranked in the top 10 in a network of over 4,000 recruiters. He is a regular speaker at Regional, National and International events, sharing The Jacob Group’s best practices with the search community.
Today as CEO, he leads seven practice teams and personally uses a hands-on approach to assure our client’s satisfaction with the quality and speed of our talent search activities. Don’s wife, Becky, is a partner with him in the business and he enjoys their two children and three grandchildren who all live within a few miles of “The Ranch”.
Becky is one of the founding partners of The Jacob Group established in 1992. She leads all support groups for the team including the Market Intelligence Group, Fulfillment Team and Administrative Staff. She also manages the Human Resources function for the firm and outside supervision of our financial, legal and technology partners.
Becky is a member of The Board of The Jacob Search Group, LLC and a sitting member of the Marketing Committee and Operations Committee. The excellence she has demonstrated in her role has helped The Jacob Group achieve international recognition as one of the top independent firms.
When given any spare time, Becky loves to travel and relax with family, especially playing swimming instructor to three very active Grandchildren.
Steve serves as the COO for The Jacob Group, in addition, he leads the design of our enterprise services to assist companies fill critical needs across key functional areas in a streamlined & coordinated manner. He is a results-focused, effectual leader with proven ability to network, direct source, build and maintain business relationships. His expertise includes analyzing areas of growth, defining strategies, identifying key personnel to execute tasks and implementing projects that carry proven results.
During his 26-year tenure in Executive Search, Steve has been quoted in many national publications. He serves as a resource and subject matter expert regarding contracts, demographics, industry trends, organizational hierarchies, strategic recruitment initiatives, compensation models, retention programs and successful on-boarding procedures.
Steve received his B.S. from Bradley University. His time outside of work is spent with his wife, son and two daughters.
Michael Patterson
SVP - Restaurant / Retail / Hospitality Recruiter
Mike brings an extensive background in professional development and executive search to The Jacob Group. He has enjoyed a 23 year career with the firm and over that time has placed 100’s professionals in the restaurant, hospitality and retail industries. Formerly a team leader for Dale Carnegie Centers of Excellence, Mike chairs the training committee and is a member of the Board of Directors for Jacob Search Group LLC. It should be noted that he is recognized as one of the top performers among his peers throughout the world, is a perennial Pacesetter and is a member of the MRI Pacesetter Hall of Fame.
Mike leads a team of Account Executives and Project Managers focused on senior through mid-level executive search for numerous clients in the restaurant, retail and hospitality industries. He has developed a team to address virtually any/all functions within the industries he supports including corporate/franchise operations, sales, real estate, human resources, culinary, R&D, marketing, finance, real estate and merchandising. He and his team execute both domestic and international searches.
Mike is a graduate of Stephen F. Austin University, with a BA in Business Administration. When he is not working you will find he and his wife in the outdoors cycling, camping or mountain biking. He is also active in his church and is part of a men’s quartet.
Matt started with The Jacob Group 15 years ago and quickly grew his role and responsibility with the firm. Matt currently leads a research group that is recognized in helping The Jacob Group with its outstanding reputation with superior talent at industry leading speed.
Before leading the Marketing Intelligence group, Matt has had roles as a Research Associate and member of our Project Fulfillment Team. He also handles all internal technologies including data systems networks and marketing graphics.
Matt is a member of the Operations and Marketing Committees for the firm. In his spare time he is a technology junkie and is grooming his son into a 4th generation Green Bay Packers fan!
Kenny brings an accomplished 30+ year background of senior headquarters and field leadership experience to The Jacob Group representing 100’s of national, regional, and startup brands in the consumer-packaged goods industry. His talent sourcing efforts are focused on highly successful candidates within Sales, Category Planning, and Consumer Insights.
Throughout his career Kenny established a solid reputation for consistently guiding the efforts of cross functional teams in the delivery of accelerated topline and bottom-line revenue and market share growth. In addition to building and implementing highly effective business plans for grocery, mass-merch, convenience, club, drug, specialty, and e-commerce channels, Kenny successfully guided numerous startup brands through every phase of the commercialization and product launch process. Kenny’s breadth of brand experience stretches across numerous national brands such as Kraft, Oscar Mayer, Nabisco, Maxwell House, Post, Jell-O, Oreo, Philadelphia, Claussen, Breakstone, California Pizza Kitchen, DiGiorno, Tombstone, Louis Rich, Crystal Light, Capri Sun, A-1, Grey Poupon, Kool-Aid, Bull’s-Eye, Velveeta.
Kenny has always been actively involved with the community and very much enjoys volunteering for Habitat for Humanity and Junior Achievement. Kenny also volunteered as a football, basketball, and baseball coach for 10 years when his two sons were growing up. During his free time Kenny is quite the outdoorsman, enjoys any and all fitness and sports related activities, and traveling to see and do new things as often as possible.
Kenny is a graduate of the University of Texas at Dallas, with a BS in Business Administration where he also served as the Student Senator for the School of Management.
With over a decade of experience in recruitment, Sabrina Sternshein excels in transforming executive recruitment into a strategic and impactful process. She has a proven track record of driving organizational success by securing the perfect fit for executive roles, ensuring alignment with team dynamics and company culture. Her journey spans various industries, including healthcare and food manufacturing, where she has honed her skills in full-cycle executive recruiting and sourcing top talent.
Sabrina founded and operated a successful recruitment firm, specializing in permanent placements for high-level roles within hospital systems and other industries. She has led high-volume recruitment efforts, revamped interview processes, and developed position management forms with clear growth trajectories. Certified as a Talent Optimization Specialist through The Predictive Index, Sabrina leverages advanced tools to optimize hiring processes and outcomes. She has also contributed to thought leadership in recruitment, co-authoring a publication on video interview best practices.
Known for her high-touch approach and ability to build strong relationships, Sabrina is a true partner to the businesses she works with, passionate about fostering growth and continuous improvement. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling and spending time with her husband and three children.
Buddy brings a track record of success to the executive search team at The Jacob Group. Drawing from nearly 30 years of experience, he has a solid understanding of every aspect of the hospitality/restaurant industry which has helped him meet and exceed expectations working with his clients. He understands how to best support client and candidate needs having placed hundreds of individuals in the hospitality/restaurant industry.
Buddy’s industry background includes operations, training and development, beverage, recruiting, purchasing, operations services, and operating systems. His experience has been valuable when recruiting corporate level positions by offering unparalleled understanding of roles and responsibilities in numerous functions and levels within the hospitality/restaurant industry.
Buddy is a graduate of Arizona State University, with a BS in Psychology. In his free time, he spends time with his wife and five kids, mostly attending his kid’s sporting events!
With 15 years of leadership experience in retail operations and 8 years in executive recruiting, Amanda brings a wealth of expertise to the table. Specializing in the retail, entertainment, and hospitality sectors, Amanda has a proven track record of identifying and securing top-tier talent that aligns with organizational goals and culture.
Throughout Amanda's career, she has demonstrated a keen ability to lead high-performing teams, streamline operations, and drive business growth. She excels at building strong relationships with both candidates and hiring managers, ensuring a seamless recruitment process that results in successful placements.
Known for her strategic approach and deep industry knowledge, Amanda is passionate about helping companies achieve their objectives by finding the right leaders to drive their success. Outside of work, Amanda enjoys spending time with her two sons, and her French Bulldog, Jolene.
Melinda is an experienced Recruiter with The Jacob Group. As a Generalist for 10 years with The Jacob Group, she successfully lead fulfillment teams in Sales & Marketing, Human Resources, Research & Development, Restaurant/Retail, Hospitality, and Supply Chain/Logistics. Her breadth of experience, proven success, and passion for our industry has made Melinda a valuable asset to our firm.
Melinda started with The Jacob Group as a Research Manager, and then as a Project Manager with our Fulfillment Team, with primary accountability toward retained and multi-hire assignments.
She holds a BA in Psychology with a minor in Business from The University of Texas at Arlington. In her spare time, Melinda enjoys swimming, reading, and watching funny movies with her two children.
Dawn joins the firm with over 20 years of sales, marketing, sales management, advertising, and relationship building experience in the publishing industry. Also a published author, she brings a creative approach to her diverse skills in marketing and promotion to the Restaurant/Hospitality/Retail team. She has held various leadership roles for a local non-profit organization, serving on the Advisory Board and promoting their outreach programs as Public Relations Chairperson.
Dawn is a graduate of Texas Woman’s University, where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism. In her spare time she enjoys traveling, writing, gardening, reading, and cooking. Dawn resides near McKinney, Texas with her husband and two fabulous rescue animals.
Dakota started with The Jacob Group in January of 2016 as a Research Associate for the Market Intelligence Team. In his role, he manages several projects all relating to database excellence. From updating old contact information, sourcing new talent from miscellaneous sources online, and quality assurance of data accuracy; Dakota’s role is critical to our organization.
In his spare time Dakota enjoys spending time with his family, playing cards with friends, and playing tennis for multiple teams through the USTA.
Sammy joins The Jacob Group with over six years of experience in business development and a recent transition into executive recruiting. Sammy is passionate about helping individuals find career opportunities that align with their passion and expertise. He takes pride in building authentic relationships based on genuine, equitable, diverse, and inclusive partnerships
Sammy holds a communications and public relations BA from the University of Central Oklahoma. In addition to their professional work, they are dedicated to giving back to the community through volunteerism and raising awareness for important causes like My Possibilities, Cafe Momentum, and The Resource Center. Outside of work, Sammy enjoys traveling, spending time with their wife, and caring for their five rescue cats.
A recent graduate from Stephen F. Austin State University, Carson is eager to embark on a professional journey in executive recruiting. With a degree in Criminal Justice, Carson has developed a strong foundation in creativity and adaptability, preparing him to make a meaningful impact in the industry. During his time at Stephen F. Austin State University, Carson was actively involved in football, where he honed his leadership and teamwork skills. He also completed internships at Etech Global Services, gaining hands-on experience in communication, leadership, and managing a team.
Known for his dedication and enthusiasm, Carson is passionate about helping companies achieve their objectives of getting the right leaders to drive their success. He is excited to bring fresh perspectives and innovative ideas to his future role.
Outside of work, he enjoys watching NFL, NBA, and MLB games and spending quality time with family and friends.