Synergistics Associates is a Specialist Executive Search Firm. The specialty is Information Technology Executives, particularly CIOs and senior technical personnel.

Synergistics is a solo retainer practice that has been in continuous existence as a one or two man firm since 1971. Synergistics is a 100% retainer firm.

Synergistics is a member of the AESC (Association of Executive Search Consultants) and a member of SIM (Society of Information Management) for 25 years.

Mr. Borenstine, the president and founder, is an industry veteran in both Executive Search and Information Technology.

His undergraduate degree is from the University of Kansas and his MBA is from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.

At Wharton, he was a research fellow under Dr. Adrian McDonough. The research examined the role of computers in higher education (circa 1959-60). Prior to entering the search business, he was a computer executive in the first and second generation era of corporate computing.

In Chicago, he is active in significant external activities in the charitable, civic and political arenas. Professionally, his local and nationwide network of personal contacts developed in over 30 years of search practice have become a significant factor in promptly completing his search assignments.

EXPERIENCE

1956 – BA, Economics, University of Kansas

1956-58, United States Army

1959-60, Research Fellow, Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania

1960, MBA, Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania

1960-61, Systems Analyst, Johnson & Johnson

1961-65, Manager of MIS (CIO equivalent), Levitt & Sons Inc.
the developers of Levittown and the largest homebuilder in the U.S.

1965-70, Director of MIS (CIO equivalent), Warren Brothers Company (An Ashland Oil subsidiary), the largest Highway builder in the U.S.

1970-71, Director of Financial & Administrative Systems, Swift & Company, the Fortune 100 meatpacking firm.

1971-Present, Founder and President, Synergistics Associates

I do the work myself. No work is passed on to less qualified juniors in the back room. This results in higher speed, improved quality, and most of all personal service. An important factor in a successful executive search assignment is the quality of the individual recruiter, as well as his perseverance and sensitivity.

I have an ownership interest. I am the firm - it’s me. This means much higher incentive to succeed.

I have only a limited number of clients, thus, each client is more precious and more closely cared for. My strategic focus is on fewer clients and making sure that I service them better than a large firm would. Nimbleness is the advantage of the small firm.

Additionally, the largest firms are primarily publicly owned. Their first priority is to their shareholders, not their clients. The advantage of using a boutique search firm is your importance to them and thus, their motivation to service you better.

I have no blockage. I can search nearly every company in the world. This is key as most of the very largest search firms are blocked from recruiting from clients i.e. some of the best candidates from the Fortune 500.

I am at no disadvantage in finding people because of the Internet. The playing field between small and large firms is now level. The large firms giant databases are no longer the advantage they once were. My emphasis is targeted, current research of all appropriate companies taking into account startups, spin offs, mergers, etc.

I have available to me specialty firms such as researchers and reference specialists to call upon if required. This should reduce any hesitation of using a one-man firm.