Chicago, Illinois

Serving Clients Nationwide

American Recruiters in Chicago, Illinois

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Craig Wilson

Franchise Owner/Operator

Email: cwilson@ariteam.com

Email:

Phone: 312-780-7510

Phone:

American Recruiters Chicago, was established in 1999 and is led by Craig Wilson. The Chicago location specializes in direct hire recruiting for key industries, including Foodservice Equipment & Supplies, Front of House & Housewares, HVAC/R, Plumbing & Filtration, Food & Beverage, Food Processing & Production, and Paper & Packaging. With a focus on connecting businesses with top-tier talent, their team excels in sourcing professionals for roles across sales, operations, engineering, and executive leadership. By leveraging their deep industry expertise and extensive network, they ensure clients receive highly qualified candidates who fit their unique needs. For job seekers, American Recruiters Chicago provides unparalleled access to career opportunities within these specialized industries. Backed by a team with over 200 years of collective experience and industry connections, they offer expert guidance and personalized support throughout the job search process. Whether candidates are looking for leadership roles or specialized positions, the Chicago team’s vast network and deep market insight help professionals navigate their career paths with confidence.

Chicago’s Areas of Expertise

FOODSERVICE EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES

Restaurant & Bakery Equipment - Coffee & Water Systems – eCommerce Commissary Systems and Delivery

FRONT OF HOUSE & HOUSEWARES

Tableware - Lighting - Buffetware - Decorating - POS Systems – Restaurant, Hospitality & Conference Center Furniture

HVAC/R, PLUMBING & FILTRATION

Ventilation – Heating – Refrigeration - Water Treatment & Filtration -   Handling - Pumping

FOOD & BEVERAGE

Coffee - Water - Ingredients - Culinary Development

FOOD PROCESSING & PRODUCTION

Bakery – Proteins – Ingredients - Front & Back End Packaging Equipment - Conveyors & Sorting Equipment

PAPER & PACKAGING

Disposables - Sealing - Packaging - Eco & Recyclable

Chicago’s Role Types

C-SUITE

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) - Chief Technology Officer (CTO) - Chief Operating Officer (COO) - Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) - Chief Financial Officer (CFO) - Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) - Executive Vice President (EVP) - Senior Vice President (SVP)

MANAGEMENT

Vice President - GM & Manager - Plant Manager - Director - Associate - Supply Chain - Regional - Representative - Branch Manager

SALES

Channel Management - Culinary Development - Wholesale Distribution Chain Accounts - Customer Service - Project Management - International

MARKETING

eCommerce & Content Marketing - Event Marketing - Merchandising - Public Relations - Product Management - Social Media & Digital Marketing

ENGINEERING & DESIGN

Product Design - Controls & IoT - Kitchen & Facilities Design - Manufacturing - Project Management - Innovation - Advanced R&D - Testing & Approvals

OPERATIONS

Manufacturing - Procurement - Supply Chain - International

TECHNICAL SERVICE

Foodservice Equipment - Training & Facilities Management - HVACR & Plumbing - Production  & Packaging Machinery

Our Chicago Team

Craig Wilson, CFSP

Craig Wilson, CFSP

Craig Wilson, CFSP (Certified Foodservice Professional) has spent a career in business startups, acquisitions, and globalizing commercial and industrial equipment and supplies businesses. He has personally visited 84 countries to date. His prior business credits include President/CEO Rational USA, VP Corporate Development at The Middleby Corporation, and NAFEM Board of Directors. He is a BSIE from Northwestern University with an MBA from Northwestern’s Kellogg program. Mr. Wilson has owned the commercial foodservice recruiting business of American Recruiters since 1999 and has been the number one producer and number one franchisee since 2001. Craig specializes in start-ups, M&A, key strategic initiatives, new business development and C-suite positions. His mantra is for his team to identify and secure the best hiring choices for every client in each talent search.

Email: cwilson@ariteam.com

Phone: 312-780-7510

D.J. Amborski

D.J. Amborski

  • D.J. Amborski has been with American Recruiters since December 2010. He has been in the foodservice and hospitality industries since 2002, having worked as a manufacturer’s representative and directly for the manufacturer. He has represented companies including Homer Laughlin, Dudson China, Snap Drape, MTS Seating, Unger, and Browne Halco.
Prior to joining American Recruiters, D.J. worked as a Regional Sales Representative for Thunder Group, Inc. D.J. has a BA from Kendall College, with a specialization in hotel and restaurant management and an MBA from the University of Phoenix. D.J. specializes in commercial foodservice sales channels, from NAFEM to FEDA to MAFSI sales reps. He brings extensive knowledge of all front-of-house market segments.

Email: djamborski@ariteam.com

Phone: 312-780-7509

Ted Agains, CSAM

Ted Agains, CSAM

Ted Agins, CSAM is a Certified Senior Account Manager, and is a nationally recognized recruiter, earning the prestigious Eagle Award for performance excellence six times. Ted brings over thirty years of industry expertise and recruiting, offering solutions for foodservice manufacturing, FSE manufacturing, and hospitality technologies.
 
Prior Ted owned several successful brand-name foodservice restaurants and retail operations. A BS in Foodservice Hospitality from UNLV and the University of Wisconsin, Ted has spent an entire career in commercial foodservice.
 
Recently, Ted has been involved in tough-to-fill technical searches such as food science and quality control, food processing technology, Artificial Intelligence, refrigeration engineering, microwave technologies, and the Internet of Things (IOT). He is our go-to guy for anything that is engineering and operations-related.

Email: tagins@ariteam.com

Phone: 312-780-7508

Deborah Best, CDR

Deborah Best, CDR

With over a decade of experience in talent acquisition, Deborah is a seasoned recruiter who specializes in executive-level searches in a wide variety of industries, including food manufacturing and distribution, financial, media, and beverage. Possessing a keen understanding of the intricacies of executive roles across various industries, she has successfully sourced top-tier talent for prestigious organizations. Deborah consistently delivers tailored solutions to meet the diverse needs of both clients and candidates alike. With a passion for fostering long-term partnerships and a track record of success, Deborah stands as a trusted advisor in the recruitment sphere, dedicated to shaping impactful and sustainable organizational growth. She will be focusing on building our food & beverage segment of commercial foodservice and processing professionals, from R&D to quality, production to supply chain, product management to marketing, and sales channel to technical service.

Email: dbest@ariteam.com

Phone: 608-710-8007

Tom Collingbourne

Tom Collingbourne

  • Tom Collingbourne is a seasoned professional and a true change-agent in the Foodservice industry. He specializes in sales positions within the largest and niche Foodservice distributors. With a focus on Towel and Tissue products and packaging solutions, Tom has consistently demonstrated his expertise and dedication in this dynamic field.
With a career spanning over two decades, Tom is a trusted authority in channel management, product development, key accounts, and specialty distribution. He has a deep understanding of the industry’s unique demands, allowing him to craft tailored solutions that address the specific needs of Foodservice distributors and manufacturers. Tom’s commitment to excellence and his ability to forge lasting relationships have been pivotal in driving business growth and success. Tom is excited to bring his wealth of knowledge to American Recruiters, as he can be a valuable change agent in finding our clients exceptional hiring choices in the paper, disposables, janitor, and sanitary products markets. Tom will be a trusted, strategic partner with our clients for decades to come.

Email: tcollingbourne@ariteam.com

Phone: 217-670-8672

Michael Page

Michael Page has spent a career in new business development in the foodservice equipment industry. Michael joined American Recruiters in 2005 concentrating in the foodservice and hospitality market. His prior industry experience includes being president of Page One Sales & Marketing, partner at PRF Marketing, vice president, the foodservice division at Baker’s Aid, and national sales manager for Traulsen. After attending Northwestern University and the University of Illinois, Chicago, Michael traveled & developed business throughout the US and was instrumental in revenue growth for manufacturers, representatives & dealers. He utilizes his experience & background to assist clients in developing strategies for increasing revenues & sales by providing quality people exceeding position requirements. Michael specializes in the foodservice, bakery, convenience store, and supermarket retail industries, finding exceptional talent in sales, marketing, and product management from NAFEM, FEDA, FSCI, and MAFSI markets.

Email: mpage@ariteam.com

Phone: 312-780-7505

Paul Rychlewski

Paul Rychlewski

  • Paul Rychlewski is a highly motivated and passionate Sales Manager with extensive experience in industrial sales and retail sporting goods operations. He has an extensive knowledge of industries that manufacture metal enclosures such as commercial foodservice equipment and refrigeration.
  • Paul earned his AAS in tool and manufacturing technology from S.I.U. in Carbondale, IL, BS, Technical Management, DeVry University summa cum laude and an MBA from Keller Graduate School of Management, DeVry University.
  • His extensive knowledge of recruiting, hiring, developing, and leading teams makes him an outstanding resource for identifying talent in niche industries such as kitchen design, project management, technical service, product management, and operations in the HVAC/R, Foodservice E&S, and Plumbing industries. Paul is committed to providing unmatched customer service and exceptional talent to his customers.

Email: prychlewski@ariteam.com

Phone: 312-780-7507

John Daschler

John Daschler

John Daschler has been involved with the food industry his entire life. Prior to joining American Recruiters, John was Vice president of educational programs for The International Foodservice Manufacturers Association (IFMA), vice president of the Educational Foundation of the American Hotel and Motel Association, and educator at the University of Notre Dame as well as at the University of Wisconsin Stout campus. He is currently a member of the Robert Morris College Hospitality Management faculty.

Email: jdaschler@ariteam.com

Phone: 312-780-7506

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