Expert credentials. Tremendous experience. Valuable tenure. Our Big 4 and industry work experience, combined with extensive executive search expertise, gives us insight into the most technical details of our clients’ needs. Our candidates and clients know their search is in qualified hands. Meet our award-winning team of professionals:

Cliff T. Edwards, MBA - Majority Owner
cliff@thomasedwards.com

Cliff Edwards is the CEO and majority shareholder of Thomas, Edwards Group. Prior to starting Thomas, Edwards Group, Cliff held various roles in banking, accounting and management consulting. He was a Manager in Coopers & Lybrand's national banking and real estate consulting groups. Before that, he was a commercial real estate lender at a regional savings bank, an accounting manager for a financial institution and a staff auditor in public accounting. Cliff is a Sooner. He earned a BBA in Accounting at the University of Oklahoma. He also holds an MBA in Finance from the Wharton School of Business. Cliff passed the CPA exam in 1985 but is no longer licensed to practice. Cliff is a member of the AICPA, CEO Netweavers (Netweaver Partner) and Financial Executives Institute (FEI).

Under Cliff’s vision and leadership, TEG has won "Best Places to Work" awards several times and is regularly included on the Dallas Business Journal's Book of Lists. The company has been in business since 1997.

Sharon Lukich, CPA - Principal
sharon@thomasedwards.com

Sharon has over 10 years of experience in accounting and management consulting. Prior to entering the search industry, she served as Controller for a major division of the Baylor Health Care System. Sharon started her career in the Big 4 with PricewaterhouseCoopers (formerly Coopers & Lybrand), specializing in both audit and litigation consulting. She has been with Thomas, Edwards Group since 2001. In addition to being a Partner with the firm, Sharon also performs direct hire recruiting for our Executive Search Division. She earned a BS in Accounting from the University of North Texas and is a licensed CPA in the state of Texas. Sharon serves as a Director for the TSCPA. She is a multi-year Professional Search award winner for both the Dallas and Texas areas.

In addition to her participation in various professional organizations, Sharon is very active in the fight to end autism.

Tom Delanoy, CPA - Managing Director
tom@thomasedwards.com

Tom has more than a dozen years of experience in progressive accounting and finance functions across the manufacturing, hospitality and service industries. He served as Director of Planning and Analysis for the international division of Yum! Brands. Tom also was Controller for Brach’s Confections, and began his career in Big 4 audit with PriceWaterhouseCoopers (formerly Price Waterhouse). He has been with Thomas, Edwards Group since 2006, having worked in both the Executive Search and the Contract Services Divisions. After 3 years with the firm, Tom was promoted into the role of Managing Director. Tom is a proud Aggie. He earned a BBA from Texas A&M University and is a licensed CPA in the state of Texas. He is a multi-year Professional Search award winner for the Contract Services category in Dallas.

Tom is actively involved in Coppell youth sports, serving on the Board of the local soccer association as well as coaching basketball and soccer through the years.

Debbie Vanicek, CPA - Senior Search Consultant
debbie@thomasedwards.com

Debbie has 16 years of corporate and operational accounting experience, including financial reporting, process re-engineering and software implementations. She started her career in Big 4 audit with Ernst & Young (formerly Arthur Young) before moving into industry. Debbie served as Controller for a hi-tech company, and was in a management role with Frito-Lay. She also was Assistant Controller for Weblink Wireless (formerly PageMart Wireless). Debbie has been with Thomas, Edwards Group since 2004, having worked in the Contract Services division prior to moving into her current role in the Executive Search Division. She earned her BBA in Accounting from Texas Tech University and is a licensed CPA in the state of Texas. Debbie is a multi-year Professional Search award winner for the Dallas and Texas areas.

Debbie is very active with the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA), currently serving on their Board.

Monica Westerfield, MBA - Candidate Recruiter
monica@thomasedwards.com

Monica began her career in internal audit with NationsBank, focusing on internal controls documentation as well as financial and operational audits for the Trust, Mortgage, and General Bank areas. She brings over 10 years of accounting & finance recruiting experience to the firm, having worked both in agency recruiting as well as in-house corporate HR departments. Monica has recruited for a broad range of industries including manufacturing, distribution, transportation, and oil & gas. She has both an MBA and a BS in Accounting from Oklahoma State University.

Monica is an active volunteer with her children’s local elementary school and Grace Avenue UMC, both in Frisco, and serves as the hospitality chairman for her sorority alumnae chapter for the Richardson-Plano area.

Ben Pinto, CPA - Director, Contract Services Division
ben@thomasedwards.com

Ben brings 20 years of accounting and finance experience working with companies of various sizes and industries including insurance, manufacturing, oil & gas, professional services, real estate and retail. Prior to joining Thomas Edwards Group, Ben was a Business Development Manager with a professional services firm for 12 years. He also served as a Regional Manager and VP for a national, privately-held company in the automotive industry. He began his career in Big 4 audit with Ernst & Young and is a Texas CPA and member of the Dallas Chapter of CPAs. As a proud Aggie, Ben graduated from Texas A&M University with a BBA in Accounting.

Ben is married and has two daughters. He is an active member of Watermark Community Church where he serves in the leadership within the children’s ministry.

Kim Gonzalez, CPA – Search Consultant
kim@thomasedwards.com

Kim has over 20 years of tax experience, spending the majority of her career with PricewaterhouseCoopers. She worked in industry as a Managing Director – Tax at Centex Corporation, and also worked for Fina Oil. Kim has been with the Thomas, Edwards Group since 2011 and focuses on direct hire recruiting in the Executive Search division. She earned her Bachelors in Accounting and Masters in Taxation from the University of North Texas. Kim is a licensed CPA in the state of Texas.

Kim enjoys volunteering with a parachurch ministry where she teaches Biblical principles of money. She is also an avid marathon runner.

Sara Arant - Candidate Recruiter
sara@thomasedwards.com

Sara is a graduate of the University of Oregon where she earned her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. She also studied in Alaska, Illinois and Tennessee before becoming an Oregon Duck. Sara graduated Summa Cum Laude and worked full time while attending school. She began her professional career with Thomas, Edwards Group after graduation. She started with the direct hire team as a candidate recruiter and is currently working in the Contract Services division.

Sara enjoys mountain biking, beach volleyball, the symphony, and spending time with her identical twin sister.

Susan Reddington - Accounting Assistant
susan@thomasedwards.com

Susan has over 20 years of experience as an Accounting Assistant and has been with the Thomas, Edwards Group since 2001. Her various roles include completing weekly payroll for the Contract Services Division, accounts payable and receivable, data entry and other important duties that keep our company running smoothly. Prior to joining the firm, Sue also worked in the healthcare and media industries.

Sue enjoys vacationing and skiing with her husband and two sons.