Cliff T. Edwards, MBA

President, CEO and Majority Owner

Cliff is the CEO and majority shareholder of Thomas Edwards Group. Prior to starting Thomas Edwards Group, Cliff held various financial 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. He earned a BBA in Accounting from the University of Oklahoma. He also earned 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 Board member of the Dallas Chapter of Financial Executives International (FEI).

Under Cliff’s vision and leadership, Thomas Edwards Group made the Inc. 5000 list in 2016, has won “Best Places to Work” awards several times and is regularly included in the Dallas Business Journal’s Book of Lists. The company celebrated its 20th year in business in February 2017.

Sharon Lukich

Partner and Director, Business Development

Sharon has been with Thomas, Edwards Group since 2001. In addition to being a Partner with the firm, she is also the Director of Business Development. 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 and started her career in the Big 4 with PricewaterhouseCoopers, specializing in both audit and litigation consulting. She earned a BS in Accounting Information Systems from the University of North Texas and is a licensed CPA in the state of Texas. Sharon serves on the board of the TSCPA and is a former DCPAS board member. She is also a multi-year Professional Search award winner for both the Dallas and Texas areas.

In addition to her participation in various professional organizations, one of Sharon’s passions is to raise awareness and end autism. Sharon is married and has two daughters that are teenagers. She is also a die-hard Dallas Cowboys and Dallas Stars fan and has a love for heavy metal music!

Tom Delanoy, CPA

Partner and Managing Director

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 Permanent 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 in Accounting 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. During Tom’s tenure as Managing Director, Thomas Edwards Group was named to the Inc. 5000 list.  He has been a member of Vistage since 2014.

Tom is married and has three children. While his kids were younger he was active in youth sports, including coaching as well as serving in leadership roles.  Tom enjoys golf, exercise, and fun vacations with his family.

Debbie Vanicek, CPA

Partner and Director, Permanent Search Division

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 technology 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 the Permanent Search Division where she currently serves as Director of that group. 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 a previous board member and remains very active with the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA).

Ben Pinto, CPA

Partner and Director, Contract Services Division

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. He currently serves as Director of the Contract Services Division for the firm. Prior to joining Thomas Edwards Group, Ben was a Business Development Manager and a Permanent Search Recruiter 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. A proud Aggie, Ben graduated from Texas A&M University with a BBA in Accounting.

Ben is married to his college sweetheart and has two grown daughters, two sons-in-law (also all Aggies-whoop!), and is referred to as “Duke” by his grandchildren. He is a longtime member of Watermark Community Church and serves with several not for profit organizations including Water is Basic and The Marcella Project.

Christine Baker

Staffing Assistant

Christine earned a BA degree in Public Relations with a minor in Marketing from the University of North Texas. During her time at UNT, Christine was an active member of several leadership organizations including NorthTexas40 and her sorority, Delta Gamma. After graduation, Christine went to work for Target Corporation as an Executive Team Leader in West Plano. She joined Thomas Edwards Group in 2018 as a Staffing Assistant in the Contract Services Division.

Christine enjoys kickboxing, reading and playing with her two cats Binx and Bella.

Steve Benenson

Search Consultant

Steve has over 20 years of experience working for corporate, consulting, and government entities. He earned both a BA and an MA in Economics from Emory University, and also earned an MBA with a Finance concentration from the University of Texas at Austin. Steve began his career with the Federal Reserve Bank in Atlanta, and then moved into the corporate world in an FP&A position with Sabre. Next, he spent 15 years in consulting roles with companies like KPMG, Deloitte and progressively smaller niche firms. Steve joined Thomas Edwards Group in 2018 as a Search Consultant in the Permanent Search Division.

Steve is married and has two boys. He serves on the boards of the Corinthian Sailing Club and Camp John Marc, a camp for kids with chronic medical issues, and has been a long-time volunteer serving meals to Dallas’ homeless community at The Stewpot.

Austin Brooks

Search Consultant

Austin is a graduate of Baylor University where he earned his MBA in 2017. Austin previously worked for 3 years as an IT recruiter with a large global staffing firm, and completed the MBA program during his time there. Prior to his time as an IT recruiter Austin spent 5 years in operations and management roles within both the service and oil and gas industries. He joined Thomas Edwards Group in 2019 as a Search Consultant in the Fort Worth office, working on both contract and permanent placement positions.

In his free time Austin enjoys traveling, grilling, photography, and spending time with his wife (Audrey) and their dog (Ned).

Meredith Cowling

Staffing Assistant

Meredith is a graduate of Texas Tech University, where she earned a BS in Marketing. During her time as a Red Raider, she was actively involved in Young Life and was a campus recruiter for Kanakuk Kamps. Prior to joining Thomas Edwards Group, Meredith was an Internet Sales Manager for a local dealership in Lubbock, Texas. She joined Thomas Edwards Group in 2018 as a Staffing Assistant in the Fort Worth office, working on both contract and permanent positions.

In her free time Meredith enjoys hiking, fishing, and skiing with her husband. She played tennis competitively during college and still enjoys the sport recreationally.

Storey Edwards

Senior Staffing Consultant

Storey graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BS in Communications and Leadership Development from the University of Kentucky. Although she is a native of East Texas, Storey attended the University of Kentucky on a full-ride gymnastics scholarship. While earning her degree, she trained and competed as an SEC Division I athlete on the UK Gymnastics Team where she also served as team captain. Storey joined Thomas Edwards Group in 2016 and is currently a Senior Staffing Consultant in the Contract Services Division. Following graduation, Storey served as an Executive Staff Member at Christian Student Fellowship, a campus ministry at the University of Kentucky.

Storey is an active member of Watermark Community Church where she enjoys serving in the student ministries. She also enjoys spending time with her husband and their daughter.

Dawn Garlitz

Director, Business Development

Dawn brings over 15 years of experience in the recruiting and professional search industry.  She possesses significant business development and client relationship expertise. Before starting her career, Dawn earned a BS in Communications Rhetoric and English Writing from the University of Pittsburgh. She has worked in both large national and smaller regional/local search firms and has demonstrated success with building strong teams and developing new markets. Dawn is active in many professional networking organizations such as FEI and HRSW and also participates in Chi Omega Alumnae events. She joined Thomas Edwards Group in 2018 as Director of Business Development and enjoys partnering to provide outstanding talent and service to a loyal client base.

Dawn enjoys giving back to her community through service and development projects, as well as traveling and spending time with her family.

Tracey Harris

Search Consultant

Tracey earned a BBA in Marketing from the University of New Mexico. During her time at UNM, Tracey was an active member of several organizations including the UNM Dance Team. Prior to joining Thomas Edwards Group, Tracey worked at Target Corporation as an Executive Team Leader in 6 different roles ranging from Operations to opening a new store in Dallas. Tracey joined Thomas Edwards Group in 2019 as a Search Consultant within the Executive Search Division.

Tracey enjoys working out, spending time with her husband and two dogs, Riley and Bentley, and trying new coffee shops.

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Johanna Haynes

Talent Acquisition Manager

Johanna leads the firm’s internal recruiting function and brings over ten years of experience in recruiting, corporate communications, and marketing in a range of environments, including corporations, agencies, non-profits, and governments. Prior to joining Thomas Edwards Group, Johanna held recruiting roles in healthcare and management consulting sourcing talent at all levels. She also possesses additional corporate experience in training and project management. Johanna earned a BA in Communications from the University of Texas at San Antonio.

When not recruiting, Johanna enjoys spending time with her husband and daughter, along with traveling, reading, and occasional wine tasting.

Sara Janicula

Senior Staffing Consultant

Sara is a graduate of the University of Oregon where she earned a BS 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 Permanent Search Division in 2012 and is currently working in the Contract Services Division.

Sara enjoys the outdoors, the arts, and spending time with her family including her husband and identical twin sister.  More than anything, she adores her son, James.

Kristy Kim

Senior Search Consultant

Kristy has several years of finance experience with a Fortune 100 company, including client side consulting across a variety of industries for non-profits, small and midsize businesses and also national clients. Before joining the Permanent Search Division of Thomas Edwards Group in 2015, she served as a Risk Consultant for Liberty Mutual Holdings and previously was a Business Analyst performing variance analysis and delivering continuous improvement initiatives with LEAN methodologies. Kristy earned a BBA in Finance from the University of Texas at Austin where she was active in the Delta Sigma Pi business fraternity, Forever Texas spirit group, and a founding member of the BBA Women’s Forum. She also holds the Associate in Risk Management (ARM) designation. Kristy recently served as a board member of 4Word, a national professional women’s organization.

When she is not traveling with her husband and son Kristy enjoys training for marathons but would much rather be trail running. She has been a member of Watermark Community Church for over 10 years where she actively serves in the Careers in Motion ministry dedicated to helping job seekers during periods of transition and career change.

Lawren Kinghorn

Senior Search Consultant

Lawren earned a BBA in Marketing with a minor in Political Science from Baylor University. During her time at Baylor, Lawren was an active member of several political organizations, her sorority – Alpha Chi Omega, and Student Government, serving as a study body officer.  Following graduation, Lawren joined Thomas Edwards Group in 2016 as a Search Consultant within the Permanent Search Division.

Lawren currently serves on several boards and task forces and is involved in Daughters of the American Revolution, Park Cities Baptist Church, and the Baylor Alumni Network.  She enjoys baking, traveling, playing musical instruments, and spending time with her fiancé and her Labrador retriever, Thatcher.

Britton Pavlic, CPA

Managing Director, Fort Worth Office

Britton has more than 10 years of experience in progressive accounting and finance functions across the distribution, manufacturing and non-profit industries. He began his career in Big 4 audit with Ernst & Young in Fort Worth, and in his prior role he served as VP of Finance and Controller at the United Way of Tarrant County prior to joining Thomas Edwards Group in 2017 as Managing Director of the Fort Worth office. Britton is a proud Horned Frog. He earned a dual BBA in Accounting and Finance from Texas Christian University and is a licensed CPA in the state of Texas. Britton is an active member of the Fort Worth Chapter of the Texas Society of CPAs, and is a member of Financial Executives International (FEI). He also serves as a Chairman/moderator for the Fort Worth chapter of Financial Executives Networking Group (FENG).

Britton is actively involved in community outreach in Fort Worth, having served his church in a variety of capacities, as well as programs aimed at ending chronic homelessness in Tarrant County.

Susan Reddington

Office Manager

Susan has over 20 years of experience as an Accounting Assistant and has been with Thomas Edwards Group since 2001. Her responsibilities include completing weekly payroll for the Contract Services Division, accounts payable and receivable, and many other office management duties. Prior to joining the firm, Sue also worked in the healthcare and media industries.

Julie Robinson

Senior Search Consultant

Julie is an experienced talent acquisition and recruiting professional with more than 15 years working in both permanent search and corporate environments. She began her career in advertising sales and later joined Robert Half International where she managed permanent search for the accounting and finance division for nearly ten years. Julie later transitioned into a corporate environment where she focused on developing and executing talent acquisition strategy. She joined Thomas Edwards Group’s Permanent Search Division in 2017. Julie graduated with a BS in Hotel Restaurant Management from the University of North Texas and lives in Plano.

Mindy Saunders

Candidate Recruiter

Mindy brings 8 years of finance experience across the insurance, investments and non-profit industries. Before joining the Permanent Search Division of Thomas Edwards Group in 2014, she served as Financial Analyst & Grants Manager for Dallas CASA. Prior to CASA, Mindy worked with AXA Advisors and the United Bank of Switzerland. She held the Series 7, 66 and Group 1 licenses while consulting with clients on their investment and insurance portfolio strategy. Mindy earned her BBA in Finance from the University of Texas at Austin where she was active in the Pi Beta Phi sorority and the UT Waterski Team.

Mindy is married and has one daughter. She competes in half marathons and is a certified yoga instructor. Mindy and her husband are members of Watermark Community Church where they serve in the Children’s Ministry.

Elaine Small, CPA

Search Consultant

Elaine has many years of experience in corporate and property accounting, as well as financial planning and reporting in the oil and gas industry, and is a licensed CPA and CMA. She attended Texas A & M University where she earned her BBA in Accounting, while working to pay 100% of her college expenses. Elaine enthusiastically joined Thomas Edwards Group in 2017 as a Search Consultant in the Permanent Search Division.

Elaine enjoys yoga, traveling, spending time with her family and her involvement with Down syndrome individuals.

Burney Threadgill

Staffing Consultant

Burney is a graduate of Texas Christian University, where he finished with a BS in Economics and a minor in Energy Technology & Management. During his time at TCU, Burney was actively involved in several student organizations, including the TCU Energy Club and Pi Kappa Phi fraternity. He also served as a volunteer at the Starpoint and KinderFrogs schools on campus. Burney began his professional career with Thomas Edwards Group in 2018 as a Staffing Assistant in the Fort Worth office, working on both contract and permanent placement positions.

Burney enjoys going to Horned Frog football games, playing golf, and anything that lets him be outdoors with friends and family. He is also a proud Eagle Scout.

Monica Westerfield

Candidate Recruiter

Monica earned both an MBA and a BS in Accounting from Oklahoma State University and began her career in banking with a focus on internal audit for the Trust, Mortgage, and General Bank areas. Prior to joining Thomas, Edwards Group in 2010, she transitioned from audit into recruiting as a Staffing Manager in both agency and corporate roles. Monica has additional experience in on-site staffing for a high-profile client and out-placement assistance with a global career services organization. She specializes in finding talent in the areas of Accounting, Finance, and Human Resources at all levels and across multiple industries. Additionally, she provides training to new employees and coordinates various recognition and celebration activities for the firm.

Monica is an active volunteer in her sons’ school and sports organizations in Frisco. She has also chaired and/or served on several committees at Grace Avenue UMC including finance, human resources, welcoming new members, and caring for existing members. Monica is a member of the Richardson-Plano alumnae chapter of Pi Beta Phi and is a past chairman for the recruitment and hospitality committees.

Lindsey Bradley

Search Consultant

Lindsey is a graduate of Baylor University, where she earned a BBA in Supply Chain Management. Originally from Washington, Lindsey attended Baylor on a full track & field/cross country scholarship, served as a team captain, and was a Baylor Homecoming Princess. While earning her degree, she competed across the country as a Division 1 athlete and was named the 2017 Big 12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year. She was also a member of the NCAA Student Athlete Advisory Committee on Baylor’s campus. Following graduation, Lindsey joined Thomas Edwards Group in 2019 as a Search Consultant within the Permanent Search Division.

In her free time, Lindsey enjoys exploring Dallas, visiting friends in Waco, and continuing her love for running. She also enjoys baking for people and spending time with her French Bulldog, Dailee.

Lance Freidensohn

Senior Staffing Consultant

Lance has several years of experience in the finance and insurance industry. He spent several years working in business development roles focused around both internal wholesale efforts as well as client facing insurance sales. Lance joined Thomas, Edwards Group in 2015 and is currently working in the Contract Services Division. Lance earned a BS in Finance as well as a BA in Religious Studies from the University of Oklahoma where he was active in the Alpha Epsilon Pi (AEPi) fraternity.

Lance enjoys being active in the Dallas/Fort Worth Jewish community, serving as a Regional Governor for Alpha Epsilon Pi, and Director for Camp Impact, a Dallas/Fort Worth based camp for homeless and underprivileged children.

Tom Keckeisen, CPA

Search Consultant

Tom has more than thirty years of experience in progressive corporate tax roles across the manufacturing, hospitality, technology and energy industries. He most recently served as Senior Director of Tax Planning for Flowserve Corporation for thirteen years. Prior to that, Tom was in increasing roles of responsibility for Yum! Brands, Sabre and Exxon Mobil. Tom began his career with three years in Big 4 audit with Pricewaterhouse Coopers (formerly Coopers & Lybrand). Tom joined Thomas Edwards Group in 2019, and works in the Permanent Search Division specializing in the Tax market. Tom earned a BBA in Accounting from the University of Texas at Austin and is a licensed CPA in the state of Texas. He is a member and past board member of the Dallas chapter of Tax Executives Institute.

Tom is married and has two grown daughters. Tom enjoys tennis, music, and following Texas Longhorn sports.

Elise Hunt

Search Consultant

Elise graduated from Texas Christian University with a BBA in Entrepreneurial Management and a minor in Finance. During her time as a Horned Frog, Elise competed all over the country for TCU’s Eventing team, was an active member of the Women’s Business Network, and interned with Mercedes-Benz in their Financial Services Group. Elise began her professional career with Thomas Edwards Group in 2019 as a Search Consultant working in their Permanent Search Division.

In her free time Elise enjoys riding her horse, traveling, and cheering on the Dallas Stars.

Samantha White

Staffing Consultant

Samantha graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BBA in Marketing from Texas A&M University. During her time at A&M, Samantha was an active member of many student organizations and worked for Mays Business School giving prospective student tours. She also served as a lead volunteer for a local non-profit. Following graduation, Samantha joined Thomas Edwards Group in 2018 as a Staffing Assistant in the Contract Services division.

Samantha is a member of Eastside Community Church and enjoys serving on the Connections Team. She loves going back to Aggieland for college football games and volunteering with Vickery Youth Ministry and the Dallas A&M Club.

Gretchen Zimmerman, CPA

Controller

Gretchen started her career with Occidental Chemical in Dallas, and then spent eleven years in the publishing industry before moving into the software development side of accounting. During that time, she worked with numerous companies around the country implementing ERP systems and instilling best practices. Gretchen received her BBA in Accounting from Southwest Texas State University (now Texas State University) and is a licensed CPA in the state of Texas. Gretchen started with Thomas Edwards Group in 2014 as Controller.

Gretchen enjoys antiquing, jigsaw puzzles, reading and spending time with her husband and three children. When her kids were in school, she was active in National Charity League and Young Men’s Service League where she served on the local Boards as Treasurer.