Since beginning his professional career at Acara Solutions back in 1999, Chris Delaney’s hard work and commitment have enabled his rise through the ranks of our organization. After kicking off his tenure with Acara as an entry-level recruiter over two decades ago, Chris now works as Vice President of Major Account Development. In this role, he works closely with a number of large-scale aerospace and defense companies by helping them to solve workforce challenges through enterprise-wide Statement of Work projects in IT, manufacturing, and engineering.

In the latest edition of our “All-In at Acara” series, discover how Chris’s longtime tenure with Acara has shaped his success in the world of staffing and recruiting.

An old-school start

As a young kid fresh out of college—having just graduated from the University of Central Florida with my degree in business administration—I was desperate to find my first job. I remember looking in the newspaper one day and seeing an ad for entry-level recruiters at a company called Superior Group—today known as Acara. Although I’d never heard of Superior, I faxed in my resume (yes, that’s actually how it worked back in the day!) and landed my first interview with Bart Stanley in the company’s Melbourne office. Right away, I could tell that I was in the right place at the right time. Bart and I hit it off in my interview, he extended me a job offer, and the rest is history.

Working in the trenches

During the first several years of my career, I was immersed in the world of recruiting. I progressed from an entry-level recruiter to Director of Client Recruiting Services, where I oversaw client delivery and recruitment for both commercial and aerospace and defense clients. I loved the fast-paced nature of the business and enjoyed forming close relationships with clients. Our team kept supplying them with quality talent, and they kept coming back for more!

A shift to sales

Almost five years ago, I recall Acara CEO Scott Stenclik and President Brian Christel calling me into their office to conduct my annual performance review. During the meeting, Scott and Brian told me that they’d like me to transition from recruiting to sales. Right off the bat, I was extremely hesitant to make the jump. I had grown comfortable in recruiting and didn’t feel compelled to learn an entirely new part of the business. But they successfully talked me into making the move—and I haven’t looked back since. I can confidently say that the transition was the most important of my professional career. After spending years learning about the way we operate and the services we can deliver, this knowledge has helped drive my business development success. I find it easy to relate to client stakeholders—whether they be in procurement, TA, or HR—because I understand the challenges that they face on a daily basis.

An A+ Acara experience

Reasons like this are just part of why I love working for our company. Everything that I’ve ever wanted in a career has been given to me during my tenure at Acara. Scott, Brian, and our senior leadership teams have recognized my successes over the years and presented me with new challenges that have kept me motivated and excited. Over the past 20 years, I’ve experienced some pretty amazing things at this company. As we constantly deal with the human element, our work is unpredictable—but that’s part of what makes it so fun.

A commitment to integrity

Acara embodies my personal commitment to integrity. I’m someone who loses sleep when I feel that I’ve disappointed someone—especially in a professional sense. Our company works to deliver on our promises to our clients in an honest and ethical manner. And when we make a mistake, we own up to it while working to resolve it. That’s what separates Acara from our competition.

Out-of-office fun

I consider myself to be a father first, husband second, and outdoorsman third. My family is the most important part of my life, and I try not to take my time with them for granted. I’m an avid fisherman who actively competes in local Florida Offshore fishing tournaments. On weekends, when I’m not spending time with my wife, daughter, and family, you can find me exploring the Atlantic on my boat, the HeadHunter. From grouper and wahoo to mahi-mahi and lobster, I’ll catch anything that swims!

To learn more about Chris Delaney, connect with him on LinkedIn.

Interested in finding out more about the rest of our Acara team? Check out other editions of our “All-In at Acara” series here.