- Tom Szmanda and Tom Ackley Lead The Symicor Group with Years of Experience and Effective Management

Tom Szmanda – Principal

Tom is a former Bank President and CEO with over 27 years of experience in banking and human resource management. As a former educator, Tom enjoys the benefit of learning essential communication skills and gleaning a deep understanding of how to effectively motivate and develop employees.

Tom is skilled at identifying the best available talent through a disciplined interviewing process known as behavior-based interviewing. This process allows The Symicor Group to effectively provide the best available talent to our client firms. Our proven process also ensures that job candidates are offered positions that best match their desires, talents, and skills.

Tom has a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance and a Master of Business Administration in Finance from the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater.

Jeanie Johnson – Director of Marketing

jeaniej@symicorgroup.com (847) 325-5457

Jeanie is a seasoned business professional with over 15 years of experience as a successful entrepreneur managing all facets of the business including Marketing, Finance, Sales, and Human Resources. She has been responsible for driving revenue growth while managing cost containment – yielding sustainable profit growth.

Jeanie enjoys many years of human resource management experience offering keen and savvy insight to Symicor Group clients and candidates. Jeanie is a graduate of Brigham Young University.

Bob Rud – Senior Recruiter – Independent Contractor

bobr@symicorgroup.com (847) 325-5457

Bob brings with him a 40-year career in the banking industry. Bob started his career in teller operations while in school and finished as President & CEO of a community bank in the Chicagoland area.

Bob has extensive experience in both large and small community banks. Bob also organized and started two De Novo banks. As a Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operations Officer of community banks, he has an extensive background in operations, financial and regulatory reporting, lending, auditing, investments, leadership, and management.

Bob also has over 30 years of human resource management experience. His area of human resource expertise includes behavior-based interviewing, hiring and training – all within the banking field.

Tina Damron – Recruiter – Independent Contractor

tinad@symicorgroup.com (847) 325-5457

Tina is a senior professional with over 15 years’ experience in the financial services industry and more recently over 15 years of national recruiting experience.

She has full life cycle recruiting experience sourcing and interviewing candidates at all levels for technical and commercial roles for a wide range of global industries. A goal-oriented professional working in high-volume, time-sensitive environments, with a strong customer service orientation.

Tina sources passive candidates through personal networks and social media and is skilled in evaluating individuals to find the right organizational fit.

Lee Szmanda – Associate Recruiter

lees@symicorgroup.com (847) 325-5457

Lee has seven years of customer service/relation experience in various industries. He is dedicated to exceeding the expectations of each client we serve. Lee enjoys strong organizational and leadership skills. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications from the University Of Wisconsin – Parkside. Lee graduated in the top 35% of his class and was selected by faculty and scholars to be a part of the National Communication Honor Society.

Fran Mason – Recruiter – Independent Contractor

franm@symicorgroup.com (847) 325-5457

Fran enjoys over 20 years of human resources, sales, marketing experience. She has worked primarily in the financial services sectors and has over a decade of working in the banking space. She has worked heavily in the bank lending arena. Fran has assisted numerous banking candidates to secure a position that complements their long-term objectives.

Mike Storey – Recruiter – Independent Contractor

mikes@symicorgroup.com (847) 325-5457

Mike is an accomplished professional with 40 years of experience in Business and Product Development working with both Fortune 500 companies and Entrepreneurial Business Owners. In addition, Mike has an extensive background in Corporate Management, Commercial Finance, Loan Portfolio Management, and Capital Acquisition.

Mike has served as a senior member of several national trade associations in the Financial Services sector. He has also been an educational speaker at business and industry events as well as being published in business journals.

Emily Guzman – Marketing Associate

emily@symicorgroup.com (847) 325-5457

Emily has her bachelor’s degree in communication with a minor in public relations. She also holds a master’s degree in education. Emily has worked in marketing and public relations. She has also previously worked as an educator for more than fifteen years. Emily has worked for a variety of companies, including in the customer service industry, as well as nonprofit organizations.

Irene Johnson – Sr. Recruiter – Independent Contractor

irenej@symicorgroup.com (847-325-5457)

Irene Oakley Johnson is a talent acquisition consultant to fortune 500 companies, government and the banking industry. Irene has had a successful career in human resources development and talent management and acquisition for over 25 years. Irene was trained in Behavioral Interviewing -Leadership Architect certification from Korn Ferry International. She holds a Master’s degree in Organizational Management and Leadership.

Allan Wojahn – Director of Outplacement

allanw@symicorgroup.com (847-325-5457)

Allan is a strategic career coach and personal branding specialist with expertise in resume writing, LinkedIn optimization, and career transition support. He brings a motivational and solutions-minded approach to Symicor360’s outplacement services, helping professionals identify their value and move forward with clarity and confidence. Allan holds certifications as a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) and Certified Personal Branding Strategist (CPBS), and earned a master’s degree in Human Services Counseling. CliftonStrengths Top 5: Learner · Strategic · Consistency · Belief · Developer

Kathy Driggers – Resume Writer

Kdriggers@symicorgroup.com (847-325-5457)

Kathy is a Certified Professional Resume Writer with 6 years of dedicated resume‑writing experience and more than 15 years of combined professional experience across healthcare, education, and professional writing. She has written thousands of ATS‑aligned, achievement‑driven resumes for national outplacement firms including Indeed, Upwork, Randstad/RiseSmart, and Symicor. Kathy brings a strong client‑focused and information‑driven background, drawing on her experience in high‑volume documentation environments to interpret information accurately, extract key accomplishments, and deliver clear, results‑focused career documents. She specializes in aligning career narratives with industry expectations and hiring trends, strengthening candidate visibility in competitive markets. Kathy holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and the Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) credential.

Deahna Welcher – Marketing Associate

Deahna has a bachelor’s degree in graphic design and over ten years of experience in marketing, brand strategy, and social media. She has worked in both in-house and agency environments, leading marketing strategy, content, email, paid media, and audience growth initiatives. Deahna previously served as Director of Marketing for a company in the financial services industry, where she marketed to bank executives and boards.