Board of Directors - National Association of Personnel Services

Board of Directors

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NAPS 2026 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Executive Committee

CHAIRMAN
John A. Thomas CSP, CSC, CTS
Express Employment Professionals International

As Vice President for the Specialized Recruiting Group Franchise Operations, John is responsible for managing all operational and foundational aspects, including training, content development, manuals, franchise systems, launch guides, analytics, admin, systems/tools, marketing, and communications.

Specialized Recruiting Group/Professional Staffing encompasses positions within Accounting and Finance, Information Technology, Engineering, Sales and Creative/Marketing and other mid to senior level positions within the professional niche markets. These positions include consulting, contract, contract to hire as well as direct hire opportunities. Express Employment Professionals is a leading, privately held staffing and human capital resource firm. Based in Oklahoma City, Express has offices throughout the United States, Canada, South Africa and Australia.

John is also an experienced trainer having conducted over 200 training seminars on leadership, management development, recruiting, behavioral based interviewing, hiring plans, sales, customer service, strategic planning and more.

His background includes Management Consulting with a strong background in strategically aligning company goals with personal goals. John’s emphasis has been on making companies more profitable by driving sales, controlling costs and motivating team members to perform at a higher level.

VICE CHAIR
Mark Carlson, CPC, CERS
Prestige Scientific, Inc.

Mark Carlson is a Certified Personnel Consultant (CPC), Certified Employee Retention Specialist (CERS), and Partner at Prestige Scientific, leading the Quality and Compliance practice area. With over 20 years of executive search experience in the biotech and pharmaceutical sectors. He is known for his consultative approach and deep expertise in placing senior and executive leaders across Quality, Tech Ops, and Regulatory functions, serving as a trusted advisor to both venture-backed startups and global biopharma companies.

Mark is recognized for delivering high-touch, tailored search solutions that align with the technical and cultural needs of his clients. His ability to build lasting partnerships and his extensive industry network make him a valuable resource for organizations navigating growth, transformation, or leadership change.

He holds CPC and CERS certifications from the National Association of Personnel Services (NAPS), where has been an active board member since 2008, serving as chairman in 2016 and currently as an advisor to the executive committee. Based in Grafton, MA, Mark enjoys life with his wife, their two German Shorthaired Pointers—Beatrice and Otto—and two adult children. He’s also actively involved in his community, serving as an assistant scoutmaster and former committee chair for BSA Troop 107.

SECRETARY/TREASURER
Nicole Mortell, CPC
AllianceStaff

Nicole earned her Bachelor of Arts from UW-Oshkosh and began her staffing career shortly after graduation. Quickly, Nicole found her passion rising to top producer year after year and from there in 2006 she became one of the founding Partners of AllianceStaff. Today as Partner and VP of Sales and Marketing, she remains on the front lines of recruitment and client management, while simultaneously fostering the growth of AllianceStaff by identifying key business development opportunities and training team members to develop their own desks. Nicole partners with companies across a wide range of industries to understand their hiring needs and to help them build the best possible teams. She has been recruiting in Milwaukee for over 15 years and has developed a unique insight into the hiring needs of the local market. She creates strong business relationships, many of which turn into long-term friendships, attesting to the loyalty she has with her clients and candidates. She listens. She asks questions. And she understands that a great talent match never needs to be sold. Nicole intuitively knows when she’s found the right match, and her long track record of successful placements proves her skill. In her free time you can find Nicole on the soccer field watching her twin boys play in rain, sleet or snow (true soccer mom!!), staying on top of fitness trends, checking out a new restaurant with her girlfriends, traveling with her husband Tom or snuggling with her baby girl Mariah (Australian miniature Labradoodle.)

IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIRMAN
Jamie Schwartz, CPC, CTS, CERS
Haley Stuart Group, LLC

Mr. Schwartz joined Haley Stuart in 2004 and has since helped successfully bring together the companies in the Haley Stuart Group. Mr. Schwartz’s experience has been integral in driving the Haley Stuart Group’s growth while maintaining its standards of excellence. Prior to joining Haley Stuart, he served as EVP and COO at Headway Corporate Resources, and was responsible for overall corporate service delivery, strategic account operations, and system development. He was previously named one of the Top 40 Most Powerful Executives under 40 years old in the Staffing Industry by Recruiter magazine.

Jamie began his career in the staffing industry as director of technology for New York’s then-largest full-service staffing firm, Irene Cohen Temps. Jamie earned his BA in economics from University of Rochester and his MBA in operations and finance from that university’s William E. Simon Graduate School of Business Administration.

A board member of the NJSA, Mr. Schwartz also holds both CPC (Certified Personnel Consultant) and CTS (Certified Temporary-Staffing Specialist) certifications.