John Sr. & Meri

John and Meri Burton founded Emerald Staffing in 1978 – They have mentored many great professionals throughout the years.  Their honest and dedicated approaches to business are the building blocks which shaped Emerald’s foundation and success!

Fun Fact:  They met in grade school and have been together for over 70 years – They speak on the phone every Emerald work day at 9am

John Jr.

Why do you love PDX? Simple…The people! Portland is a big city with an awesome crowd – Our people are kind, caring and involved.. We all care about one another.

Favorite TV Series?  Netflix, House of Cards

Greatest hope? That Santa Claus is a real person and I can figure out how to transfer my perfect golf game from the driving range to the actual course.

Bonus Question:If reincarnation was possible, what would you “come back” as? Denzel Washington

Elise

Where did you grow up? Right here in Lake Oswego… and Bloomington, Minnesota for a short time when I was too young to remember!

What would you come back as, if reincarnation was a thing? A river otter!

What do you do here at Emerald Staffing? Overall, I make sure office operations are running smoothly and do my best to support the team. On a daily basis, you can find me managing the front office, reviewing resumes, scheduling interviews, doing data entry, writing advertisements, and handling whatever else pops up during the day!

What do you enjoy about staffing? I like that we’re always working with new candidates and clients. Everyone has a story and different experiences they bring to the table. I also enjoy educating job seekers about our services. A lot of our applicants have never used a staffing agency, or they have misconceptions about how we work. I love that we go above, beyond, and surpass people’s expectations.

Favorite Industry to staff for? I don’t directly handle staffing, but I’ve enjoyed learning more about the healthcare industry through talking to candidates and clients.

Katy

Where did you grow up? I grew up in LaCrescent, a tiny town along Mississippi River on the Minnesota/Wisconsin border.

What would you come back as, if reincarnation was a thing? John Wick

What do you do here at Emerald Staffing? My position involves anything and everything that falls within Client Relations – payroll, human resources, new hire onboarding and benefits, accounting & credit management, and a variety of marketing and policy coordination.

What do you enjoy about staffing? I enjoy that Staffing is a world of its own – Emerald is truly different than most staffing agencies, as we’re a small and close-knit team, yet we work within a wide variety of professional industries. Every client is unique, every job is different… The diversity is what makes each day a different day. My team is the best; we get the job done, jam out to our favorite tunes, and have fun.

Kanika

Where did you grow up? I grew up in Honolulu, Hawaii. Being right in the heart of Waikiki, I loved the mix of locals combined with the excitement of meeting new people from around the world! Also, the sunshine and rainbows are to die for 🙂

What would you come back as, if reincarnation was a thing? If reincarnation was a thing, I’d probably come back as an elephant. I just adore them, and would totally have one in my backyard if I had the space! They are some of the most gentle, intelligent creatures I’ve ever encountered.

What do you do here at Emerald Staffing? I am a recruiter here at Emerald Staffing. My mission is always to find job seekers a position that would be the best fit, which involves a lot of listening to the needs of both candidates and clients. I love putting the pieces together and being a part of a family business with a passion for people.

What do you enjoy about Staffing? There is always excitement behind the interview process and finding an answer to the unknown that is a candidate’s next position or career. Meeting new people and finding out about what makes someone wake up for the day is something that will never fail to bore me.

Favorite industry to staff for? That, I have yet to find out! There is always something new to be learned about the work force and the hundreds of industries that make up our world. Interacting with professionals from a myriad of backgrounds is what I find to be one of the most enjoyable parts of what I do.

Nick

Where did you grow up? It all began in a ranch style house off South Shore Road in Lake Oswego, Oregon. I have been local to these parts for 26 years.

What would you come back as, if reincarnation was a thing? If I were to be reincarnated, I would come back as a Red Panda. If you just asked yourself, “what is a Red Panda?”. Do yourself a favor, take 5 minutes out of your day and look them up.

What do you do here at Emerald Staffing? Great question. The short answer is listening to the needs of my clients and candidates and providing mindful advice on how to solve complex situations.

What do you enjoy about staffing? The benefits of being a recruiter are endless. I get the most satisfaction out of the relationships that are built with our clients, the gratification I get after helping place a hard-working candidate and the fact that no two days are ever alike.

Favorite industry to staff for? Every industry has its own lure, but my favorite industry to staff for is the medical industry. There is an overabundance of material to learn and never a dull moment.

Mary

Where did you grow up? I grew up in Shelton, CT. Not many people have heard of it. It takes about 15 minutes to drive through. I loved growing up in a small town, it was quaint and charming (not Gilmore Girls quaint, but pretty close).

What would you come back as, if reincarnation was a thing? Good question! If reincarnated… I would probably come back as an octopus. It’s weird because I hate being in the ocean, but I’ve always been fascinated by them. They’re such smart and interesting creatures. I would also love to have more than 2 arms to get things done.

What do you do here at Emerald Staffing? I am a recruiter here at Emerald. I work with clients all over the Portland Metro Area, assisting them in finding good talent for their open positions. I meet many many job seekers throughout the week and love learning more about people’s experiences and meeting new faces.

What do you enjoy about staffing? Staffing keeps me on my toes! It is a very fast paced, ever changing job, where I’m constantly switching gears and having to come up with solutions to everyday staffing problems, whether it’s helping a client find that right candidate, or assisting a candidate in prepping for a big interview. Not one day is the same. It’s somewhat of an adrenaline rush, and I feed off that.

Favorite industry to staff for? That’s a tough one. I love the variety of industry that I staff for. I’m always learning about new jobs in different fields. I’d like to plead the fifth on this one.

Libbi

Where did you grow up? I grew up in Danville, California. If you ever go, get a meal at Sideboard and order the Mac N Cheese – you won’t regret it!

What would you come back as, if reincarnation was a thing? I would come back as a Condor. I love the idea that I could wear a turtleneck all day while flying around!

What do you do here at Emerald Staffing? Here at Emerald Staffing I help with anything relating to Social Media and Operations. I love making Instagram advertisements, writing our blogs, project management, and compliance.

What do you enjoy about Staffing? I love the diversity of staffing. Everyday I get to dabble in different industries, software platforms, and interact with all types of people. This creates excitement in every part of my day!

Thoreau

Favorite Food: Tuna & String Cheese (cut up into tiny pieces)
Favorite Activity: Chasing birds and watching my dad garden.
Favorite YouTube: Birds in the Park (in High Definition)

Sookie Mae

Favorite Food: Butter
Favorite Activity: Using my house as a parkour course!
Favorite YouTube: Bird Sounds and Squirrels Extravaganza

Watson & Blue

Favorite Food: Frozen bananas with peanut butter
Favorite Activity: Tracking down the scent of the cat
Fondest Puppy Moment: Chewing on sticks together

Neko

Favorite Food: Fancy Feast, and the treats my humans keep hidden
Favorite Activity: Bird watching from my indoor perch
Favorite YouTube: Dear Kitten

Goose

Favorite Food: Everything…Especially grilled cheese sandwiches
Favorite Activity: Playing with my pal Auggie
Favorite YouTube: Funny Guilty Dog Video Compilation (Best of 2016)

Frank

Favorite Food: Mice
Favorite Activity: Attacking John
Favorite YouTube: Sad Cat Diaries

Auggie

Favorite Food: Whatever Goose doesn’t eat
Favorite Activity: Playing with my pal Goose
Favorite YouTube: Throwing My Dogs a Pool Party