OUR TEAM

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.

John Jr. is the President and Senior Recruiter on the Recruiting Team of Emerald Staffing. Being a native Oregonian, John has been able to cultivate a network that brings talented people to accomplished employers. John is actively involved in the Oregon board for the American Staffing Association, a Panelist speaker for the Occupational Safety & Health Administration, a Panelist Speaker for the 2019 Pay Equity Act Seminar, and a leader in compliance. Being involved in continued education assists John’s expansive knowledge helping him navigate through different industries seamlessly.

With over 40 years of experience, John has helped build successful corporate teams across the nation. Since starting in 1985, John has helped build the Emerald Brand from 3 employees to over 100 today. Being pliable in today’s market helps John work with hundreds of firms, spanning multiple industries, assisting with Executive placement. John believes the best approach is to listen to the client’s needs to assess what didn’t work or why the position is open. To experience continued growth, John reverses engineers the process by building a candidate profile that will fulfill and exceed his client’s needs. Finding the proper candidate takes skill, understanding, vision, and dedicated work.

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

Katy

Katy is a dependable HR Associate on the Client Relations & Payroll Team on Emerald Staffing. Having the mindset that if you work hard, are honest, reliable, and dedicated, has propelled Katy’s ability to relate to clients and employees. Staying up to date with state & federal rulings that can affect Oregon’s employment legislation, Katy can develop and evolve Emerald Staffing’s operating procedures to help consultative support to clients and employees.

Katy has successfully worked in the staffing industry for 7+ years, gaining an understanding of new advancements, strategies, keeping clients and employees engaged. Prior to Emerald Staffing, Katy advanced her career as a branch manager for a Minnesota home-town business. Since joining Emerald Staffing, Katy began at Reception, learning the industry and clients, grew into an Executive Assistant to the President, took on Payroll and HR, and now oversees Client Relations & Operations. Working with new clients is exciting, working with established clients is rewarding, but Katy thrives in relationship building regardless if already established or new.

Where did you grow up? I’m a midwesterner and grew up in Minnesota

Favorite Sport? Hockey

What do you do here at Emerald Staffing? My position involves anything and everything that falls within Client Relations and Operations – 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? Every client is unique, and every job is different… The diversity is what makes Staffing a world of its own. My team is the best; we get the job done, jam out to our favorite tunes, and have little bit fun.

Libbi

Libbi is an observant HR Associate on the Operations & Compliance Team of Emerald Staffing. Having a passion for compliance, Libbi has a logical approach to help employees feel secure, understood, and empowered in their workplace. Staying up to date with state & federal rulings that can affect Oregon’s employment legislation, Libbi can develop and evolve Emerald Staffing’s operating procedures to help consultative support to clients and employees. Libbi uses her ability to uncover and understand employees’ needs to create a safe and compliant workplace both internally and with host employers.

Libbi has successfully utilized her organizational experience to gain compliance knowledge in the staffing industry. Since graduating from Oregon State University with her Bachelor of Science in Digital Communication, Libbi started her career with CBRE specializing in Client Service Coordination on the Retail Team. Since joining Emerald Staffing, Libbi has used her previous client coordination experience to help with policy organization, employee onboarding & orientation, website management, and database sourcing.

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. Every day 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!

Jennifer

Jennifer is an organized Front Office Coordinator on the Administrative Team of Emerald Staffing. Jennifer aims to welcome in prospective candidates for the job opportunities Emerald Staffing has to offer. Prioritizing communication, Jennifer can seamlessly work with the goal-oriented Recruiting Team to bring in qualified candidates. being apart of a team that helps an impact on the lives of others, Jennifer can passionately help the job seekers in the Portland & surrounding areas.

Jennifer has successfully utilized her customer service experience to gain access to qualified job seekers. Since moving from Hawaii, Jennifer was able to learn, train, and perfect the art of customer service working at Tjmaxx. Since joining Emerald Staffing, Jennifer has used her previous position to help bring a sense of ease and precision to the front office.

Where did you grow up? I was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii. Growing up on the island was a true blessing because I was able to go hiking every weekend, and be outdoors all year round!

What do you do here at Emerald Staffing? At Emerald Staffing I am the first person you meet when you walk in! I take care of scheduling and checking in candidates for interviews as well as post new job ads.

What do you enjoy about Staffing? I enjoy meeting every person that walks through our door in search of the amazing opportunities that we have. It’s great to meet new faces every day and listen to many different stories about a diverse group of people.

Kanika

Kanika is a detailed Staffing Consultant on the Recruiting Team of Emerald Staffing. Having a passion for people, Kanika has a proactive approach to assist in full-cycle recruiting, account management, and client/employee consulting. Proactively engaging with clients, Kanika has been able to learn about new industries, skillsets, and the recipe for success. Kanika utilizes her passion for people to leverage job seekers’ expertise to advocate for their next career step. Being able to understand both sides of the hiring process, Kanika is an organized staffing consultant providing dependable results.

Kanika has successfully utilized her marketing experience to gain marketplace presence in the staffing industry. Since graduating from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, Kanika started with Tier 1 Consulting specializing in marketing & sales with a target demographic of direct sales placement. After moving to Oregon, Kanika joined the Emerald Staffing team with a new-found passion for job seekers and matching awesome people to the right jobs. Kanika has placed entry-level to experienced candidates in a large range of industries including, Medical, Telecommunication, Real Estate, Finance, and Manufacturing.

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 were 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 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 in 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 workforce 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

Nick is a Senior Staffing Consultant on the Recruiting Team of Emerald Staffing. Having direct fundamentals to help incredible companies find outstanding employees, he focuses on building long term partnerships. Nick takes the time to create a goal-oriented rapport with his clients to succeed in a placement that compliments the company’s already established uniqueness and success. Using the same strategy, Nick provides job seekers with confidence, marketplace tools, and staffing insight to help them be successful in their job search. Seeing 700 individuals annually, Nick leverages his relationships with clients and employees to build a network that creates successful outcomes for all parties.

Nick has successfully utilized his customer service experience to gain trusted partnerships in the staffing industry. While at Portland State University, Nick worked at OHSU in the IRU Unit specializing in inpatient services. Since joining Emerald Staffing, Nick has placed hundreds of entry-level to executive-level candidates in a broad range of industries. Utilizing the skills he gained from his first career step, Nick can empathize and understand the full range of the job and candidate search. By doing so, Nick has created a network of driven professionals with roles in Medical, Legal, Real Estate, Insurance, Banking, Non-Profit, and Manufacturing.

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

Mary is a top-producing Staffing Consultant on the Recruiting Team of Emerald Staffing. Having a passion for understanding her clients’ needs, Mary has a decisive consultative approach to assist clients throughout the hiring process (job order, interview process, offer). Possessing the ability to uncover and understand unique skillsets, Mary utilizes her strengths to help job seekers find the right company that aligns with their career goals. Being pliable in both the client and candidate marketplace, Mary is a confident staffing consultant providing dependable results.

Mary has successfully worked in the staffing industry for 6+ years, gaining extensive knowledge placing entry-level candidates to executives. In the first 3 years of her career, Mary worked for Terra Staffing Group specializing in manufacturing. Mary was dedicated to placing entry-level to management roles with fast-paced timelines. Since joining Emerald Staffing 3 years ago, Mary has placed hundreds of entry-level to executive-level candidates in a diverse portfolio, with placements in Medical, Insurance, Banking, Legal, Real Estate, Non-Profit, and Manufacturing.

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.

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: Running rampant throughout the house at 1:00AM
Favorite YouTube: Bird Sounds and Squirrels Extravaganza

Watson & Blue

Favorite Food: Frozen bananas with peanut butter
Favorite Activity: Eating mud
Fondest Puppy Moment: Escaping the yard and running to Deno’s Pizzeria

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

Cooper and Ajax

Favorite Food: Tomatoes and Carrots
Favorite Activity: Stealing
Favorite Time of Year: Halloween

Piper & Mochi

Favorite Food: Sunflower Seeds
Favorite Activity: Hide & Sleep
Favorite Color: We’re colorblind!