Leadership

Tim Simmerly is the CEO of Planet Technology’s parent company, The Planet Group, and drives the growth and innovation of our global consulting and staffing companies.

With more than twenty years of experience in talent and human capital services, Tim has been an integral part of The Planet Group since our inception in 2009, serving in multiple leadership roles and leading the launch of several of Planet’s brands. He became CEO in September 2024 after serving as President for several years.

Tim’s deep industry knowledge and visionary approach along with his leadership ability and operational excellence are key to his role in expanding The Planet Group into new market segments worldwide while ensuring our position at the forefront of human capital consulting and professional staffing.

Jon Whiley is the CTO of The Planet Group of companies and is responsible for leading the firm’s innovative technology strategy, including network infrastructure, system integrations, process improvements, new technology implementations, and IT support.

Jon has over 20 years of progressive tech and operations experience delivering transformative solutions that drive immediate business impact and continuous improvements across enterprises. During his career, he has designed competitive tools and adopted technology to optimize workflows and strengthen service delivery across multisite operations.

Prior to joining The Planet Group, Jon was Executive Vice President and CTO of Majestic Steel USA. A veteran of the US Marine Corps and graduate of Ohio University, he serves as a Governing Body Member of Evanta’s Midwest CIO group and is also involved with the Northeast Ohio chapter of SIM.

Jeff Dillenburg brings over 20 years of experience in operations within the human capital consulting and staffing world to his role as Chief Operating Officer of The Planet Group and has a strong track record of success everywhere he has been. He was one of the first employees at both Inforte and Slalom Consulting and played an integral role in executing their high growth strategy as Managing Director.

Along with his Planet COO responsibilities, Jeff concurrently serves in the same capacity with Strive Consulting which The Planet Group acquired in December of 2021. Jeff has been with Strive since 2015 and has been instrumental in helping drive the strategy to restructure the organization from a staffing firm to a consulting firm.

Jeff brings a tremendous track record of success and hard work and is a thought leader that has used many innovative approaches to help construct some of the best delivery platforms in the business.

Philip Monti is the CFO of The Planet Group and is responsible for driving the firm’s profitability as well as providing financial discipline and capital direction. With over two decades of senior financial leadership and a deep understanding of the global consulting and staffing industries, Phil excels at overseeing complex financial systems that serve enterprise-level organizations with thousands of employees.

He is a valued business partner with a strong record of balancing the interests of executive leadership and the board while also being a financial voice for the organization; navigating debt and equity capital transactions; and negotiating, closing and communicating M&A transactions in private equity and public company environments.

Prior to joining The Planet Group, Phil was Chief Financial Officer of DISYS where he helped guide the firm as a global staffing leader. Previously, he served in a variety of similar executive-level corporate finance roles with Signature Consultants and Acosta Sales & Marketing. A certified public accountant, Phil received his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida and his Master’s in Accounting from the University of North Florida.

A champion of the now and next, Chief Strategy Officer Russ Whitman leads the go-to-market strategy for Planet and its global consulting and staffing divisions. He has over 25 years of experience in digital product development, business and marketing and has successfully grown several AI, SaaS and cloud-based technology companies from startups to multi-million-dollar entities.

As EVP with Planet Technology’s Core Tech division, Melissa Masse oversees a national sales team servicing the East Coast, Western US, and Southeast regions. Additionally, she leads Planet Tech’s Cybersecurity team that provides security talent on a national scale.

Melissa joined Planet Technology’s predecessor, WinterWyman, in 2004 and held various roles in sales, recruiting, and leadership. With over 20 years of operations, training and sales / business development experience, Melissa is focused on providing top technology talent within Software Development, Information Technology, and Cybersecurity to organizations across the country.

Originally from New York, Melissa holds a Bachelor’s degree from The State University of New York College at Geneseo with a degree in Interpersonal and Organizational Communication.

Carl Williams has been a key part of Planet Technology having joined through Planet’s first acquisition in 2018. As Senior Vice President of Global Recruiting and a former United States Marine Corps war veteran, Carl brings a wealth of leadership and service to his role, leading a top-tier recruitment team.

During his time at Planet Technology, Carl has held several leadership roles, including Vice President of Enterprise Delivery. His expertise spans sourcing talent for both contract and direct hire positions across SAP, Workday, ServiceNow, Oracle, and other enterprise systems, supporting industries such as aerospace, defense, healthcare, and banking.

Carl’s commitment to delivering tailored recruitment solutions, paired with his consultative approach, ensures exceptional matches between clients and top talent. His leadership continues to drive Planet Technology’s success in connecting professionals with global opportunities.

Formerly one of three Partners of R121 (Planet121), the first company acquired by The Planet Group, Andrew John now serves as the SAP Team Lead for Planet Technology. In this position, Andrew is responsible for the continued expansion of the Enterprise Systems Group in North America and Europe, which covers SAP, Workday, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics 365, and ServiceNow.

Andrew has worked in ERP staffing and consulting since 1998, covering industry verticals such as manufacturing, insurance, energy and utilities, life sciences, and professional services.

Formerly COO of Interactive Business Systems, one of the legacy companies forming Planet Technology, Jeff Jorgensen now serves as the Core Technology Team Lead overseeing the Mid-West. Jeff has played a pivotal role in developing many of Planet Technology’s key practice areas. He joined IBS in 2001 as the Cincinnati Branch manager and was crucial in distinguishing the firm within the IT staffing space. Jeff doubled majored in Accounting & Finance at Kent State University in Northeast Ohio.

Tiffany Wallace serves as the Senior Vice President at Planet Technology, where she oversees Oracle operations for Big 4 System Integrators, State and Local Government, and Professional Services within Oracle’s direct client base. Joining OmniPoint in 2014 as a Delivery Manager, Tiffany transitioned into sales in 2019 and brings over 20 years of expertise in Talent Management, Organizational Training, and Leadership Development.

Throughout her career, Tiffany has been dedicated to aligning top talent with Oracle clients across the Oracle ecosystem. Her leadership and strategic vision have been integral in advancing the success of Planet Technology’s key partnerships and client engagements.

Originally from Los Angeles, California, Tiffany moved to Mississippi in her early teens and now resides in Loganville, Georgia, with her husband, two college-aged children attending college as student athletes, and three beloved bully pit dogs. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Dillard University, a renowned HBCU in New Orleans, and earned her MBA in Human Resource Management   Organizational Leadership and Development from Walden University.