Leadership

Michael Stomberg is the founder and CEO of The Planet Group which includes five renowned staffing companies and three global consulting organizations. Since founding Planet in 2009, Michael has led the organization to record organic growth while also leading the company through the launch of four new business lines and the acquisition of five firms. Fast approaching $500M in revenue, Planet has been named one of the Fastest-Growing and Largest Staffing Firms in the US.

Michael has over 20 years of experience developing and leading global organizations focused on the Life Sciences, Technology and Energy industries. Michael is skilled in organizational development, leadership development, streamlining operations, technology integration, team development, and global business strategy. He holds a Bachelor’s degree from Northern Illinois University and an MBA from the Keller Graduate School of Management.

As president of Planet Technology and Planet Professional, Scott Ragusa oversees the strategic direction and daily operations of these two impactful contingency search and contract staffing businesses. Scott joined Planet Technology’s predecessor, WinterWyman, in 1999 after more than five years with two national temporary staffing firms. He has a Bachelor of Science degree from Merrimack College in North Andover, Massachusetts and is a former member of the Board of Directors of the Massachusetts Staffing Association (MSA).

Tim Bauwens is the CFO of The Planet Group of Companies and is responsible for accounting and reporting, financial planning, cash management, human resources, and risk management. He has over 25 years of corporate accounting and finance experience, having spent the early part of his career focused on mergers & acquisitions, mostly in the service and utilities sectors. Tim has spent the last ten years in the professional services and construction industries working with publicly traded and privately held companies with an emphasis on accelerated topline growth, improved cashflow, and maximizing return on investment. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance from Augustana College and holds a Master’s Degree in Entrepreneurship from DePaul University’s Kellstadt Graduate School of Business.

Carolyn Durham brings a unique blend of experience in account management, business development, and corporate operations to lead the direction of our client services, business development, and administrative functions. Carolyn brings over 17 years of experience in the professional staffing and consulting industries primarily supporting pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and device organizations. Her experience has encompassed sales, recruitment, business development, commercial operations, and project management. Carolyn has a bachelor’s degree in communications and culture with a minor in business and sociology from Indiana University in Bloomington, IN.

Andrew John joined Planet Technology in November 2001 to expand the company’s IT Consulting Services (known then as R121 and later as Planet121) to the US. As Executive Vice President of Planet Technology, he is responsible for the continued expansion of the Enterprise Systems business. Andrew has worked in SAP recruitment and consulting since 1998, covering industry verticals such as manufacturing, insurance, and life sciences.

Formerly COO of Interactive Business Systems, one of the legacy companies forming Planet Technology, Jeff Jorgensen now serves as Executive Vice President overseeing the Mid-West. Jeff has played a pivotal role in developing many of Planet Technology’s key practice areas, including Microsoft 365 implementation and automated testing solutions. He joined IBS in 2001 as the Cincinnati Branch manager and was crucial in distinguishing the firm within the IT consulting space. Jeff doubled majored in Accounting & Finance at Kent State University in Northeast Ohio.

As an EVP with Planet Technology’s Core Tech division, Melissa Masse oversees East and West Coast strategic business development for this large, impactful group of tech sales professionals. Melissa joined Planet Technology’s predecessor, WinterWyman, in 2004 and has 20 years of operations, training and sales/business development experience. Prior to joining the company, she held recruiter and staffing specialist roles with other well-known recruitment firms.

Chris Mitchell, Senior Vice President of Recruitment is responsible for the overall candidate delivery of Planet Technology, including contract (MSP & Direct Access) and full-time placement in a variety of technologies (Core IT, Enterprise Systems, and Creative & Digital). With in-depth knowledge across a wide variety of tech stacks, Chris has built high-performing delivery teams, supporting some of the better-known tech companies in the US. Prior to joining the firm, Chris held Senior Recruiter positions with several national recruitment agencies.

Loren Rakowsky leads the Planet Technology Creative & Digital sales team with drive, enthusiasm, and passion. A New Yorker, business professional and people-person by nature, Loren’s sales experience has spanned over industries as well as the country. After graduating from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, with her degree in Business & Marketing, she began her career in sales which led to a decade of working within staffing. She has been with Planet since 2015, where she provides strategic staffing solutions for major clients across the US.