Hall of Fame

Michael Gallo, a leader in the realms of talent acquisition and business development, has dedicated over three decades to shaping the landscape of the staffing industry. Currently serving as the Vice President and Chief Talent Officer at Winston Resources, LLC, Michael has been one of the driving forces behind the company's unparalleled success since 1987.

In his role, Michael has influence over all facets of sales, recruiting, training, and operational strategies across branch and corporate offices. His impact is measured not only in numbers but in the lives of over 1100 candidates successfully placed in diverse roles and industries, bridging the gap between top-tier talent and enterprises ranging from small businesses to Fortune 500 giants.

An active participant in professional associations, Michael proudly served on the Executive Board of the New Jersey Staffing Alliance chairing the Membership committee for several years and an active member in the Legislative committee, embodying his commitment to industry advancement. Michael also is the front man of the world renowned NJSA All Star Band . He holds certifications as a Certified Personnel Consultant since 1989 and is an active member of SHRM/SMA.

Michael's educational journey led him to the University of Massachusetts, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. Continuously driven by a passion for learning, he recently achieved SHRM CP Certification in 2023, underscoring his commitment to staying at the forefront of industry trends.

Bob Thompson is a president at World Wide Specialty with 22 years of staffing industry experience. He started as a principal in a firm focused on market research and analysis of the staffing industry, and World Wide and American International Group were two of his many insurance clients. Thompson sold his company in 2007 and joined World Wide to run its new business, broker development, and workers’ compensation divisions. He is a skilled manager with experience in marketing, research, analysis, sales, customer and broker relations, underwriting, loss control, and co-authoring a staffing industry risk management manual. Thompson is from New York and has four grown children.

Having joined the firm in 1985 as Director of Business Services, Elaine has held various positions with the Assurance group over the past thirty- five years culminating in a buy-out of the Senior Partner in February 2008. Elaine and her team have organically grown and developed all three divisions of the company which includes Contingency Staffing, Direct Hire and Human Resources Consulting. The organization has grown significantly since 1985, which is attributable to the unique Customer Service Program that Elaine spearheaded and developed and consistently implemented over the years.

The program she developed is based upon “Right Staffing” and goes to the heart of the clients increased need over the years to focus on efficiencies in productivity and their dependence upon their contingency personnel providers to partner with them to achieve these goals. The program requires intense visibility and constant interaction with her partners (clients) to achieve not only high levels of productivity throughout their organizations but to do so with low error ratios to improve upon their relationships with their clients. These partnerships are developed by working with C-Suite participants who share vital information regarding the goals of their organization and allow the Assurance group Team to become “acting staff members” of the organization, participating in meetings on all levels designed to provide a true understanding of the day to day operations of the client, to have an in-depth knowledge of the plans and forecasts of the client company and to develop trusting relationships with all members of the clients team. This program has allowed Assurance to develop long term relationships with clients and an ability to participate in and assist with their growth and development.

Elaine is a Past President of the New Jersey Staffing Alliance, a Member of Vistage International and a Board Member of Dimensional Merchandising Incorporated.

For almost 28 years, Kathy Warren managed and was a partner in Bryant Staffing, a privately held multi-million-dollar, full-service staffing firm with offices throughout Central and Northern New Jersey. She successfully steered the company through several recessions and was instrumental in growing Bryant Staffing through multiple acquisitions as well as organic growth.

Until the sale of Bryant Staffing in December of 2020, Kathy was an active member of the NJSA Board of Directors, serving as President for 3 years, Co-President for 2 years and Chairperson of the Legal/Legislative and Membership committees throughout her tenure. She has also served on the boards of her local Chamber of Commerce and The Affiliated Staffing Group.

During the later years of her association with Bryant Staffing, Kathy decided to pursue a SHRM HR certification in order to begin a path to a new career as an HR Consultant. She is now a Contract Facilitator and business coach for The Alternative Board and provides HR Consulting services to small businesses. Kathy enjoys the diversity of working with multiple small businesses and she currently devotes a good portion of her time to her most enjoyable position as a new grandmother to her two grandchildren, Mia and Gideon.

Vince Grillo is a Senior Vice President of Access Capital and has been with the company for over 25 years.

He is a second-generation financing executive with over 30 years of industry experience. Prior to his post at Access Capital, he began his career at Chase Credit Services, later working for Irving Commercial and the Bank of New York.

Vince enjoys working with staffing company owners; be it discussing strategic planning, providing solutions for financing needs, or mentoring start-ups. Vince's experience and expertise in the staffing industry have allowed him to be a valuable contributor to the many organizations he is active in.

Vince is a former member of the Board of Directors of the New Jersey Staffing Alliance and is currently on their programs committee. He is also an active member of the Techserve Alliance, the Mid Atlantic Staffing Association, the Massachusetts Staffing Association, the American Staffing Association and Staffing Industry Analysts. It is because of his lending expertise and reputation for professionalism in the industry that Vince is a highly respected member of the asset based lending community.

Vince is a graduate of St. Francis College in Brooklyn. He lives in Bogota, New Jersey with his wife and their two children. In his spare time, Vince is an avid musician and plays guitar in bands at local venues and for various charities.