Unlike most executive recruiters, Ed Lauing was a CEO himself, for three Silicon Valley software companies. This gives him a unique perspective when hiring CEOs or working with them to select VPs. He has lived through the issues CEOs face, from market and financing pressures to team and board dynamics.
This expertise has contributed to the success of Ed’s executive searches. Ed has 20 years of experience hiring executives, starting with his first stint as a CEO. For the past four years he has put that experience to work in placing executives including CEOs, GMs, and VPs in all functional areas of sales, business development, marketing, and engineering. Ed has worked with companies in a variety of industries, including consumer Internet, mobile/wireless, network infrastructure, storage, enterprise analytics, outsourcing, and healthcare IT.
Prior to becoming an executive recruiter, Ed served as CEO at three companies—Power Up!, iBuyLine, and Nuasis—that served a spectrum of consumer, Internet, and enterprise segments. The companies were backed by venture capital firms including Mayfield, USVP, and Menlo Ventures. Ed also held senior marketing and management roles at Sunset Books (acquired by Time/Life) and B. Dalton, Bookseller (acquired by Barnes and Noble).
Ed earned a bachelor’s degree from DePauw University, a master’s degree from Vanderbilt University, and an MBA from the Carlson School at the University of Minnesota. He lives in Palo Alto, California where he has actively contributed to the community through his involvement in agencies serving the homeless and on the boards of non-profit organizations such as InnVision and Congregation Beth Am. He served as President of Palo Alto Babe Ruth for five years and was also active in youth baseball serving as a Little League Manager for five years. Six years ago he was appointed by City Council to the Palo Alto Parks and Recreation Commission and is prior Chair of the commission. In his rare spare time, Ed enjoys a variety of outdoor activities and fine California wine.
