Alaska executive search celebrates three decades: expansion may be in this company's future.

• Author: Sergeant, Deborah Jeanne
• Position: Company overview

Alaska Executive Search Inc. (AES) turned the big 3-0 in January. Founded by current President Bob Bulmer, the business fills 250 positions annually, supplying a valuable service to not only Anchorage businesses, but also to those throughout the Lower 48 that maintain offices in Alaska.

Bulmer previously worked for a recruiting company, and began AES because he "knew there was a real need for a good recruiting company in Alaska," he said. "It was a bit of an unknown in the state.

"I started the executive side at that time as a one-man shop. Then our clients kept asking for temporary or a clerical staff person. That's how our other divisions opened up. Then it became a full-service employment company. We're the only one in the state of Alaska."

Working alongside his wife, Anne, who has served as executive recruiter and administrative manager for the past 25 years, Bob grew the business to include five divisions: information technology, executive, clerical, medical and temporary employees.

AES employs 16 in its .own office in Anchorage, some of whom have worked for the company for more than 20 years.

Running the business as a husband and wife team has worked well for the Bulmers.

"That doesn't happen at every company where a couple is working together," Bob said.

Over the years, AES has changed to meet clients' needs, including hiring specialized recruiters, such as those qualified to perform nationwide recruiting or engineer recruiting.

Like most recruiting and temporary agencies, AES operates by charging the hiring company a sliding scale fee.

Their fee depends upon the salary and the position and ranges from 9 percent to 25 percent of the salary. Applicants pay no fee.

"We're very competitive," Anne said.

The state's shallow labor pool makes AES' services especially useful.

"The hiring process takes significant time and energy from our clients' everyday responsibility: managing their business," Bob said.

"There is such a scarcity of qualified individuals out there," Anne added. "The time it takes to find and credential candidates is tremendous. Employers don't have that kind of time. They run ads and can find no one like what they want."

Although other agencies in...