WE ARE FOCUS PEOPLE

EXPERTS IN STAFFING SERVICES AND SOLUTIONS

Focus People began as the brainchild of Amy Shockley in 1994. She grew up in the staffing business and worked in her father’s staffing firm, bringing her years of expertise and experience into Focus. Alongside her husband, Amy still runs the company to this day, with their leadership setting the vision and direction of our growth.

We’ve been doing this for decades now, and we’ve never failed a candidate or a client. That’s why most of them are still in partnership with us today.

We are masters of focus.

We choose to specialize in areas where we can provide the knowledge, experience, and prowess to serve you well.

Our staff members are experts with deep industry experience.

So, we’ve formed unique teams that cater to the clients and candidates in every area we serve. They know the language of the field, understand the challenges of the people, and are experts in making the right match between talent and opportunity.

We believe that having a team of accomplished and fulfilled industry authorities is the key to our success (and yours!)

Our Leadership Team

Lisa Stokes

President

Terri Pavuk

Vice President, Client Solutions

David Howlett

Director, IT Talent Acquisition

Amber Clark

Director, Client Solutions

Rene Beach

Director, Client Solutions and Marketing

Abbi Barnett

Director, Recruitment and Engagement

Kay Hyatt

Recruitment and Engagement Manager

Patricia Tooker

Recruitment and Engagement Manager

Dee Dee Whitmire

Recruitment and Engagement Manager

Edolia Wright

Recruitment and Engagement Manager

Roberto Reyes

Recruitment and Engagement Manager

Alex Tapp

Recruitment and Engagement Specialist

Darlenys Polanco

HR Specialist

Our mission is to provide a culture and atmosphere that inspires our staff to enjoy and excel in their roles, and to respect, edify, and encourage our colleagues, clients, and employees with every opportunity.

By providing our staff with an exceptional environment for personal and professional growth, we foster excellence in our team so they can provide excellence to our clients and candidates.

Our core values

Honesty and Integrity

Since 1994, we have operated with integrity in every interaction with our clients, candidates, and internal staff. We are always transparent with what we can and cannot do for our partners, and are unwilling to compromise for profit.

Loyalty

We have consultants, clients, and employees who have been with us for decades.

And there’s a good reason why they stay.

Innovative

Ours is a team of flexible and ingenious professionals who are always ready to adapt and address the needs of different companies.

We know the specific qualities and talents needed to build successful partnerships, and we lean into these whenever we connect clients and candidates. In the process, we uncover and create opportunities for everyone involved.

Relationship-driven

We treat people as relationships, not transactions.

We only provide opportunities that consider what a candidate actually wants and is good at, so that our clients are able to build partnerships that help them achieve their vision for their company.

Honesty and Integrity

Since 1994, we have operated with integrity in every interaction with our clients, candidates, and internal staff. We are always transparent with what we can and cannot do for our partners, and are unwilling to compromise for profit.

We have consultants, clients, and employees who have been with us for decades.

And there’s a good reason why they stay.

Loyalty

Innovative

Ours is a team of flexible and ingenious professionals who are always ready to adapt and address the needs of different companies.

We know the specific qualities and talents needed to build successful partnerships, and we lean into these whenever we connect clients and candidates. In the process, we uncover and create opportunities for everyone involved.

We treat people as relationships, not transactions.

We only provide opportunities that consider what a candidate actually wants and is good at, so that our clients are able to build partnerships that help them achieve their vision for their company.

Relationship-driven

Since 1994, we have operated with integrity in every interaction with our clients, candidates, and internal staff. We are always transparent with what we can and cannot do for our partners, and are unwilling to compromise for profit.

Honesty and Integrity

Loyalty

We have consultants, clients, and employees who have been with us for decades.

And there’s a good reason why they stay.

Ours is a team of flexible and ingenious professionals who are always ready to adapt and address the needs of different companies.

We know the specific qualities and talents needed to build successful partnerships, and we lean into these whenever we connect clients and candidates. In the process, we uncover and create opportunities for everyone involved.

Innovative

Relationship-driven

We treat people as relationships, not transactions.

We only provide opportunities that consider what a candidate actually wants and is good at, so that our clients are able to build partnerships that help them achieve their vision for their company.

We are a true partner to everyone we work with, consistent in our excellence and service.

Our focus is on enduring partnerships.

We have been connecting professionals and leading employers since 1994.
We’re not stopping anytime soon.

Our success story is still underway, and we could be a part of yours too.

Lisa Stokes

President

Lisa possesses over 15 years of operational leadership in the staffing industry. She began her career as a Recruiter, then Recruiting Manager, progressing to General Manager, where she partnered to shape our strategic growth strategy. Lisa’s intimate knowledge of her chosen profession, superior customer service skills, and outstanding leadership abilities have allowed her to excel as President of Focus People.

Terri Pavuk

Vice President, Client Solutions

Terri has a talent for business development and a sixth sense for identifying opportunities. With over 15 years of industry experience, Terri consistently exceeds expectations. She’s famous for her baking and culinary skills and aspires to be the next Master Chef. Terri brings that same dedication to excellence to her role as our Sr. Business Development Manager.

David Howlett

Director, IT Talent Acquisition

David is our Sr. IT Recruiting Manager who has led companies to recruiting victory for the past 15 years. With a background in attraction, development, and retention of tech talent, David is a tenured IT professional with vast experience in Machine Learning, AI, Data Science, and Automation. He is skilled at recruiting leadership and talent at all levels, including VP, EVP, and C-levels. In addition, his expertise in partnering with company leadership to drive hiring strategy in cutting-edge and transformational technologies makes him a star player on the Focus team.

Amber Clark

Director, Client Solutions

After receiving a B.A. in Public Relations from Auburn University, Amber spent four years in the sales and marketing industry. Her passion for people and leadership skills were apparent from the moment she began at Focus People. As a result, Amber was quickly promoted to Director of Client Solutions. If she’s not at the beach or lake, you can find her cheering on the Braves, Falcons, and Auburn Tigers in her free time.

Rene Beach

Director, Client Solutions and Marketing

Rene began work with Focus in 1999. She’s assisted in every department: payroll, sales, training and development, recruiting, and client management. Her ability to implement data-driven strategies and genuine relationships has allowed Rene to deliver 5-star service. When she is not hard at work, she loves playing board games with her family and getting lost in a good book.

Abbi Barnett

Director, Recruitment and Engagement

Abbi is a Recruiter with a talent for making a difference in the lives of those around her. In 2018, she graduated from the University of West Georgia with a Bachelor of Business Administration, with a focus in Marketing. She excels at empowering candidates and preparing them to launch their careers. During her free time, Abbi loves spending time with family and friends or cuddling her Goldendoodle, Mae.

Kay Hyatt

Recruitment and Engagement Manager

Kay combines her passion for providing shareworthy customer service with over 10 years of recruiting experience. She believes that building trusted relationships with her clients is the key to helping them succeed. Also, Kay enjoys concerts, dominating trivia night, and watching dramas! 

Patricia Tooker

Recruitment and Engagement Manager
Patricia brings 10+ years of recruiting experience. Her expertise is permanent placement for hard-to-find talent. She is passionate about creating a professional match between candidates and companies and has built a reputation for being a trusted advisor while providing a world-class experience for both the candidate and the client. She spends her free time with her 4-legged fur baby Lexi and is involved in animal rescue. Patricia also enjoys learning new things…especially new technology, music, and cooking.

Dee Dee Whitmire

Recruitment and Engagement Manager

Throughout her career, DeeDee has accumulated a wealth of knowledge ranging from human resources, project management, telecommunications, and marketing. Since joining the Focus Team in 2016, her passion for watching others succeed is the driving force behind her recruiting work. During her free time, Dee Dee enjoys all things Harry Potter, baking, and spending time outdoors. 

Edolia Wright

Recruitment and Engagement Manager

Edolia is a talented recruiter who began working in the HR and Recruiting space in 2015. Her passion for delivering elevated customer service and helping others has allowed her to excel within the industry. Edolia appreciates the little things in life, like watching sci-fi and crime dramas with her kids. In addition, she enjoys trying new recipes and spending time at the beach.

Roberto Reyes

Recruitment and Engagement Manager

Roberto began his career in 2012 in the Industrial Staffing industry. His passion for people comes from his desire to help others find a career path to enhance their personal and professional lives. In addition, he enjoys playing sports, spending time with his family, and being outdoors.

Alex Tapp

Recruitment and Engagement Specialist

Alex graduated in 2022 from College of Coastal Georgia with his bachelor’s in Business Management. He has experience in multiple industries, including tech, administration, and food and beverage. His background in business and love of helping people reach their full potential led him to Focus as a Recruiter. In addition, he enjoys fishing, the outdoors, and spending time with family and friends.

Darlenys Polanco

HR Specialist
Darlenys is an energetic Human Resource professional with a passion for people. Her professional career started in 2017 after graduating from the University of Rhode Island. Her background in business and love of helping people reach their full potential led her to Focus as an HR Coordinator. In addition, she enjoys cooking, food blogging, photography, and traveling with family and friends!

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