The Key
To Recruiting Top Talent in Government Sales
& Commercial Enterprise
The Expertise. The Access. The Trust.
“Ken changed my life.”
— Ronni Hargrove
Decades of Trust
in the Government Sales Community
Since 1990, Ken Leiner Associates (KLA) has been the premier executive search firm focused on recruiting government GTM talent.
For decades, Ken Leiner Associates has been the definitive pillar of recruitment in the Washington D.C. metro area, meticulously forging a brand built on integrity and unparalleled market intelligence. Our deep-seated relationships within the Federal sales ecosystem are not just professional connections—they are decades of earned trust that cannot be replicated by job boards or internal reach. In a market where the most elite talent remains behind a vault of exclusivity, KLA serves as the singular key, providing our clients with immediate, trusted access to the visionary sales leaders who drive the Federal sector forward.
KLA has consistently ranked as a top search firm in the Washington Business Journal’s annual “Book of Lists,”
and
has been featured nationwide on NBC and some CBS and ABC stations for its success in business.
________________________________________________________________________________________
35+
YEARS OF EXCELLENCE
#1
FEDERAL TECH SALES SEARCH
For Companies
KLA has eye for talent and a proven ability to conduct laser-focused searches customized to each client’s needs. As a hiring manager, you want quick access to the A-Players in your market. They’re not searching job boards, or taking cold calls about any job. But they will talk to KLA.
For Candidates
A job pays bills. An opportunity is a fulfilling role that advances your career. We factor in your strengths and goals to help connect you with great opportunities, acting as your trusted advisor throughout the process and the pivotal moments of your professional life.Our Focus & Methodology
We specialize in Federal & State/Local Government technology sales markets and have considerable depth in commercial enterprise markets in the United States and Canada.
Core Domains
Enterprise Software / SaaS
Cybersecurity
Cloud Computing
Artificial Intelligence
DevOps
Client Portfolio
Technology Vendors (OEMs)
Value-Added Resellers (VARs)
Systems Integrators (SIs)
Professional Services Firms
Roles We Fill
VP/SVP/GM/Director of Federal Sales
VP/SVP/GM/Director of Public Sector
Federal Account Executives
Technical PreSales (SEs)
Federal / Government Marketing
Customer Success
Professional Services
Our Four-Step Process
01.
Assessment:
The Expertise
When you partner with us, we help you get the details right. We review your job requirements to make sure they match today’s market; we guage your expectations to make sure they’re realistic, and we help you position the opportunity to attract top-tier government sales talent.
02.
Search:
The Access
While other firms rely on cold calls and surface-level data, we leverage 35+ years of deep-rooted relationships in the government sales community. We already know the high-performers and their reputations. Partnering with us gets you a direct line to the most elite sales talent.
03.
Vetting:
The Network
We have a unque advantage in vetting: our network. We’re able to go behind the scenes and get the honest truth about a candidate, so you can make your hiring decisions with complete confidence.
04.
Closing:
The Trust
We do more than just find great people—we help you close them. Our candidates see us as trusted advisors, not just recruiters. This relationship allows us to provide the genuine guidance and perspective necessary to navigate counter-offers and ensure that your top choice accepts your offer.
DEEP ACCESS…
HIGH IMPACT
Building deep connections takes time, hard work and trust. At KLA, we have long-standing relationships with our client companies and candidates. They know us, trust us, work with us and stay in touch with us. And, we have intimate marketplace knowledge and a passion for helping grow companies with high performing teams, and helping grow lucrative careers.
We attract the most powerful sales talent in the business. Our candidates have generated billions of dollars in revenue with their companies, and have helped many of them go public, get acquired, or simply grow the business significantly.
"We look out for the people in our industry and they look out for us."
-- Ken Leiner, President
The KLA Team
A collective of industry veterans with unparalleled networks and deep understanding of the technology landscape. We create opportunities, and help build great companies and lucrative careers.
(Click photo for team bios.)
RECRUITER
RECRUITER
Amy Shepardson
Alex Riley
RESEARCH ASSOCIATE
OFFICE MANAGER
Frank Munero
Ken Leiner
PRESIDENT / FOUNDER
PARTNER / RECRUITER
Stuart Neuwelt
Gary Boisen
RECRUITER
RECRUITER
Dan Silva
Barbara Winfield
Marisa Arbona-Ruiz
MEDIA & MARKETING DIRECTOR
Enduring Relationships
“I have worked with KLA for over ten years as both a candidate and in a hiring capacity. They have consistently done a great job on both. If you are looking to hire be assured that the candidates they present will be well qualified and a solid match for your needs. We have hired over 80% of the candidates they have presented and they are all meeting our expectations.”
— Client/Candidate John Trionfo
Director, Enterprise Sales
“What has driven me as both a hiring manager and past candidate to work with Ken and Frank over the last 20 years is their perspective of creating success for both the employer and the employee. They know what the employer wants, and they present the right people; cognizant of what makes each tick. That’s the differentiator.”
— Mike Friedel
“I have worked with KLA over the last 20 years, first as a candidate and then as a hiring manager… The majority of my recent hiring has been… primarily with Amy… She’s a very strong broker… Integrity sums up Amy’s approach. In fact, integrity is a big part of the KLA brand. In this business, you can’t be as consistently successful over the years as they are, without it. Other recruiting companies I’ve worked with just throw everything at you… I know [KLA] can’t say on their website, ‘We‘re not obnoxious like the other guys are,’ but its true.”
— Kimberly Baker VP Public Sector, Readseal Network
“What I love about our industry is that you can have fun, be competitive and make a wonderful living for yourself… It may sound corny, but working with [KLA] was a lot of fun… Our valuable time was never wasted… KLA became a trusted advisor of our company. They helped us recruit a world class sales force which ANNIHILATED the competition. We sold the company for $945 million, which translated into fantastic financial rewards for its employees…”
— John Leary
“Ken Leiner Associates has proven to be a true strategic partner as I’ve grown my sales and engineering team. I needed a partner who could help me build an effective sales team in record time to scale our business. Frank Munero provided quality candidates that met my needs and didn’t “spam” me with unfit candidates. This is important when you’re in hyper-growth mode and time is of the essence. Frank has a great nose for talent and is a master of the art of finding the right fit for the right job.”
— Nick Cayou
Greenplum Software
“The value for our firm in selecting KLA was: a) reputation; b) ability to get results; and c) the fact that the principals have a robust network in the Federal space. It was a great match for us! KLA was able to be our business partner in achieving a key objective of filling a very critical team position–Director of Federal Solutions. … Frank very effectively bridged that gap. Right away, he made a vast difference… He was able to present a small number of highly qualified candidates through a very efficient process that didn’t waste any of our time. We were impressed with KLA’s responsiveness, focus, and the quality of their candidates, and we’re very happy.”
— Mark Varah Vice President of Operations, MotionDSP
Leverage our deep industry knowledge,
credibility and extensive network
Whether you’re building a revenue-driving team or seeking your next opportunity,
we’re here to help.
Let’s talk.
Let us know how we can help you. Reach out through our contact form or schedule a call.
(301) 933-8800