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Precision Placement for Professionals

Our passion lies in connecting amazing talent with incredible career opportunities.

About
Bluewater Hayes

Since 2015, Bluewater Hayes has served clients seeking the best talent with search services across the United States and Canada. Over the past 7 years, we have grown and expanded our capabilities to include consulting, temporary staffing, and retained search.

We are subject matter experts in talent acquisition and have recruited for most business functions, including Executive Leadership, Human Resources, Administration, Legal, Finance & Accounting, Operations, Engineering, Information Technology, Quality, Facilities Management, Operational Excellence, and Supply Chain.

Our mission is to make ‘Precision Placements’ by pairing the right talent to the right career opportunity. We strive to be true partners in talent acquisition for our clients and trusted agents for our candidates.

Our Values

Integrity

Teamwork

Continuous Improvement

Earning Our Income

Adding Value

Our Team

Ryan Burke

CEO | Managing Partner

Ryan Burke

CEO | Managing Partner

Ryan founded Bluewater Hayes in 2015 following a life that initially took him to the U.S. Marine Corps after high school. After the Marines, Ryan attended Michigan State University and earned a bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management. He spent 4 years in manufacturing and then nearly 5 years with global staffing firms before establishing Bluewater Hayes as a premier executive search and staffing firm. Today, the company he founded serves clients ranging from up-and-coming to the most venerable Fortune 100 firms with talent acquisition search and support activities. The singular mission is Precision Placement with a culture of continuous improvement and professional development. Ryan resides in West Michigan with his wife Karley. Both are competitive Olympic weightlifters and enjoy their Crossfit community.

Ryan Burke

CEO | Managing Partner

Ryan founded Bluewater Hayes in 2015 following a life that initially took him to the U.S. Marine Corps after high school. After the Marines, Ryan attended Michigan State University and earned a bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management. He spent 4 years in manufacturing and then nearly 5 years with global staffing firms before establishing Bluewater Hayes as a premier executive search and staffing firm. Today, the company he founded serves clients ranging from up-and-coming to the most venerable Fortune 100 firms with talent acquisition search and support activities. The singular mission is Precision Placement with a culture of continuous improvement and professional development. Ryan resides in West Michigan with his wife Karley. Both are competitive Olympic weightlifters and enjoy their Crossfit community.

Joe Lamphere

Managing Partner | Founder

Joe Lamphere

Managing Partner | Founder

Joe hales from West Michigan and resides in the Pittsburgh, PA area. Joe graduated from Ionia High School then enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps following high school. He earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Saint Leo University while serving. Shortly after leaving the Marines, Joe founded PWT, a training and education firm focused on government agency clients. In 2015, Joe co-founded Bluewater Hayes and served in an advisor capacity for two years. In 2021, Joe rejoined the firm and is now Chief Operating Officer and Managing Partner of our Pittsburgh area market.

Joe Lamphere

Managing Partner | Founder

Joe hales from West Michigan and resides in the Pittsburgh, PA area. Joe graduated from Ionia High School then enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps following high school. He earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Saint Leo University while serving. Shortly after leaving the Marines, Joe founded PWT, a training and education firm focused on government agency clients. In 2015, Joe co-founded Bluewater Hayes and served in an advisor capacity for two years. In 2021, Joe rejoined the firm and is now Chief Operating Officer and Managing Partner of our Pittsburgh area market.

Beau Brummel

Managing Partner

Beau Brummel

Managing Partner

Beau joined Bluewater Hayes in 2019 after gaining valuable experience in the Waste and Recycling Industry, serving as a maintenance and operations leader. While there, he successfully implemented an internship program sparking his passion for recruitment. He learned how impactful a talent acquisition partner can be to an organization’s ability to level up its capabilities, growth, and success. These experiences led him to a career transition from operations management to agency recruiting. Beau is a United States Marine Corps veteran. His passions outside of work include fitness, the outdoors, and an odd obsession with sneakers. Beau resides in Cedar Springs, MI, with his wife, Allie, their son Nash and two big, lovable dogs.

Beau Brummel

Managing Partner

Beau joined Bluewater Hayes in 2019 after gaining valuable experience in the Waste and Recycling Industry, serving as a maintenance and operations leader. While there, he successfully implemented an internship program sparking his passion for recruitment. He learned how impactful a talent acquisition partner can be to an organization’s ability to level up its capabilities, growth, and success. These experiences led him to a career transition from operations management to agency recruiting. Beau is a United States Marine Corps veteran. His passions outside of work include fitness, the outdoors, and an odd obsession with sneakers. Beau resides in Cedar Springs, MI, with his wife, Allie, their son Nash and two big, lovable dogs.

Chad VanHouten

Senior Executive Recruiter

Chad VanHouten

Senior Executive Recruiter

Chad’s applies his chemistry education and experience plus many years as an executive search recruiter to finding and representing the best talent in challenging, technical roles. Chad focuses on Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, Sales searches.  He enjoys the challenge of finding candidates that help his clients thrive and with almost two decades of recruiting experience, an incredibly resourceful and reliable producer. Chad was born and raised in West Michigan.  Chad, his wife Angela, and their 3 children love traveling. You can catch them in Boston or parts of Florida often.

Chad VanHouten

Senior Executive Recruiter

Chad’s applies his chemistry education and experience plus many years as an executive search recruiter to finding and representing the best talent in challenging, technical roles. Chad focuses on Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, Sales searches.  He enjoys the challenge of finding candidates that help his clients thrive and with almost two decades of recruiting experience, an incredibly resourceful and reliable producer. Chad was born and raised in West Michigan.  Chad, his wife Angela, and their 3 children love traveling. You can catch them in Boston or parts of Florida often.

Shi-Wei Battaglia

Executive Recruiter

Shi-Wei Battaglia

Executive Recruiter

Shi-Wei has a diverse slate of experiences that allow him to relate and connect with almost any person he talks to.  He was born in China and raised on a farm in Southwest Michigan.  Growing up, hard work and sports were the centerpiece of his upbringing.  Shi-Wei believes that if you want to be successful, you have to put in the time and energy. He graduated from Grand Valley State University with a bachelor’s degree in Marketing. When he’s not searching for talent, Shi-Wei is at the gym lifting heavy weights or sipping boba tea at his favorite coffee shop.

Shi-Wei Battaglia

Executive Recruiter

Shi-Wei has a diverse slate of experiences that allow him to relate and connect with almost any person he talks to.  He was born in China and raised on a farm in Southwest Michigan.  Growing up, hard work and sports were the centerpiece of his upbringing.  Shi-Wei believes that if you want to be successful, you have to put in the time and energy. He graduated from Grand Valley State University with a bachelor’s degree in Marketing. When he’s not searching for talent, Shi-Wei is at the gym lifting heavy weights or sipping boba tea at his favorite coffee shop.

Wayne Cobleigh

Executive Recruiter

Wayne Cobleigh

Executive Recruiter

Wayne joined Bluewater Hayes in 2023 after a 20-year career in Operations Management and Supply Chain Management within the specialty chemicals and petroleum sectors.  While in those roles he was always focused on continuous improvement and lean practices and took pride in his ability to drive and manage change.  Wayne was able to grow within organizations while gaining increased responsibilities before ending as a Vice President of Operations and Supply Chain.  He attributes his success to surrounding himself with talented professionals focused on winning.  Wayne now brings his experience and skill in identifying and engaging top talent to Bluewater Hayes. He resides in the Pittsburgh area with his wife and his two children.

Wayne Cobleigh

Executive Recruiter

Wayne joined Bluewater Hayes in 2023 after a 20-year career in Operations Management and Supply Chain Management within the specialty chemicals and petroleum sectors.  While in those roles he was always focused on continuous improvement and lean practices and took pride in his ability to drive and manage change.  Wayne was able to grow within organizations while gaining increased responsibilities before ending as a Vice President of Operations and Supply Chain.  He attributes his success to surrounding himself with talented professionals focused on winning.  Wayne now brings his experience and skill in identifying and engaging top talent to Bluewater Hayes. He resides in the Pittsburgh area with his wife and his two children.

We’ve been working with Bluewater Hayes for about 1.5 years now, and all I can say is WOW!  Their unique approach in having former professionals of the respective industries they now recruit in, simply WORKS!  This is proven time and time again in the quality and caliber of the talent they present, which is top-notch.

In addition to top-tier talent, the Team at Bluewater Hayes really takes the time to understand your company culture, and needs/wants for the role, which makes them a true business partner.  I would highly recommend working with Bluewater Hayes for any and all recruitment needs.

HR Director of Tyson Foods

The team at Bluewater Hayes understands our culture and performance requirements. We have hired five Bluewater Hayes candidates over the last 2 years and all are thriving.”

General Electric Executive

I found my current position through Bluewater Hayes. The team was very professional, followed up diligently, and helped me negotiate a great offer.”

Hiring Candidate