TROY ASHBY

President

Troy Ashby, President and Founder of Benchmark Search Group, founded the company in 2018 after working at one of the Big Four accounting firms, in addition to more than a decade of experience working with one of the largest national recruiting firms. With more than 20 years of professional service experience, Troy has built Benchmark’s reputation as a trusted advisor for sourcing and recommending the right accounting talent, specializing in direct hire placement, executive search, and temporary staffing for accounting and finance professionals. Troy is responsible for overseeing business development, talent acquisition along with P&L responsibility, marketing and operations.

Troy’s greatest joy comes from encouraging and helping others, personally and professionally. He has a genuine passion for people, developing long-term relationships while working to make a lasting impact in the Dallas Fort Worth community – Troy takes a servant leader attitude to heart and delivers excellence every day. He has a proven track record of building teams, creating culture and empowering associates, clients and candidates to win!

He has a passion for developing long-term relationships in both business and his community. He has been actively involved in various professional and civic organizations around DFW chairing committees or serving on boards including the Richardson Family YMCA, The Family Place, Dallas Regional Chamber and the North Dallas Chamber of Commerce. He is a graduate of Leadership Dallas and Leadership Richardson and has also been an active volunteer in March of Dimes, Genesis Women’s Shelter and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. He has been a guest speaker for multiple professional associations including Risk Management Association (RMA) and Young Risk Management Association (YRMA) and the Dallas Society of CPAs. Troy has also been cited in industry publications such as the Journal of Accountancy as an expert source

Troy received both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting from Oklahoma State University. He is a Certified Public Accountant and previously worked in public accounting at Ernst & Young, Arthur Andersen and Whitley Penn. He and his wife Cayce have two children, Owen and Claire. Troy places a strong emphasis on family which is why he has built a strong internal corporate culture for his employees, centered around a workplace that has been designated as a Best Place to Work for Working Parents for multiple years.

Director

With a passion for connecting with people both personally and professionally, Tracy Dodd serves as Director at Benchmark Search Group and specializes in direct hire recruiting, executive search and temporary staffing for finance and accounting professionals in the DFW area. She is driven to help every client and candidate reach their full potential during the search process. Prior to her position at Benchmark Search Group, Tracy worked in accounting for large public clients where she held roles in costing, corporate accounting and external reporting. She enjoyed a nearly 10-year career in accounting that ultimately paved the way for what she was born to do – finance and accounting recruiting.

Tracy has a bachelor’s degree from Northwood University in Cedar Hill, Texas. She is a founding member of Ellis County Women in Business which is dedicated to helping women of all ages achieve their business goals through support, inspiration and mentoring while giving back to the community. She is also a board member for the Texas Alumni Leadership Council at Northwood University. Tracy enjoys attending baseball games for the Texas Rangers and has a life-long goal of visiting every baseball park across the country, in addition to playing golf and spending time with her daughter, Mariah.

Recruiting Manager

Sourcing the right talent for clients is Brittany Blair’s focus as the Recruiting Manager for Benchmark Search Group. She enforces new sourcing methods to find quality candidates for her clients while providing top-notch customer service. Brittany has an excellent track record of communication, solid interpersonal skills and relationship-building capabilities to help people and firms build better, stronger organizations through sourcing and recommending the right talent.

Over the last 10 years of her career, she has recruited for various sectors including finance and accounting, revenue cycle, nursing and pharmaceuticals. In her previous role at Conifer Health Solutions, she quickly worked her way up to become one of the top-performing recruiters in her department, leading the accounts receivable team and filling 121 requisitions in two years. Her drive and passion for the profession shines through as she constantly works to connect people with the right opportunities, helping each individual take the important next step in their accounting career.

She graduated from Georgia State University with a bachelor’s degree in marketing. Brittany enjoys cooking and trying out new healthy recipes for family and friends. In her free time, you’ll find her spending time with her two children, Jayden and Cruz and their dog Belle.

Recruiting Manager

Drawing on his previous industry experience in accounting, Benchmark Search Group’s Recruiting Manager, Stephen Villagomez, has a competitive advantage when it comes to understanding and finding the right talent for clients. Stephen’s passion for the industry helps him excel at identifying accounting and finance professionals’ skills to propel candidates toward success. He focuses on providing clients with candidates who possess the right skill set and who are also a cultural fit. Stephen has centered his career around relationship building, taking time to develop long-term, trusting relationships with clients and candidates which helps both audiences catapult their careers and thrive.

He began his career in internal auditing and after three years he made the jump to recruiting which matched his aptitude for relationship building.  Stephen has excelled in recruiting finance and accounting professionals for over 10 years, and he thoroughly enjoys meeting with people and connecting them to different opportunities. His recruitment experience extends to various sectors including finance and accounting, supply chain and human resources.

Stephen graduated from The University of Texas at Arlington with a bachelor’s degree in finance. He enjoys playing golf, watching Dallas professional teams and spending time with his family.

EMILY RAY

Recruiting Manager

With a deep-rooted understanding of the industry, Emily brings a holistic approach to helping employers find the right candidates for their organization. Her exceptional skills extend to managing and expanding client relationships and providing valuable consulting services to her clients. Emily serves as the Recruiting Manager for Benchmark and specializes in direct hire and temporary staffing for finance and accounting professionals. Emily is a driven and accomplished professional with a passion for both business development and recruitment. Her people-first mentality reflects in her commitment to achieving mutually beneficial outcomes while facilitating the hiring process and ensuring the successful placement of candidates.

Emily received her bachelor’s degree in marketing from Texas Tech University in Lubbock, TX. She is a member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma Alumnae Association, which is committed to volunteerism, professional mentoring, and individual growth. Emily enjoys traveling, cooking, running, and, most importantly, spending time with her family and friends.