Meet Our Leadership Team
Refine Search was founded by talent acquisition veterans who sought to become the partners they wish they’d had in their previous roles. Learn more about our dedicated leadership team below.
Mason Smith
Mason Smith is the Principle and Co-Founder of Refine Search. With over 20 years of experience recruiting in both corporate and agency settings, he is an industry veteran with a valuable and diverse skill set.
Prior to Refine Search, Mason was the Senior Manager of Talent Acquisition and a human resource business partner for engineering at DCP Midstream, a leading oil and gas company, where he created a talent acquisition division. Before his time with DCP, he led the contract staffing business for a national recruitment firm and was a talent acquisition lead with Coors Brewing Company and ACS, Inc.
Like Mike, Mason struggled to find a recruiter who could meet his expectations and shared the desire to create a client-centered search firm. At Refine Search, Mason’s ability to understand the full scope of a client’s needs allows him to deliver the most suitable employees to their organization.
Outside of work, Mason enjoys spending time with his five kids, playing golf, and volunteering with numerous organizations
Fran Garzelloni
Fran Garzelloni is the Recruiting Manager at Refine Search. Since 2021, she has led 50+ searches across the healthcare, manufacturing, building and consumer products, energy, and engineering industries. In total, Fran has six years of progressive experience in the recruitment industry and has a proven track record of identifying and securing top talent across various sectors.
Prior to joining Refine Search, Fran was a Strategic Account Manager at The Pinnacle Source, a Colorado-based Technology sales recruiting firm, where she successfully managed key client relationships and implemented innovative recruitment strategies. Prior to The Pinnacle Source, Fran was an Executive Recruiter at Bradsby Group, a premier executive search and recruitment firm specializing in placing high-level professionals across the US.
Fran is passionate about placing candidates in roles that resonate deeply with their career goals and spark genuine enthusiasm to match her client’s needs.
Outside of work, Fran enjoys hiking with her two dogs, going to hot yoga, and spending time with her family.
Mike Whillock
Mike Whillock is a Sr Advisor and Consultant at Refine Search. He has over 20 years of recruiting and search experience, both in-house and as an external consultant. Over time, Mike realized that the external recruiters he was working with weren’t true partners who cared about the company’s goals. Refine Search was born to place client needs at the forefront.
Before Refine Search, Mike thrived in oil and gas, creating hands-on recruiting strategies for SM Energy, a Denver-based exploration and production company. Prior to SM, Mike served as the Vice President and Managing Search Consultant for a national HR-focused search firm and also led recruitment for Coors Brewing Company, Hitachi Consulting, and Accenture.
On every search, Mike strives to understand an organization’s needs so he can find candidates who go beyond the job requirements and align with the culture. Delivering the professionals who drive client companies forward keeps him energized.
In his downtime, you can find Mike mountain biking, skiing, and spending time with his daughters, Kate and Greer.