Who We Are

Tony Misura, President

Tony has been in the building materials industry since 1987.  Prior to joining an Executive Recruiting Firm, Tony grew his career as an operator with the Menard's organization.  While still in high school, he was hired to work in the company’s corporate office for John Menard.  The experience created the stage to learn all aspects of the company and its leadership.  Moving through other positions, he became the company’s youngest location manager at 23.  Tony continued in various location management roles for 6 years, including: 2 green-field start ups bringing one of them to $25m in sales in 2 years.  In 1999, Tony was recruited to Focus Executive Search, a Minneapolis based executive recruiting firm, to start up a Building Industry Division.  Here, Tony learned the dynamics of the recruiting business from the leaders of an established firm and how to create a national network of top executives.  The mission was helping top professionals and top companies discover their options; that message allowed them to improve the career outlook of many professionals and aid in the growth of many great companies.  By 2007 the Building Industry Division grew larger then the original Food Division, requiring more concentrated resources to adapt to the changing business environment.  Tony bought the Building Industry Division, changed the name to Misura Group, and diversified to include M&A Advisory and Sales and Management Consulting. Tony is adopted and supports Children’s Home Society of America and Catholic Charities Adoption

Michele Burger, Vice President

Michele has been on the team since 2005.  Her professional experience started in the banking industry while in Seattle, WA.  During this time she gained experience in operational management and the retail side of the industry with Seafirst Bank.  From there she was recruited by investors to be part of a team to green-field a coffee shop in Dallas, TX that was eventually sold to the Starbucks Corporation.  After the sale of the company, Michele returned to Minnesota where she continued to consult with a Minneapolis based coffee company identifying new marketing opportunities, profitable locations, and team/talent growth and management.  In 1999 she joined the Andersen Windows organization.  While with Andersen, Michele gained experience in National Account Management and Dealer Development.  A few of her responsibilities included organizing and facilitating CoE and DSN dealer training and Home Depot product sets.  Michele has developed Misura Group’s recruiting process including: performance measurement, psychological profiles, and cultural alignment for success within our client environments.  She brings exceptional relationship building and people skills, outstanding project management abilities, vision and strategy building skills that make her an integral part of Misura Group’s success in executive recruiting, consulting, and networking. Michele is also adopted and supports Children’s Home Society of America and Catholic Charities Adoption

Carly recently joined the Misura Group and comes to us with a broad range of experience from professional athletics to non-profit work. She brings a passion for working with people and creating lasting relationships. She honed her skills while gaining her degree in Public Relations from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. While in college and after, Carly took on roles in partnership marketing and project coordination with organizations such as the Minnesota Twins, FLW Outdoors and Nickelodeon, which allowed her to capitalize on her strengths of communication and organization. She worked directly with corporate marketing executives and project managers to ensure the best service to all clients and customers. While working with Project Footsteps, Carly was able to expand her skill set to the non-profit sector by helping create budgets, improve marketing strategy and obtain sponsorship and volunteers to further the mission of the group. Each role has shaped her into being a strong willed, passionate and charismatic person that will be an excellent addition to the Misura Group. Carly continues to support youth leadership initiatives through Project Footsteps today.

Prior to joining Misura Group in 2013, Judy earned a degree from St. Cloud State University in Psychology and Marketing.  Shortly after graduation, she began working as a Loan Processor with CU Mortgage and First Bank, gaining experience in finance.  Judy had the opportunity to join American Express Financial as an Administrative Assistant in the Marketing Department and Corporate Project Office, which gave her insight into marketing strategies and developed her skills in project management.  She then took an 11-year break from the corporate environment to raise her family of four girls.  Judy brings exceptional organizational skills, financial acumen and professionalism that will be an essential contribution to Misura Group.

Margie brings expertise in job search coaching, resume writing, recruiting and staffing with more than 15 years of experience in the industry.  Originally from the east coast, she brings perspective gained from living in New York City, New Jersey and North Carolina before moving to the Midwest.  In her early career she was involved with Sara Lee Corporation’s sponsorship of the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, coordinating corporate licensing, sponsorship and the logistics for 2000 company guests. After completing a master’s degree in counseling at Wake Forest University in 1998, Margie became involved in executive recruiting in the Detroit, Michigan area.  She worked for Plante & Moran, LLP for four years, specializing in client relationships, candidate evaluation and assessment, and placement of mid to executive level candidates.  After relocating to Iowa, Margie worked for Robert Half and then spent five years with the University of Iowa MBA Career Services office.  Her role there involved developing relationships with employers, and counseling students on a myriad of job search issues, including career advising, marketing materials (resumes, cover letters), networking strategies, interview preparation and offer negotiation.  She left the University of Iowa in 2008 to launch Search Forward, an entrepreneurial venture providing resume writing, career advising and job search coaching to individuals.  In addition to client work, she writes a monthly job search blog and is a frequent workshop presenter. Margie is active in the Iowa City community as a Board Member of the local elementary school and as a soccer coach.  She is excited to be partnering with the Misura Group on this new endeavor.

Dr. Richard Bents specializes in leadership development, personal and organizational change and transformation. He has demonstrated excellence in implementing strategic and cultural change efforts with large organizations including AT&T, ICI Films Americas, Lawson Software, Lucent Technologies, Nestle, Roche Pharma and Siemens. Relational, concentrated efforts result in leaders mastering skills of ethical service and productivity. His approach centers on the issues of authority, responsibility, and power demonstrating how they can be exercised more fully leading to personal accountability and healthy synergistic change. The result is a client better equipped to move into the future with clearer customer focus, more practical data-bases, and better understanding of organizational theory and the values they wish to project.

Dr. Bents is recognized internationally as an expert on leadership development and evaluation research. He works with European partners in counseling business and civic leaders and training psychologists and consultants in leadership and organizational development. In addition, he directed the graduate education program at Hamline University, providing leadership and direction in teaching, curriculum planning, faculty selection and program evaluation.

Dr. Bents is the co-author of several books on personality and learning. Other writing and research topics include training and development, adult learning styles, decision making and related topics.