Meet The Team
Brian Gabay
CEO
Taylor Riordan
Recruiting Manager
Joalan Melendez
Senior Associate Recruiter
Jon Zeitts
Associate Recruiter
So what does a vibrant and gregarious individual do with their life these days? Well if you have lived abroad, are a fanatical New York Knicks fan, impersonated Elvis as a toddler on Maury Povich, are Bilingual and known to do voice-overs; then you ever so clearly build a Recruiting Firm!
I am not the quintessential prototype of the head honcho, but rather an honest, aggressive, in tune with current times, realistic human being who knows how to treat others. I have walked the recruitment circuit, working for top firms, which has led me to establishing Brian Simon Associates. I have coupled my unique style with unbreakable relations and connections; creating the perfect ingredients to the complete recruitment cocktail. My end goal is to help others and secure careers that will last a life time.
I have been in the shoes of a candidate and I have helped others in those same shoes as a recruiter – understanding is key.
As owner and CEO, I vow to play a significant role through the entire process, fulfilling your destiny and guiding you to the place you were meant to be. As a result of my robust relations and partnerships, vendors have left their fate in my hands, confident I will make the perfect connection. Throughout my career, I have had the luxury of creating a niche category for PR Recruitment, while establishing divisions as such.
Email: brian@briansimonassoc.com
Hi, i’m Taylor.
A little bit about me… I am the youngest of five kids , I was born and raised in Morristown,NJ. I have a black lab named Otis and he’s pretty awesome.
From an early age, I was interested in people. I wanted to talk to everyone, to hear their story, to build connections.
After graduation, I began my career in public relations where I spent 4 years working with clients in the luxury lifestyle and hospitality space.
It was after building media list and sourcing the appropriate journalist to represent our clients, that I knew I wanted to do recruiting. But, not just any recruiting. I wanted to recruit for an industry that I had first hand exposure to, and interest in, which was PR.
I have experiencing recruiting internally and most recently externally. I enjoy getting the opportunity to find talent for a variety of companies. It keeps me entertained and challenged which is why I love what I do!
When I’m not working, I can be found with my friends and family, traveling, trying out new restaurants, snapping photos and spreading positive vibes! Oh and a fun fact, I’m a Sagittarius and share the same birthday as T.Swift!
Email: taylor@briansimonassoc.com
Hi!
My name is Joalan. After earning my MBA from Hult International Business School, I entered the recruitment world to explore my passion for helping people.
Prior to my MBA, I was working in a substance abuse rehab where I was a Program Director. Part of my role was there was to hire new counselors. This is where I found my love for recruiting. I was involved in all aspects of the hiring process, such as the sourcing, initial interview and onboarding. At the time, I noticed that I enjoyed helping someone land their dream job and working with them through the entire process.
When I am not recruiting, I enjoy doing random/spontaneous activities. I am lucky to able to live in NYC where you can always find a random activity to do. Also, I enjoy spending time with my dog, Milo.
Email: joalan@briansimonassoc.com
Hi!
My name is Jon. After graduating from college I moved to New York to pursue a career in publishing. It was in those first years that I found and nurtured an interest in all things sales. I’ve since honed my skills in selling everything from restaurant technology, consumer product goods, and even virtual cheese tasting classes!
During this time I found that my favorite part of being in sales was the personal connection of working with and building relationships with customers. I’ve found being genuinely curious about people’s stories and experiences fascinating, and I’m bringing this interest and experience to recruiting at Brian Simon Associates!
In my free time, you can find me reading, gardening at my apartment in Brooklyn, and cooking! A fun fact about me is I have 15 years of restaurant experience, doing everything from front-of-house positions to working as a prep cook! In the mornings if I’m not making a grocery or gourmet store trip, you can find me running and training for my next race. I live in Brooklyn with my wife and our three cats.
Email: jon@briansimonassoc.com