TOM CHINONIS

Email Tom  |  d. 248.480.4202

Tom Chinonis joined Townsend Search Group in October 2021 following a successful career as an entrepreneur and business executive in the Detroit, Michigan region, as well as a senior corporate attorney at the global law firm, Foley & Lardner LLP.

Tom was the Co-Founder and CEO of Wingman Corp., an innovative sparkling water brand that earned Food & Wine Magazine’s “Top 25 Industry Game Changers” recognition in 2021, and led the brand to a successful merger in the fall of 2021 that allowed Tom to step down from his executive position.

Tom also served as the Co-Founder and CEO of multiple foodservice brands in the Detroit area with both successful exits and ongoing business operations.  Through these roles, Tom led capital funding rounds, sales, marketing and hiring initiatives, and also oversaw all operations activities.

Prior to his business career, Tom specialized in mergers and acquisitions at Foley & Lardner, where he helped lead the expansion of the Detroit regional office in the M&A and securities practice groups.  In that role, Tom worked directly with private and publicly held organizations as well as with private equity and venture capital thought leaders on complex M&A initiatives, securities offerings and corporate finance matters.

He earned his Bachelor of Arts from Michigan State University, and holds a Juris Doctor degree from DePaul University and a Master of Business Administration with a finance concentration from the Kellstadt Graduate School of Business at DePaul University.

“I’ve been fortunate to sit on both sides of the table when it comes to the recruiting problem-solving process. On either side though, the process for examining whether a certain candidate will fit into the company’s long-term objectives is the same: asking a lot of questions. I love the process of uncovering information from both sides to discover whether a great relationship exists for everyone involved. The extra time devoted to those discovery-related questions always pays back in the end, and makes the process extremely gratifying on a personal level.”

LET'S TALK.

We see executive search as far more than filling a role—to us, it is a highly personalized process producing profoundly impactful leaders that fulfill long-term goals, influence strategic plans and impact decision-making across the organization.

MORE ABOUT TOM’S JOURNEY.

Tom’s expansive business and legal background brings a unique perspective to the search process.  With a deep understanding from the client’s perspective of deal flow, transaction and organizational needs, Tom views the recruiting process through the eyes of organization leaders. It is through that perspective that Tom values the long-term importance of recruiting – and retaining – top talent. The desire to help organizations thrive has steered Tom toward the recruiting profession to work hand-in-hand with equally passionate decision makers.

STRANGE BUT TRUE.

Tom helped develop a fast-casual restaurant concept from scratch, but hates to cook. So much so that he can be found Googling, “how to boil water” when preparing anything near a stove.

MORE ABOUT TOM’S JOURNEY.

Tom’s expansive business and legal background brings a unique perspective to the search process.  With a deep understanding from the client’s perspective of deal flow, transaction and organizational needs, Tom views the recruiting process through the eyes of organization leaders. It is through that perspective that Tom values the long-term importance of recruiting – and retaining – top talent. The desire to help organizations thrive has steered Tom toward the recruiting profession to work hand-in-hand with equally passionate decision makers.

STRANGE BUT TRUE.

Tom helped develop a fast-casual restaurant concept from scratch, but hates to cook. So much so that he can be found Googling, “how to boil water” when preparing anything near a stove.

LET'S TALK.

We see executive search as far more than filling a role—to us, it is a highly personalized process producing profoundly impactful leaders that fulfill long-term goals, influence strategic plans and impact decision-making across the organization.