In A World Full Of Good People, How Do You Find the Great Ones?

Our Company

Level Five Careers is a recruiting company that focuses solely on recruiting candidates for manufacturers in the United States. The company was founded in 2006 by Don and Debbie Gaze, both of whom spent over 25 years working in leadership positions in manufacturing prior to starting the business.

The name “Level Five” was derived from the famous book “Good to Great” and its predecessor “Built to Last,” by Jim Collins. These books both informed and documented the founders’ attitudes and approaches to their own careers. According to Collins, a Level Five leader is one who exhibits a combination of strong personal humility and professional will, and these leaders build Great companies that are built to last. We both worked with some Great leaders and companies and some that, well, weren’t all that great.

As recruiters, it is our goal to identify and recruit only Great candidates for Great companies.


Level Five offers both contingency and retained searches. We offer specially designed plans for companies with significant volume recruiting needs.

Our placement fees are very reasonable and below the national average.

Our ONE YEAR placement warranty is the best in the business.

We work with a very limited number of clients. and we are very good at what we do. Over 70% of our placements have been made with the first and frequently only candidate we refer.

Below are just some of the Great companies that we have had the pleasure of working with over the years…

Cabinetry and Architectural Millwork

Genesis Innovations

Wisconsin Built

E.F. San Juan

American Woodmark

Executive Cabinetry

Modern Woodcrafts

Glenn Rieder

Century Cabinets

Southern Staircase

Office and Institutional Furniture

HON Company

Steelcase

Allsteel

Omni Workspace

Gunlocke

KLN Steel Furniture

Store Fixtures and Specialty Wood Products

MG Concepts

Showbest Fixture

BTD Wood Powdercoating

Royston LLC

Batesville Casket

Fender Musical Instruments

Danaher Specialty Products

Owens Corning

Johns Manville

James Hardie Industries

Jeffrey Rader

Avery Dennison

Hearth and Home Technologies

Specialty Manufacturers and Conglomerates

Adler Pelzer

GKN Automotive & GKN Aerospace

Magna Interior/Grupo Antolin

IFA Rotorion

Spartanburg Steel

Nifco KTW America

Borg Warner

Specialty Vehicles and Equipment

John Deere

Caterpillar

Polaris Industries

Case New Holland

Kinze Manufacturing

Kubota

Eaton Corporation (Automotive and Electrical )

Cooper Industries

Circor Instrumentation Technologies

Otis Elevator

Weyerhaeuser

Evergreen Packaging

Specialty Manufacturers and Conglomerates

Automotive and Aerospace Components

Debbie Gaze has over 30 years of experience in marketing, sales and sales management in textile/apparel manufacturing. After stepping away from the business for several years to provide full-time care for her aging parents, she now runs back office operations and research for Level Five.

Don Gaze is the primary recruiter for Level Five. Don spent well over 25 years in the wood products manufacturing industry. Working in positions from Senior Manufacturing Engineer to Plant Manager and Director of Manufacturing for world-class companies like HON Industries, Steelcase Wood and Hill-Rom Company, Don gained significant experience in all facets of manufacturing management and engineering, with an emphasis on Lean Manufacturing.

You can contact us at 864.884.1449 or via email to don@level5careers.com