Hartung Brings More than a Decade of Staffing Experience to the Newly Created Role
Spherion, a leading staffing and recruiting company, has named Afton Hartung vice president of sales. In this newly created role, she leads Spherion’s comprehensive sales strategy by collaborating with franchisees to drive new business opportunities.
Hartung’s career in general staffing began in 2010 with Randstad, Spherion’s parent company, where she gained hands-on recruiting experience. She quickly climbed the ladder to become vice president of market sales for the Midwest region. Following her time with Randstad, Hartung joined Spherion in 2022 as a learning and development manager, further broadening her staffing expertise. She then served as managing director at The Jonus Group, an insurance-focused employment agency, before returning to Spherion for this new role.
“I have always admired the grit and hustle of entrepreneurship, and I’m excited to expand on this experience as Spherion\’s vice president of sales. I look forward to working closely with the company’s network of independent business owners to help them achieve and exceed their business goals,” Hartung said.
Kathy George, president of Spherion, said welcoming Hartung back into the fold has been a privilege. “Her relentless drive and ambition distinguish her as an exceptional leader, and her expertise will be invaluable in guiding our franchisees and organization to new milestones. Afton’s leadership will undoubtedly strengthen our impact within the industry and our local communities,” George said.
Hartung said she believes Randstad’s support will help her and other members of the leadership team contribute to franchisees’ success. “Working with both brands has helped me get to know the business of staffing and recruiting as well as the business of franchising,” she said. “The collaboration between Randstad and Spherion allows us to combine our strengths and resources, ultimately benefiting the job seekers and businesses we serve and positively impacting the industry as a whole.”
A Dynamic Industry
Hartung said the staffing industry’s dynamic nature excites her. “For those entering the staffing industry, I advise embracing a growth mindset, being adaptable and building strong relationships. Success in this field comes from a genuine passion for helping others achieve their goals, resilience and a competitive spirit.”
Additionally, Hartung said she believes franchisors should motivate their franchisees to consistently prioritize sales and foster a culture of continuous selling. “By ensuring franchisees have the tools, knowledge and drive to excel, franchisors can significantly improve their sales efforts and achieve sustained growth.”
Reflecting on her tenure in the staffing industry, Hartung said she takes the most pride in seeing others succeed. “For me, success lies in seeing Spherion’s franchisees reach heights of profitability that exceed even their most ambitious aspirations. My favorite moments have been watching my team members achieve significant milestones, whether it’s winning awards for their hard work or buying their first home.”
Competitive by nature, Hartung was the captain of the women’s lacrosse team at Keuka College. Her competitive spirit has rubbed off on her three children, who play soccer, hockey and football.
