At Tandym, we know that success is a team sport, and every month, we take a moment to recognize one standout player who goes above and beyond. Our Teammate of the Month isn’t just someone who gets the job done; they embody our values, uplift those around them, and make a lasting impact. Get to know Andrew Lahn, a Vice President on our Sales team and Tandym’s Teammate of the Month for June 2025!

Who are you?

I was born and raised in Smithtown, Long Island, to two dedicated schoolteachers. My mom was a Kindergarten teacher, and my dad was a 4th grade and reading teacher. Despite growing up in a household centered around education, I struggled academically, especially compared to my four high-achieving siblings. I was the first (and the only) in the Lahn family to bring home a “C.” I was also the only one in my family to score a sub-1,000 on my SATs. My parents truly thought I was accidentally switched at birth.

I met my wife in high school. We dated during my senior year/her junior year. I was her date to her Sweet 16 and we even went to the Senior Prom together. This October, we will celebrate our 32-year wedding anniversary. We literally and figuratively grew up together! I put myself through college (ultimately graduating from NYIT) by selling cars from the ages of 18 to 20. I learned how to sell and made some crazy money along the way. After college, my wife and I lived in New York City for nine years before moving to Fairfield and Weston, CT, where we raised our two sons (Brennen and Cade). In 2019, we relocated to Charleston, SC, and fell in love with the Lowcountry lifestyle. We also have Aspen, our 5-year-old English Cream Golden Retriever, who is my best friend (but don’t tell my wife).

I’m a passionate sports fan: die-hard Knicks and loyal follower of Gamecock and SMU Mustang football. At the core, I’m someone who values family, resilience, and real connection aka the things that truly matter in life.

Who were your heroes/role models growing up?

I know it might sound cliché, but without a doubt, my dad was (and still is!) my greatest role model. From an early age, he instilled in me a deep sense of respect and compassion for others. One of the things he used to say that has always stuck with me was, “Treat the custodian with the same level of respect as you would the superintendent of schools.”

That principle is ingrained in me, and in turn, I instilled it in my sons. I am not humble and at times can be way too vocal and brash, but I do approach every interaction with a deep level of respect and admiration. Relationships are my currency!

Another foundational value he gave me was the belief that “our family is our fort.” That meant supporting one another unconditionally, protecting each other, and sticking together, no matter what. Life comes with many highs and lows, and his message was clear in that we go through it all together as a family!

Thanks to that upbringing, I’m grateful to say I have incredibly strong relationships with my siblings, parents, and my entire extended family. That bond, that sense of unity, was instilled in me from a very young age, and it continues to be one of the most important pillars of my life. Family first!

Do you have any hidden talents?

No. I honestly really don’t. I can’t sing, dance, or play an instrument. I’m not going to win any beauty pageants anytime soon. But you know what? If there were an award for someone who could eat a wing or rib bone clean, I’m your guy! No grizzle, no meat, no tendon left behind- nothing. I’m your guy.

What’s the best sporting event you’ve ever attended?

I’d have to say New York Knicks vs Houston Rockets, Game 5 of the 1993-94 NBA Championship. There is no place better in the world than to be at Madison Square Garden during a Knicks playoff game. The foundation literally shakes and rocks. MSG is my “happy place!” Although we ended up going back to Houston and choking games 6 and 7 away and losing the championship, for that moment at that game 5, I was on cloud 9.

That was the pinnacle of my sports fandom right there. When they eventually lost Game 7, I was watching at home in my apartment and I picked up my Timberland boot (Yes, Lahn wore Tims) and I threw it at the TV and it cracked. We did not have 85” 5K Flat screens back then. It was a big bulky 36” TV that cracked. My wife was not too pleased.

How did you get into staffing?

My journey into staffing started with a call from a recruiter named Judi Russo. At the time, I was five years out of college and working in copier sales, doing quite well financially. She reached out and said, “I have a client (Jeff Sardis) in this thing called ‘computer consulting space’. He’s a young owner, sharp guy. You should meet him.”

So, I took the meeting in April of 1995. We hit it off immediately. After going through multiple interviews, he offered me the job on the spot. However, the compensation was going to be a draw. Given that I was earning solid commission selling copiers, I ultimately turned it down. Fast forward to October 1995, the same owner called me back. He said, “I think you made a mistake not taking the job. I really want you on my team.” He invited me and my wife to dinner at his favorite spot, Grammercy Tavern, and said, “You’re not leaving that restaurant without saying yes.”

That night, over dinner, I accepted the offer and started in November 1995. Looking back, it was the best professional decision that I ever made. Staffing has been great to me and my family and I feel so blessed to still be a part of it.

Did you find Tandym, or did we find you?

Tandym found us! The former owner of AETEA was looking into getting out of staffing and wanted to sell the business. When he came to me for advice, I knew just what to do: I reached out to Bob Keegan and Dave Muller.
Bob and I go way back! Bob was hired before me at Spectrum/AETEA a few years earlier. But interestingly, I ended up replacing Bob in NY when he was promoted to run our New Jersey and Philadelphia offices.

As for Dave, I was the one who hired him in 1997 or 1998. At the time, our company had a unique but very effective hiring philosophy: every candidate was interviewed by every team member, and we’d each give a thumbs up, thumbs down or a thumb sideways. In full transparency, when it came to Dave, I gave a thumbs up — with a caveat. I told our owner, “Dave is the smartest person that I have ever interviewed for a staffing position… I’m just not sure if he’s not too smart for this business.” To this day, I still believe that.

We were fortunate to have Pat O’Hagan join Spectrum/AETEA a couple of years later. There’s a personal connection there, too: Pat’s older brother, Jim O’Hagan, was my mentor and taught me this business. I am indebted to Jim!

So to tie it all together, I reached out to Bob, Bob talked to Dave, and I met with Chris Moulton, and I believe within a few days, we had a structure in place for a transaction. Gunjan (my “rockstar” colleague/friend) and I joined the Tandym Team on June 22, 2023 and we absolutely love being a part of this big blended family!

Can you find good NYC-quality food in Charleston?

Great question! I’ve wasted a lot of money, time, and calories looking for food that comes close to what the Tri-State Area has to offer. The pizza has gotten much better, but it’s still nothing like NYC or New Haven. There’s a guy from Long Island who moved down here and opened a bagel shop, so we have solid bagels now. Charleston has a great food scene, but nothing will ever be what it’s like up in the Northeast. That’s why I order a lot of stuff on Gold Belly. I get the goods I’m craving delivered right to my door.

Side story: for over 20 years, my family and I have been doing this pizza tour where we choose a borough, pick a bunch of places, and rent a bus to take us to each spot. We have shirts and hoodies with our slogan- “Lahn Pizza Tour- Live to eat, eat to Live.” This was way before Dave Portnoy and “one bite every one knows the rules.” And, let me tell you, it’s the best time. We order the pies in advance, so all we do is pick them up, and we sit on the bus, drinking wine, and rating the pies from everything to taste to presentation. We did New Haven recently, which is an absolute must. What can I say, I love pizza!

How has the world of staffing evolved since your first few years on the job?

Great question. The staffing industry has undergone dramatic changes since I first entered the business in 1995. Back then, competition was primarily local, and we were typically up against firms in the same region or city. Today, the landscape and competition are global.

Back then, staffing was so much easier- there were no vendor management systems (VMS), and no managed service providers (MSPs). Most importantly, we had direct access to hiring managers, which made the hiring process more personal, strategic, and effective.

That direct connection is still critical to success in staffing today. Hiring is one of the most difficult challenges in any industry, and without a direct dialogue with the person making the hiring decision, the chances of a successful placement decrease significantly. Despite all the technological advances and industry shifts over the past 30+ years, one thing hasn’t changed: relationships still trump everything.

What’s your go-to karaoke song?

I would have to say Journey’s ‘Don’t Stop Believin’ is my go-to. For many reasons, too. First, it’s about hope and perseverance; secondly, it’s multigenerational; and lastly and most importantly, people love that song, and magically the crowd gets so pumped, and they sing so loud that they drown out my horrific voice!

What was it like to hear you won ‘Teammate of the Month’?

I was speechless. Truly- completely shocked. I’m going to be completely candid with you, this company has the highest concentration of talent that I have ever been a part of in 30 years in staffing. There are so many smart, dedicated, and hardworking professionals that I never even fathomed the thought that I’d be considered for the award. The fact that the honor and recognition came directly from the support of my team is truly the most humbling part. I’ll cherish this forever.

If you had to road trip with 3 people from the company across the country to sell to one client, who would it be and why?

I love this question. I’ve got to think about this strategically because you want to get there safely, nail the sale, but also have a good time along the way. I’m going to recruit Jordan King first. Since she works in our legal department, I’m sure she’s very organized and will be able to map out the best, rule-abiding (and safest!) game plan. Next up would have to be Brian Bula. I consider Brian to be one of my best buds at the company. He’s smart, a great salesperson, an excellent conversationalist, and easy on the eyes if we need to charm anyone. And last, but not least, would be you (Eddie Rivera). You’ll bring the fun, excitement, and creativity to make sure the mission is accomplished and done so in good spirits. Plus, I’m pretty sure we’re all foodies, so the stops along the way would be epic! What’s our budget???

What are your goals for 2025?

One of the main priorities is to continue developing and reinforcing effective work habits. In a market that remains challenging, consistency in our day-to-day actions becomes the foundation for long-term success. The habits we build in 2025 will position us to fully capitalize on what we anticipate being a much stronger and more cooperative market in 2026. It’s about discipline now, so we can win big later.

Another critical goal is to achieve our 2025 target metrics. We want to be able to look back at the year and say we delivered, regardless of market conditions. I want every member of Bravo Pod to realize both their professional and personal goals. This business is tougher than ever, but by staying focused, holding ourselves accountable, and supporting each other, we can emerge stronger both individually and as a team.

If you invented a famous dance move called “The Lahn” and it went viral, what would it be?

I can’t even answer this. I’m a terrible, terrible dancer. But if I have to think of something, I’m going to go back to my main love: food- specifically, chicken wings. It could be some sort of chicken dance shimmy after you eat a wing. I’m sure I’ve naturally done without even noticing because of how giddy I get when I eat some wings. So that can be “The Lahn” – a wiggly chicken wing dance.