Our Team
Let Us Help Guide You On Your
Financial Services Career
Mike Torres
Founder
Courtney Rathke
Operations
Tim Shima
Sourcing and Database Management
Sara Bartlett
Recruiting
Some of Our Partners
Founder
Operations
Sourcing and Database Management
Recruiting
Mike, the founder and owner of MXT Associates LLC, began his career in financial services at Ameriprise Financial in 1999. Over a decade, he held various positions at their headquarters in Minneapolis, MN, gaining extensive knowledge in brokerage, insurance, clearing, and other areas. In 2010, Mike resigned and established his own recruiting firm, seeking greater flexibility in his schedule after becoming the guardian of his nephew.
In his personal life, Michael values spending quality time with family and friends. He particularly enjoys swimming, attending performances at the Guthrie Theatre, and watching the Minnesota Twins play baseball. Additionally, he dedicates much of his free time to playing tennis and leading several teams, as tennis is one of his greatest passions. During the summer, he organizes tennis tournaments at various venues throughout the Twin Cities.
Courtney became a part of MXT Associates in April 2024, bringing with her a wealth of experience in Operations Management across diverse sectors. She has crafted operational and compliance policies for a range of businesses, from startups to large online retailers, and has held the position of Compliance Officer at a National Bank in South Dakota. Courtney earned her degree in Education from the University of Minnesota.
Originally from Detroit, MI, Courtney grew up in the Twin Cities. She met her husband in St. Paul, MN, and together they have two adult sons and four grandchildren.
In her leisure time, she enjoys photography, crafting, and taking her grandchildren boating on the beautiful lakes of Minnesota and Wisconsin. For many years, Courtney has led her city’s youth and high school football booster program, often spending fall afternoons on the sidelines with her camera. Capturing moments for various sports websites and social media platforms is one of her greatest joys.
Tim joined MXT Associates in November 2022, bringing with him a diverse background in IT and Customer Support services. His career commenced as a Software Engineer, where he developed software solutions for manufacturing companies and retail businesses. Throughout his professional journey, he has collaborated with both small family-owned enterprises and Fortune 500 corporations.
At MXT, Tim dedicates much of his time to updating, maintaining, and managing the client databases, which enables the rest of the team to concentrate on developing and supporting our clients effectively.
Originally from the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, MN, Tim earned his bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from the University of Minnesota. He has traveled widely and met his wife while volunteering as a math teacher in Tanzania. Tim and Anna were married in Tanzania and now reside with their daughter, Anna’s son, and their two young grandchildren. Whenever possible, Tim enjoys exploring the beautiful outdoors of Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Sara became a member of MXT Associates in June 2024. She is the friendly voice our candidates hear through our outbound calling campaigns.
Alongside her experience as an oral history transcriber, legal administrative assistant, broadcaster, and technical writer, she is also an actor, historian, speaker, and book narrator. She earned her degrees in Theatre Arts and Speech Pathology from the University of Northern Iowa
Sara has authored multiple books focusing on women’s contributions to history. After several years in Virginia, she and her husband Terry moved to the Twin Cities. During her time in Virginia, she was a member of the Board of Directors for the Society for Women and the Civil War.