Professional Reference Package

Ten leaders.
One verdict.

Below are the ten formal reference letters submitted on behalf of Larry Sherwood Jr. Every letter was written independently. No coordination, no coaching, no shared template. Every single one arrives at the same conclusion. Each writer has also offered to speak directly. Contact details are included on the original letterhead in the downloadable package.

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Reference Index
  1. 01Maria VillegasVP, People Operations
  2. 02Takeshi OshimaVP Marketing | Customer Engagement | Customer Service
  3. 03Jarret JohnsonVice President and General Counsel
  4. 04Kojiro UmemuraVP, Engineering
  5. 05Jonathan ChavarriaManager, Digital Customer Growth
  6. 06Shawn WagnerMarket Quality Manager
  7. 07Julia BurgeEHS and Facilities Operations Manager
  8. 08Eric VassermanSenior Manager of Information Technology
  9. 09Kureo YoshidaSenior Manager, Supply Chain
  10. 10Noah GalindoOperations Manager, Supply Chain
01
Maria Villegas
VP, People Operations
Sony Honda Mobility of America

To Whom It May Concern, I'm writing to offer my strongest recommendation for Larry Sherwood for senior talent acquisition leadership roles. I had the opportunity to work closely with Larry in my role as VP of People Operations at Sony Honda Mobility of America, where he served as our sole recruiter during a critical and highly complex phase of our U.S. launch. Larry joined SHMA through a referral, which feels appropriate given that his career is built on trust, consistency, and results that speak for themselves. From the beginning, he exceeded every expectation we had for the role. During the launch of the AFEELA next-generation electric vehicle platform, Larry built our entire recruiting function from the ground up. In 12 months, he delivered 48 strategic hires across engineering, technical, legal, marketing, and corporate functions. He maintained an average time-to-fill of 42 days across a very demanding portfolio and achieved a 98% offer acceptance rate across 49 offers. He also saved the company over $1.5M in agency fees by eliminating our reliance on external search firms and building strong direct sourcing pipelines that consistently deliver better outcomes. Beyond the numbers, Larry stood out for how he worked. He partnered directly with executives and hiring managers across all functions, brought real strategic thinking to every search, and consistently ensured a strong candidate experience even in a fast-moving, high-pressure environment. He was reliable, thoughtful, and fully owned his work from end to end. Although Larry worked primarily remotely, his impact was no different from someone embedded onsite every day. He came in during his first week to build relationships in person and returned periodically for key moments with the team. His performance and communication never wavered regardless of location. Larry's departure from SHMA is solely due to Honda's decision to wind down its North American EV program and the broader exit of our U.S. operations. It is in no way related to his performance or contribution. He leaves with our full respect and appreciation. I recommend Larry without hesitation for any senior talent acquisition leadership role. Any organization looking for someone who can build, scale, and elevate a recruiting function from the ground up would be fortunate to have him. Sincerely, Maria Villegas VP, People Operations Sony Honda Mobility of America Larry Sherwood | larry@larrysherwoodjr.com | (269) 277-1584 | linkedin.com/in/larrysherwoodjr | larrysherwoodjr.com Page 4

02
Takeshi Oshima
VP Marketing | Customer Engagement | Customer Service
Sony Honda Mobility of America

To Whom It May Concern, It is my pleasure to provide my strongest recommendation for Larry Sherwood. As Vice President of Marketing, Customer Engagement, and Customer Service at Sony Honda Mobility of America, I had the opportunity to work closely with Larry as he helped build one of the most important and diverse organizations within our company. What stands out most about Larry is that, working remotely throughout our partnership, he was exceptionally effective in understanding our needs with remarkable precision. He listened carefully, adapted quickly, and consistently delivered timely candidate screening that moved us efficiently toward hiring decisions. At no point did his remote working arrangement create any disadvantage. On the contrary, Larry demonstrated a high level of responsiveness, flexibility, and accuracy that made him feel like a true extension of our internal team. Larry's contribution was also especially impressive because of the breadth and complexity of the roles he supported. My organization covered a wide range of functions and seniority levels, from highly specialized positions such as an EV Service Technician Trainer to more versatile, customer-facing roles in Customer Engagement, as well as hourly showroom staff and salaried managers. Despite the diversity of these hiring needs, Larry consistently presented talent pools that closely matched what we were looking for. The scope of Larry's support across my department was extraordinary. He successfully recruited and placed talent across virtually every function within my organization, including Sales Specialists, an EV Service Technician Trainer, a Customer Engagement Business Partnership Manager, a Sales and Customer Engagement Specialist, a Retail Experience Specialist, a Customer Service Project Manager, a Service Operations Manager, a Marketing Program Specialist, a Parts Advisor Specialist, a Marketing Partnerships Specialist, an Experiential Marketing Specialist, multiple Customer Engagement Advisors, a Manager of Spare Parts Operations, a Customer Engagement Analyst, a Program Manager for Partnerships and Events, a Customer Service Operations Associate, and a Marketing Technology Specialist. Larry also personally recruited and placed my Executive Assistant. Just as important, many of the candidates we ultimately hired responded positively to Larry's energy and the way he represented the opportunity. He brought credibility, enthusiasm, and momentum to the recruiting process. In competitive hiring environments, that ability to keep strong candidates interested and moving forward is incredibly valuable, and Larry did it exceptionally well. If I were given the choice in the future between working with Larry remotely to build my next team or starting over with an onsite recruiter I did not know, I would choose Larry without hesitation. His track record, judgment, flexibility, and results speak for themselves. Sincerely, Takeshi Oshima VP Marketing | Customer Engagement | Customer Service Sony Honda Mobility of America Larry Sherwood | larry@larrysherwoodjr.com | (269) 277-1584 | linkedin.com/in/larrysherwoodjr | larrysherwoodjr.com Page 5

03
Jarret Johnson
Vice President and General Counsel
Sony Honda Mobility of America Inc.

To Whom It May Concern, I am pleased to provide a reference for Larry Sherwood based on my experience working with him at Sony Honda Mobility of America. As Vice President and General Counsel, I partnered closely with leadership across the organization during a critical growth phase that required building teams quickly while maintaining high standards around judgment, confidentiality, and organizational effectiveness. In that context, Larry proved to be a highly trusted and impactful recruiting partner. I worked directly with Larry on filling a Managing Counsel role that was critical to addressing specific capability and knowledge gaps within the legal team. This was a high-priority hire for the organization, requiring a precise balance of technical legal expertise, business acumen, and cultural alignment. Larry was instrumental in identifying and engaging candidates both locally and nationwide who could bring immediate and sustained value to the team. From a corporate perspective, Larry demonstrated strong judgment, attention to detail, and an understanding of how talent decisions affect risk, performance, and long-term organizational health. Larry consistently brought forward candidates who were well prepared, aligned with our mission, and ready to contribute immediately. The individuals he helped us hire were productive from day one and integrated seamlessly into a high-performing, collaborative culture. Throughout our work together, Larry operated with professionalism, discretion, and a high degree of ownership. He was reliable, responsive, and capable of managing complex searches without the need for close oversight. His approach inspired confidence at both the leadership and team level. If I were advising an organization on selecting a recruiting partner for critical roles, Larry would be someone I would recommend without hesitation. Sincerely, Jarret Johnson Vice President and General Counsel Sony Honda Mobility of America Inc. Larry Sherwood | larry@larrysherwoodjr.com | (269) 277-1584 | linkedin.com/in/larrysherwoodjr | larrysherwoodjr.com Page 6

04
Kojiro Umemura
VP, Engineering
Sony Honda Mobility of America

To Whom It May Concern, I am very pleased to recommend Larry Sherwood. Larry supported the hiring of five members for my engineering organization, and he did an outstanding job throughout the process. These roles were highly technical in nature, spanning advanced engineering disciplines including autonomous systems and ADAS, and they were extremely competitive in the market. We received hundreds of applications from highly qualified candidates across the United States, and Larry was consistently able to identify and prioritize individuals who best matched both the technical requirements and the performance bar we had set. He helped us hire highly capable team members and demonstrated a strong ability to evaluate complex engineering backgrounds. Larry consistently brought forward candidates who were not only technically strong, but also a great cultural fit for a fast-moving, high-expectations engineering team. Because our candidates were distributed across the United States, nearly all interviews and hiring activities were conducted remotely. Larry also worked remotely, and at no point did his location negatively impact the quality, speed, or effectiveness of his work. He was always responsive, efficient, and highly professional. What impressed me most was Larry's ability to quickly understand exactly what kind of engineers we needed in a very competitive autonomous and ADAS talent market, and then deliver strong candidates with remarkable speed and accuracy. If I were building another engineering team in the future, I would absolutely choose Larry working remotely over an onsite recruiter I did not know. His judgment, execution speed, and ability to identify top-tier technical talent are far more important than physical location. Unfortunately, due to company circumstances, we are now moving in different directions. However, if I have the opportunity to build another team in the future, Larry would be one of the first people I would want to work with again. Sincerely, Kojiro Umemura VP, Engineering Sony Honda Mobility of America Larry Sherwood | larry@larrysherwoodjr.com | (269) 277-1584 | linkedin.com/in/larrysherwoodjr | larrysherwoodjr.com Page 7

05
Jonathan Chavarria
Manager, Digital Customer Growth
Sony Honda Mobility of America Inc.

To Whom It May Concern, I am writing without hesitation to recommend Larry as one of the strongest recruiters I have had the privilege of working with in my career. I have worked with Larry across two separate organizations, Fisker and Sony Honda Mobility of America, where he built out my team on both occasions. The roles he filled were not easy. My teams sit at the intersection of automotive, marketing technology, and CRM, requiring candidates with a rare combination of capabilities. Larry delivered superstars both times. What also stands out is how Larry handles adversity. In a recent situation where a placed candidate was found to have misrepresented their background, Larry acted swiftly and navigated the process with complete professionalism alongside HR and legal. That composure and accountability is rare. On remote work: I have seen no degradation in quality, speed, or communication. Larry is among the most responsive professionals I have worked with. His energy and passion come through clearly in every call and meeting, and his genuine enthusiasm for both his role and the roles he recruits for moves the process forward. If I were given the choice between Larry working remotely to build my next team versus an onsite recruiter I did not know, I would choose Larry remotely every single time. Sincerely, Jonathan Chavarria Manager, Digital Customer Growth Sony Honda Mobility of America Inc. Larry Sherwood | larry@larrysherwoodjr.com | (269) 277-1584 | linkedin.com/in/larrysherwoodjr | larrysherwoodjr.com Page 8

06
Shawn Wagner
Market Quality Manager
Sony Honda Mobility of America

To Whom It May Concern, I am happy to provide a reference for Larry Sherwood based on my experience working with him at Sony Honda Mobility of America. By background, I am a long-tenured Honda associate and was assigned to Sony Honda Mobility of America with the responsibility of building out the Market Quality organization during a critical growth phase. This required hiring highly specialized talent capable of operating effectively in a new company environment while maintaining the rigor and standards expected of established automotive OEMs. Larry supported me in building several key roles on my team, successfully filling three highly specialized positions in approximately one month each. These included a Market Quality Engineer, IVI System Engineer, and Market Information Data Analyst. These were not standard or easily filled positions. The candidates Larry sourced and ultimately secured were coming from well-established automotive OEMs, many of whom held very stable, long-term roles with strong compensation and benefits typically only offered by large, long-standing manufacturers. One standout example was the IVI System Engineer role, which was critical to our organization. Larry quickly understood both the technical depth and business importance of the position. He screened candidates thoroughly, presented only high-quality profiles, and helped us secure a hire who was able to contribute immediately with minimal ramp-up time. That outcome is not common for roles of this complexity. Larry operated fully remotely throughout our engagement, and at no point did his location impact communication, speed, or results. This was the most effective recruiter partnership I have experienced. He maintained a consistent weekly cadence with video check-ins, arrived prepared with well-vetted candidates, and followed up proactively between meetings. Compared to previous experiences, including recruiters located onsite, his level of engagement, visibility, and accountability was significantly stronger. If given the choice between working with Larry remotely or an onsite recruiter without a proven track record, I would choose Larry without hesitation. Sincerely, Shawn Wagner Market Quality Manager Sony Honda Mobility of America Larry Sherwood | larry@larrysherwoodjr.com | (269) 277-1584 | linkedin.com/in/larrysherwoodjr | larrysherwoodjr.com Page 9

07
Julia Burge
EHS and Facilities Operations Manager
Sony Honda Mobility of America

To Whom It May Concern, I'm writing to provide a high-level reference for Larry Sherwood. Having partnered with Larry across two different companies to build out my Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) and Facilities Operations departments, I can speak firsthand to the caliber of his work and his effectiveness in a remote capacity. Larry is incredibly diligent and focused. He possesses a rare skill for identifying long-term value in candidates. In my experience, he doesn't just fill seats; he attracts top-tier talent and has a keen ability to hone in on the specific technical and cultural requirements that matter most for a growing organization. Regarding his work style, Larry's remote track record speaks for itself. Despite being offsite, his location never once impacted the speed or quality of his output. In fact, his ability to source and place high-caliber team members was seamless. He remains highly accessible and consistently delivers results that exceed expectations. To put it plainly: If I were given the choice between working with Larry remotely to build a mission-critical team or an unknown recruiter working onsite, I would choose Larry every single time. His proven ability to deliver quality at speed, regardless of where he is logging in from, makes him an invaluable asset. I couldn't recommend him more highly, and I would be honored to work with him again in a future role. Best regards, Julia Burge EHS and Facilities Operations Manager Sony Honda Mobility of America Larry Sherwood | larry@larrysherwoodjr.com | (269) 277-1584 | linkedin.com/in/larrysherwoodjr | larrysherwoodjr.com Page 10

08
Eric Vasserman
Senior Manager of Information Technology
Sony Honda Mobility of America

To Whom It May Concern, I had the opportunity to work closely with Larry Sherwood as he built and scaled the Information Technology team at SHMA, and the results spoke for themselves. He consistently delivered high-impact hires who not only met the technical requirements but elevated the overall caliber, culture, and performance of the organization. The candidates Larry sourced were thoughtful, well-vetted, and aligned with both our immediate needs and long-term goals, which significantly reduced hiring friction and ramp-up time. Working with Larry remotely was seamless. His communication was proactive and clear, timelines were consistently met, and his location never once impacted the speed, quality, or effectiveness of his work. In practice, it was indistinguishable from having him onsite. Several hires stand out for the immediate business impact they made, particularly in critical roles where speed and precision mattered most. Larry demonstrated a strong ability to understand the nuances of each role and the realities of the team, which showed the lasting success of those placements. If given the choice in the future between Larry working remotely to build my team or an onsite recruiter I did not already know, I would choose Larry without hesitation. Proven results, trust, and execution matter far more than physical proximity, and Larry delivers on all three. Sincerely, Eric Vasserman Senior Manager of Information Technology Sony Honda Mobility of America Larry Sherwood | larry@larrysherwoodjr.com | (269) 277-1584 | linkedin.com/in/larrysherwoodjr | larrysherwoodjr.com Page 11

09
Kureo Yoshida
Senior Manager, Supply Chain
Sony Honda Mobility of America

To Whom It May Concern, I am pleased to provide my strong recommendation for Larry. During our time working together, Larry played a critical role in rapidly scaling and building our team from the ground up. Within approximately one year, he successfully helped us hire around ten highly qualified professionals, each carefully selected to meet our specific organizational needs and growth objectives. He consistently delivered high-quality candidates who not only met the technical requirements but also aligned well with our culture and long-term goals. His ability to quickly understand our requirements and translate them into effective hiring outcomes was exceptional, particularly under tight timelines. What stands out most is that Larry achieved these results almost entirely in a remote capacity. Despite limited onsite presence, his responsiveness, communication, and execution speed were never compromised. In fact, his ability to operate independently and efficiently in a remote environment was a significant advantage. Several of the hires he supported were instrumental in strengthening our organization, and his contributions had a lasting impact on our team's foundation. If given the choice in the future between working with Larry remotely or an unknown onsite recruiter, I would choose Larry without hesitation. His proven track record, reliability, and ability to deliver results far outweigh any perceived benefit of physical presence. Sincerely, Kureo Yoshida Senior Manager, Supply Chain Sony Honda Mobility of America Larry Sherwood | larry@larrysherwoodjr.com | (269) 277-1584 | linkedin.com/in/larrysherwoodjr | larrysherwoodjr.com Page 12

10
Noah Galindo
Operations Manager, Supply Chain
Sony Honda Mobility of America Inc.

To Whom It May Concern, I had a very positive experience working with Larry and would strongly recommend him. He played an important role in helping us build out our team, consistently delivering strong candidates with speed and professionalism. The quality of talent he brought forward was high, and he did an excellent job understanding our needs and adjusting quickly as priorities evolved. He was responsive, proactive, and easy to work with throughout the process. Larry supported our team remotely, and at no point did his location negatively impact communication, urgency, or results. He was highly effective in a remote environment and operated as a true partner to the business. Given the choice, I would absolutely work with Larry remotely again over starting fresh with an unknown recruiter onsite. Trust, execution, and proven results matter, and Larry delivered on all three. Sincerely, Noah Galindo Operations Manager, Supply Chain Sony Honda Mobility of America Inc. Larry Sherwood | larry@larrysherwoodjr.com | (269) 277-1584 | linkedin.com/in/larrysherwoodjr | larrysherwoodjr.com Page 13

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