Recruiting software firm Taleo said Tuesday (March 20) that tech industry veteran Eric Herr has been elected chairman of its board. Herr, already a board member, assumed the chairman role from Louis Tetu, co-founder and former chief executive of Taleo. Tetu remains on the board.

Herr has more than 25 years of senior management experience in a variety of industries including software, media and finance, Taleo said. Herr most recently was president and COO of PC software company Autodesk, Taleo said. He also held the post of vice president of finance and planning, worldwide field organization at computer maker Sun Microsystems.

“Eric has been involved as a director of Taleo for four years and has a very distinguished record in public companies,” Tetu said in a statement. “His thoughts on business, governance and process as Taleo’s first independent chairman of the board will be paramount as we continue to grow and scale.”

Dublin, California-based Taleo makes software to help companies assess and acquire talent. It competes in the fast-growing talent management technology arena against rivals such as Vurv Technology and Kenexa. Taleo’s revenue grew 24 percent last year, to $97 million. The company recorded a net loss last year of $2.3 million, compared with a wider loss of $5.5 million for 2005.

In 2006, Taleo ranked second on Workforce Management’s Hot List of top applicant tracking system software providers with 421 companies using its Enterprise and Business Edition products. Recruitmax, which later changed its name to Vurv, ranked first with 845-plus customers.

—Ed Frauenheim