CarterBaldwin Recruits VP HR for Coca-Cola Bottling Co.

January 8, 2016 – CarterBaldwin Executive Search has placed Jim Matte as vice president of human resources for the Coca-Cola Bottling Company Consolidated. Managing partner David Clapp led the search. Based in Charlotte, Coca-Cola Consolidated is the nation’s largest independent Coca-Cola bottler.

Mr. Matte has 25-plus years of experience in human resources leadership and labor law. At Coca-Cola Consolidated he will have responsibility for developing and executing a comprehensive people strategy and aligning operations around long-term business objectives as CCBCC continues its aggressive growth strategy.

“Jim is an outstanding and well-aligned HR leader and will be incredibly effective as Coca-Cola Consolidated’s most senior HR executive,” said Mr. Clapp. “Our client needed a strong business leader with great executive presence who also had deep technical HR capability.”

Mr. Matte was the former vice president for organizational capability at Coca-Cola Enterprises where he designed and implemented a human resources Center of Expertise encompassing talent acquisition, talent management, learning and development, and organizational development for both domestic operations and an international posting in Belgium. Prior to his experience in corporate human resources leadership, he was a partner and attorney at the Atlanta office of McGuireWoods LLP and a founding partner at Johnson Matte & Hobgood LLC.

“More and more we are seeing HR leader searches where the desired candidate is a business leader first and HR domain leader second. Transformational vs transactional; this is yet another example of the trend,” said Mr. Clapp.

CarterBaldwin leads searches for a wide range of companies, from non-profit to small, unique niche businesses to a $1 billion manufacturer. The firm’s recent work includes placing new presidents for Mardel Christian Stores, DiversiTech Corporation, WinShape Foundation, Pinnacle Promotions and Owens Group International. The firm has also placed CEOs with Rea Magnet Wire and Plymouth Tube.

Mr. Clapp leads an active client portfolio that ranges from Fortune 100 global brands to high-growth PE backed companies. His clients are predominantly focused in the distribution, technology, consumer products and professional services sectors. Among them: KPMG, ADP, Teradata, First Data, Duke University, Pepperdine University, New York Life, Fleet Pride, and Berkshire Hathaway.

Contributed by Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor, Hunt Scanlon Media