Spano Pratt Recruits Executive Director for Professional Dimensions

October 6, 2015 – Spano Pratt Executive Search has placed Mary Bridges as executive director of Professional Dimensions, a Milwaukee-area professional women’s organization. Deborah Fugenschuh, a longtime Milwaukee non-profit leader, previously led the organization.

Executive recruiter Jamie Pratt led the search assignment. Ms. Pratt, a firm co-founder, has cultivated and overseen the non-profit search practice of Spano Pratt for the past 10 years. She is a subject matter expert in developing search strategies, particularly in the non-profit sector.

Ms. Bridges previously spent eight years as senior vice president of marketing and communications for the Milwaukee Public Museum. She also led a private marketing, public relations, and community relations business, the Bridges Group, for 17 years, and worked as marketing director for Milwaukee World Festival, Inc.

“Mary will bring leadership and creativity to our programs and a deep sense of commitment to broadening Professional Dimensions’ impact in the community,” said board president Sandra Cunningham. “She has a breath of perspective and experience.”

Professional Dimensions gives women opportunities for personal and professional development as it connects them across the business community. The organization’s membership has about 400 members, including chief executive officers, vice presidents, directors and managers.

Spano Pratt consultants have a number of non-profit searches underway this fall, including finding a new executive director for Luther Manor Foundation; a senior director of marketing for Children’s Hospital Wisconsin; and an executive director for the New England Water Works Association.

The economic strength of the non-profit sector has increased substantially in recent years and the sector is now the third largest employer in the U.S. Nearly two million non-profit organizations employ 10.7 million people and produce revenue in excess of $1.9 trillion.

Yet hiring the right people can be problematic within the industry. According to the ‘Nonprofit HR’s Employment Practices Survey,’ 33 percent of respondents reported that finding the right talent remains the biggest staffing challenge they face.

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