BarkerGilmore Recruits Chief Compliance Officer for ChristianaCare
October 10, 2023 – Boutique search firm BarkerGilmore, which specializes in building corporate legal and compliance teams, has recruited Gregory Ehardt as the new senior vice president and chief compliance officer of ChristianaCare. The assignment was led by partner Brittney McDonough and managing director Katie Gilmore.
“Greg’s emotional intelligence is off the charts,” said Ms. Gilmore. “ChristianaCare’s leadership team and board were immediately blown away by his charisma, leadership skills, and passion for the mission of the organization. During our thorough reference check process, Greg was described by prior CEOs as a creative problem solver with the company’s best interests at heart. His transparent leadership approach, judicious use of resources, and compliance subject matter expertise will bring significant value to ChristianaCare employees and patients alike.”
Mr. Ehardt previously served as the senior vice president and chief compliance officer of Steward Health Care, the country’s largest private healthcare network. He has been described as a collaborative and transparent leader who flourishes when given the opportunity to help and make a long-lasting impact.
“Greg distinguished himself among a group of highly competitive finalists,” said Ms. McDonough. “Following his last round of interviews, the client revealed that there was unanimous and enthusiastic support across all stakeholders to extend an offer to Greg.”
ChristianaCare is a network of private, non-profit hospitals providing services across Delaware and portions of seven counties bordering the state in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and New Jersey. ChristianaCare includes an extensive network of primary care and outpatient services.
Legal Recruiting Professionals
BarkerGilmore is a boutique firm specializing in executive search and selection in law and compliance. With a network of advisors and recruiters spanning the U.S., BarkerGilmore consistently places talent at leading consumer, energy, financial, healthcare, industrial, and technology companies.
John Gilmore, co-founder and managing partner, has over 30 years of executive search experience. He has developed trusted relationships with general counsel and C-suite leaders across the country. With a profound institutional understanding of how in-house legal and compliance departments function most effectively, Mr. Gilmore has earned a reputation as one of the top executive search consultants for general counsel and chief compliance officer placements.
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Bob Barker is co-founder, managing partner, and chair of the industrial practice at BarkerGilmore. He brings over three decades of executive search and international business experience to his clients. Mr. Barker has successfully managed general counsel and chief compliance officer engagements for mid-sized to Fortune 500 companies, including consumer, energy, financial, healthcare and life sciences, industrial, non-profit, technology, and private equity industries. Clients rely on Mr. Barker for advice and counseling both during and after the engagement.
Inside the High Demand for General Counsel Leaders
The legal and compliance market is booming. The number of in-house lawyers and law firm partners with aspirations of becoming a general counsel is at an all-time high. Unfortunately, landing the position is a challenge. Every search has specific criteria established by the executive leadership team and board which must be met. Some of the criteria could include specific industry experience or business knowledge, a background in public company securities and governance, as well as expertise in regulatory, compliance, litigation, M&A, employment/labor law, intellectual property, government relations, leadership, career track record, law firm training, law school ranking, and the list goes on, according to Robert Barker, co-founder and managing partner of BarkerGilmore, which specializes in building corporate legal and compliance teams.
“Keep in mind cultural fit and soft skills which cannot be found on the resume are equally important,” he said. “And diversity can play a major factor in the CEO and board’s final decision. Most are using the general counsel position as a means of adding diversity to the executive leadership team,” he added. The demand for excellence is understandable as the general counsel plays such a critical role. One wrong answer or move during the interview process can lead to immediate disqualification. “Even after an offer is made, any red flag demonstrating a lack of judgment or ethics discovered during the background investigation will lead to a retraction,” said Mr. Barker.
Ms. McDonough is partner and chair of the healthcare and life sciences practice at BarkerGilmore. She partners with executive leadership on a national platform and focuses on identifying and delivering top legal and compliance talent across a wide range of organizations, including service providers, insurers, senior living, health IT, medical devices, and pharmaceutical companies. Some of Ms. McDonough’s recent engagements include the general counsel for a growing research and development company, the corporate compliance officer of a health and nutrition organization, the general counsel of a public healthcare technology company, and the general counsel for a large healthcare system.
Ms. Gilmore has a background in talent acquisition and knowledge of the healthcare industry. Throughout her career, she has placed executives in key leadership positions, including general counsel, chief compliance officers, and their strategic reports. Her expertise lies in identifying and attracting executive talent across various disciplines, including pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical devices, health systems, and healthcare services.
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Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; and Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
