Big Ten Conference Retains Hanold Associates to Find Chief People & Culture Officer

September 25, 2020 – Chicago-based Hanold Associates HR & Diversity Executive Search has been enlisted to recruit a chief people and culture officer for the Big Ten Conference. The firm also recently placed the chief talent officer for Ford Motor Co.

“Kevin Warren (commissioner of the Big Ten) is a true leader in that he is so authentic, humble and willing to be vulnerable and caring,” said Jason Hanold, CEO and co-managing partner of the search firm. “Because of his life’s journey, he lives appreciating every day, and operates in a spirit of gratitude for all of those around.”

“We are partnering with Kevin and the Big Ten Conference to identify his trusted advisor and the organization’s key leader who will build enduring organizational capability and infrastructure as it elevates its operational potential,” Mr. Hanold said. The chief people and culture officer will have responsibility for diversity and inclusion as well as all facets of HR for the Big Ten Conference.

Big Ten’s chief people and culture officer will oversee all aspects of the people function and human capital aspects of the organization. The individual will report directly to the commissioner partnering on all people and culture strategies and shaping the broader organization.

Hanold Associates said that the 125-year-old sporting institution must become more sophisticated, agile and efficient as it evolves, and this key leadership role will have a profound impact on the cornerstone goals of the Big Ten: empowering athletes, winning the hearts of fans, creating a stable financial position and building relationships with Big Ten Conference constituents. The business operations of the Big Ten are headquartered in Rosemont, IL. The organization has about 60 employees, with a five-person office in New York City.

Mr. Hanold, Lisa Butkus and Mayank Parikh are leading the Chicago-based search. The Big Ten wants candidates with 10 or more years of progressive human resources experience, the search firm said. The football conference is looking for executives with a growth-mindset and natural builder of people and organizations, comfortable with change and trying new things to improve upon the status quo and embraces ambiguity. They should be able to identify challenges and then proactively address with solutions.

The Big Ten is a national leader in intercollegiate athletics, on and off the field. The conference has a history of more than 125 years, starting in 1895 when leaders from universities developed an organized set of principles for the regulation of intercollegiate athletics. Today, the Big Ten comprises 14 member schools across two divisions, as well as two associate members. These schools compete in up to 28 official conference sports, 14 each for men and women. Big Ten programs have combined to win more than 450 team and 1,800 individual national championships.

Recruiting Ford’s Chief Talent Officer

Hanold Associates recently placed Christopher Yates as chief talent officer for Ford Motor Co. Keri Gavin and Ashley Schiele led the search for this Detroit-area based role.

“Ford is going through a massive transformation and Chris Yates will be instrumental in creating a talent agenda that matches Ford’s ambitious goals,” said Ms. Gavin. “Chris’ distinctive leadership capabilities will have an immediate impact on the entire organization as he positions Ford to succeed in a time of profound change and disruption.”

Mr.  Yates comes to Ford from Microsoft Corporation where he was general manager – global learning and development. Prior to that he was chief learning officer, director people and organizational development for Caterpillar Inc. At Ford, Mr. Yates will be responsible for driving the company’s enterprise-wide talent development vision, strategy and programs by bringing a global perspective and embracing diversity of thought and experience.

“Chris is a phenomenal leader and an outstanding person,” said Ms. Gavin. “He will be an incredible thought partner to Ford’s executive team. Chris is a visionary and he will be a transformative addition to their leadership as he drives Ford’s efforts to grow, engage, and inspire their workforce.”

Related: Hanold Associates Tapped by TB12 to Recruit New Board Directors

Ford is headquartered in Dearborn, MI, not far from where Henry Ford founded the company in 1903. The company has 55 plants around the world, primarily in North America and Europe. The organization’s total headcount is about 190,000, mainly in the automotive segment in North America.

Trusted Recruiters

Hanold Associates is a boutique executive search firm focused on HR and diversity & inclusion officers. Its client list is diverse across industries, geographies and business scenarios, and culture is at the core of everything the firm does. Its clients include the National Football League, Domino’s Pizza, Under Armour, Patagonia, Gucci, Kohler, REI, Live Nation Entertainment, Major League Baseball, Kellogg, Apollo, Blackstone, TPG, L Catterton, Northwestern University, Electronic Arts, Fiat-Chrysler, Kohler, SC Johnson, eBay, Great Place To Work, Fossil, Vail Resorts, Edward Jones, AbbVie, Carnival Corp., Google, Biogen, Allstate, Bridgestone, Wikimedia, CNA Insurance, Cummins, Tyson, ClubCorp, CDW, Nike and Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, among others.

Hanold Associates Recruits Chief People and Culture Officer for Major League Baseball

With the addition of this new role, professional baseball continues to up its game. Connectivity and the interplay between diversity & inclusion and HR is designed to help MLB deliver a more holistic talent strategy and perspective. Let’s go inside the search.

Ms. Gavin focuses on all functional areas of HR and diversity and inclusion. Prior to joining Hanold Associates, she was director of host relations and consulting for Ragan Communications. Before Ragan, Ms. Gavin was a television anchor and reporter in Des Moines, IA.

Mr. Parikh is a partner with Hanold Associates. He focuses on recruiting world-class HR leadership talent to organizations undergoing significant transformations.

Ms. Butkus is a partner. She specializes in recruiting executive level HR leaders across industries, and with a core focus on fashion, luxury brands, retail merchandise and the broader consumer industry.

Ms. Schiele, a partner with Hanold Associates, uses her advanced degree in organizational psychology to leverage both organizational dynamics and skill assessment in order to identify and recruit key talent. Ms. Schiele has experience recruiting across industries and functions including, but not limited to, manufacturing, supply chain, engineering, IT, sales and marketing.

Related: Hanold Associates Launches Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Practice

Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor  – Hunt Scanlon Media