About US

KEES is a woman-owned and operated executive search firm that builds transformative teams and leaders in the nonprofit sector.

KEES (Kistner Eddy Executive Services) was founded in 2013 as an expansion of Alford Executive Search, which began in 2000 as a part of The Alford Group. KEES co-founder Heather Eddy was a key leader at The Alford Group and Alford Executive Search from 1996-2013 and now serves as President and CEO of KEES.

Heather Eddy and co-founder Remo Kistner established KEES to expand the firm’s services beyond just Executive Search, thereby supporting nonprofits more effectively in various capacities. Today, KEES is a national boutique firm that offers leadership development, interim staffing, and human resources support in addition to executive search services.

KEES has partnered with hundreds of clients across the country, and we pride ourselves on our personal touch and the above-average tenures of our candidate placements. We strive to foster multi-level partnerships, and over half of our clients choose to partner with us again. KEES specifically tailors our services to meet each organization’s individual needs, creating efficiencies and moving missions forward.

Nonprofits provide critical services that strengthen society and bolster community. To do so, they require strong leadership teams and a solid infrastructure. KEES is dedicated to ensuring that missions are fulfilled, visions are achieved, and our clients are able to do what they do best…go out and change the world.

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Our long-tenured staff has served as board members, CEOs, Development Directors, HR executives, and more. We recognize and understand the many challenges facing nonprofits today. KEES brings a wealth of nonprofit consulting expertise to each project we tackle, drawing on past experience, learned knowledge, and a practical, applicable skill set. Click on any team member’s name to the right to access their full bio.

Solutions And Expertise

We offer several areas of service – including Executive Search, Specialty and Interim Staffing, HR Consulting, Leadership Development and much more – that are designed to strengthen the people and processes that shape an organization.

Solutions
  • Assessment
  • Board Services
  • Culture Shaping
  • Diversity & Inclusion
  • Executive Coaching
  • Executive Search
  • Interim
  • Leadership Consulting
  • Leadership Develop.
  • Onboarding
  • Succession Planning
  • Temporary Staffing
Industries
  • Associations
  • Colleges/Universities
  • Cultural Arts
  • Education
  • Faith Based
  • Family Offices
  • Foundations
  • Government
  • Healthcare Services
  • K-12
Functions
  • Board/Governance
  • CEO/President
  • Data/Analytics
  • Development
  • Human Resources

News Briefings

Americans Continue to File for Unemployment as Economic Uncertainty and Hiring Hesitancy Persist

The Labor Department reported this morning that 837,000 more Americans filed new claims for state unemployment benefits last week. Economists polled by Dow Jones expected first-time claims to come in at 850,000, down slightly from the 860,000 claims reported for the previous week. The latest figures portend an unstable and volatile job market. The Labor Department changed

KEES Retained by United Methodist Communities to Find VP of Philanthropy 

Executive search and non-profit consulting firm KEES (Kistner Eddy Executive Services) has been retained by Neptune, NJ-based United Methodist Communities (UMC) to help find a new vice president of philanthropy. The assignment is being led by Heather Eddy, president and CEO. UMC, a senior living and healthcare organization, is seeking a senior-level philanthropic professional to complement and grow its development

KEES Recruits CEO for Covenant Community Care

Executive search and non-profit consulting firm KEES (Kistner Eddy Executive Services) has placed Joslyn Pettway as the new chief executive officer of Covenant Community Care in Detroit. President and CEO Heather Eddy and project manager Octavia Daniels led the assignment for the search firm.  “It was a pleasure to meet Joslyn from Day One,” said Ms. Eddy. “Her passion

10 Penetrating Questions to Ask Your Search Firm

How do you size up an executive search firm’s true capabilities? In the age of COVID-19 it is an important consideration. To get you started, Odgers Berndtson has offered up 10 questions to help judge if you have the right recruiter on your side or if it’s time to start a search of your own.

Press Releases

DuPagePads Announces April Redzic as the Agency’s next President and CEO

(July 22, 2020) The DuPagePads’ Board of Directors is pleased to introduce April Redzic as the next President and CEO of DuPagePads. Dedicated to ending homelessness in DuPage County for 35 years, DuPagePads welcomes Redzic starting July 27th following the retirement of former President and CEO Carol Simler, after 23 years of service and leadership.

AJC Chicago has selected Sarah van Loon as its next Director, Advancement & Engagement

June 29, 2020 – AJC Chicago, a regional office of the leading Jewish advocacy organization AJC Global, has selected Sarah van Loon as its next Director, Advancement & Engagement. Sarah van Loon is a passionate, mission-driven development professional and former Associate Director for AJC Chicago, where she grew her skills in fundraising and development in

KEES in the News: “Philanthropy steps up to help as crisis hits nonprofits hard”

BY Jane C. Simons, MiBiz (article excerpt below) “The announcement last month that five of the most influential U.S. charitable foundations would be substantially increasing their giving levels was met with gratitude by philanthropic leaders in Southwest Michigan. According to Heather Eddy, President and CEO of KEES, which offers a broad range of services to the nonprofit

Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago’s next Vice President for Advancement is Sandra Nelson

KEES Executive Search client partner Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago (LSTC) announces Sandra Nelson as its next Vice President for Advancement. Ms. Nelson started in the role on June 15, 2020. Sandra Nelson is a highly qualified and successful advancement professional who has been working in faith-based, healthcare, and higher education philanthropic areas since 1990. Sandra comes to