Frederickson Partners Recruits Chief People Officer for Cupertino Electric 

July 26, 2021 – Global HR search firm Frederickson Partners has placed Estrella Parker as chief people officer at Cupertino Electric Inc. (CEI), a 67-year-old electrical engineering and construction company based in San Jose, CA. “Estrella brings to CEI the best of both worlds: a track-record of impressive business results and the ability to connect with employees in a way that drives performance and culture,” said Tom Schott, president and chief executive officer at CEI. “We can’t wait to see her broaden CEI’s employer brand to attract more people who are looking for a challenge by building – or supporting – first-of-their-kind projects across the U.S.”

Ms. Parker comes to CEI after spending more than two decades in executive management and HR leadership roles with companies experiencing high-growth, market diversification and geographic expansion. She joins the company from Satellite Healthcare, where she served as chief human resources officer (CHRO) for five years. During a 10-year stint at The Clorox Co., she served in various executive HR roles, including senior director of HR global business partnership and senior director HR global solutions and workforce services. Ms. Parker has also held management roles at companies like Kaiser Permanente, The Prudential Insurance Co., and Gemini Consulting Co.

2021 Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Recruiting Report:
Building a Balanced and Diverse Workforce

Hunt Scanlon Media’s latest market intelligence recruiting report – this time focused on Diversity, Equity & Inclusion – will be available later this fall! The nation’s top executive recruiters are resetting expectations and looking for new ways forward to build balanced and diverse workforce teams for their clients.

According to executive recruiters, DE&I should not just be a priority, but an integrated part of every company’s leadership goals. Some companies have even tied DE&I metrics to executive compensation. But it’s more than that.

Part of building strong, diverse hiring teams means asking yourself: “Who is my company culture going to attract – and how will it engage people who are here?” This question can be very difficult to answer if you assume everyone feels welcome already just because you do. Fostering diversity, equity and inclusion within organizations is more than just the right ethical decision. “It is one of the best business decisions a company can make,” said Keri Gavin, a partner with Hanold Associates and leader of the search firm’s Global Diversity, Equity & Inclusion practice. Hanold Associates is a proud sponsor of this year’s report. This report will help organizations prioritize DE&I as a business imperative that drives greater competitiveness, innovation and business results. Get it now! 

In her role with CEI, Ms. Parker will oversee all aspects of people and culture, including talent management, total rewards, employee relations and engagement, organizational development, leadership development, and diversity, equity, and inclusion.

“I am excited to join CEI during a remarkable period of expansion,” said Ms. Parker. “As the business grows, CEI continues to modernize its ‘people first’ focus in ways that address the needs of today’s workforce and dynamic business environment. I am delighted to join the CEI community and work alongside employees who have built a reputation based on innovation and integrity.”

Cupertino Electric Inc. is a private electrical engineering and construction that has been delivering power and possibilities to commercial clients for more than 65 years. Founded in 1954, CEI is one of the largest specialty contractors in the U.S. building commercial, energy and data center projects. The company designs, procures, constructs, installs, commissions, and maintains complex projects.

Veteran HR Consultants

Founded in 1995, Frederickson Partners has completed over 2,500 HR executive searches and HR consulting engagements, according to the firm, maintaining relationships with more than 10,000 rising and established HR executives worldwide. Specializing in the placement of chief human resources officers/ chief people officers and their teams for high-growth employers, the firm also provides HR strategy, consulting and thought leadership.

Based in Menlo Park, CA, the search firm is deeply rooted in the technology sector, with experience in biotech, clean energy, cloud and data storage, E-commerce, fintech, gaming, hardware, IoT, media, semiconductors, and telecommunications.

CEO and founder Valerie Frederickson has helped hundreds of companies during the past 20-plus years build and improve their human resources organizations. HR executives and C-level executives often seek her confidential guidance and counsel when reorganizing their HR functions. Ms. Frederickson has conducted confidential, replacement and upgrade searches of HR executives, and placed heads of HR at companies such as C3 IoT, GE, Genentech, Mozilla, Qualtrics, and hundreds more.

Related: Why Delaying Succession Plans in Times of Crisis Can be Risky

“Each board member, CEO and chief people officer has a unique vision and different requirements,” Ms. Frederickson said. “If you ask the same questions and look for the same pivot points with 20 clients, you can construct 20 unique sets of specifications, desires and cultural fits. There’s no better feeling than determining what HR solutions clients need and what kind of HR or people and culture executive will be the best for them now and in the long term.”

Frederickson Partners Recruits Head of People for ThoughtSpot 

Frederickson Partners recently recruited Pam Holmberg as head of people for ThoughtSpot, a leader in search and AI-driven analytics. “Throughout the course of the pandemic, our customers have relied on us more than ever to help them embrace the disruption and change transforming every industry,” said Sudheesh Nair, CEO of ThoughtSpot. “Our people are absolutely essential to making that possible. As we continue to navigate this new, asynchronous working environment, I’m thrilled to have a leader like Pam joining to support our employees as they do the most exciting work of their careers,” he said. “Maintaining ThoughtSpot’s culture of selfless excellence is a top priority as we scale, and Pam is the right leader to foster innovation, diversity and well-being in our team around the world.”

Frederickson Partners recently formed an expanded diversity and inclusion (D&I) recruiting practice. The service is led by chief of staff Ben Taylor, a five-year veteran of the firm, and Ms. Frederickson. The firm reports that in June it saw a threefold increase in companies requesting D&I searches. Fueled by Black Lives Matter protests in the U.S., many businesses are committing to creating a more equitable and diverse workplace and now plan to hire their first D&I leader, the firm said.

“With the Black Lives Matter movement, CEOs and boards now aim to improve diversity and inclusion in the workplace, to make right long-standing disparities in opportunity,” said Ms. Frederickson. “The movement has highlighted the critical importance of equal pay and promotion irrespective of race, gender and age. Experienced leaders who can fill a chief diversity office position are a small, highly sought-after pool of executives who have proven they can drive change within an organization and deliver results. We help leading employers find those in-demand leaders.”

Related: Skills Gap Points to Why We Need to Invest in People

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