Furst Group Appoints Vice President
February 21, 2023 – Executive recruitment firm Furst Group, which serves the healthcare and insurance industries, has named Paul Esselman as vice president.
“We are excited and honored to welcome Paul Esselman to the Furst Group community of leaders,” the search firm said. “With more than 35 years of experience leading healthcare executive searches and providing client consultation focused on physician leaders and senior-level executives, he is a recognized industry thought leader passionate about helping boards and executive leadership teams expand their capabilities and create positive change inside their organizations and communities. Paul is an outstanding addition to the Furst Group team.”
Mr. Esselman is an accomplished talent advisor with more than 35 years of experience leading healthcare executive searches. He helps boards and executive leadership teams expand their capabilities. Mr. Esselman provides client consultation and search services focused on physician leaders and senior-level executives, including CEOs, CFOs, chief medical officers, chief innovation officers, and chief quality officers. He has worked with leading healthcare organizations—hospitals and health systems, academic institutions, physician group practices, and managed care.
Mr. Esselman has experience in healthcare management, talent strategy, and leadership development. He is a public speaker and thought leader cited across several media publications, including Becker’s Hospital Review, Modern Healthcare, and Physician Leaders. In addition, he is an active member of the American Medical Group Association (AMGA), the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), the American Association for Physician Leadership (AAPL), and the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA).
Related: Furst Group Recruits Chief People Officer for Medica
Before joining Furst Group, Mr. Esselman worked at Cejka Search for more than 15 years, his most recent position being president. He led teams in the biotechnology industry earlier in his career, where he championed sales, marketing, and initiatives focused on operational efficiencies and transformation.
Healthcare Recruiting
Furst Group, which is headquartered in Rockford, IL, partners with many of the premier healthcare organizations in the world, from providers and payers to life-science companies and private equity/venture capital firms. While Furst Group’s roots are in managed care, the firm continues to be one of the nation’s leading executive search partners to health systems, hospitals, academic medical centers, post-acute, and hospice and palliative care facilities. Its work with insurers stretches back to the HMO era, yet the firm also teams with life science, pharmaceutical, and medical device companies.
Furst Group Recruits Chief People Officer for Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago
Furst Group has assisted in the placement of Audrey Williams-Lee as chief people officer of Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. The hospital said it changed the title of this role from chief human resources officer to emphasize the importance of people in advancing its mission. “Audrey brings impressive experience leading a diverse, service-oriented workforce in major companies, such as the Hyatt Hotels Corp. and McDonald’s Corp.,” said Tom Shanley, president and CEO of Lurie Children’s Hospital. “We expect to benefit from her new perspectives, rich experience in human resources and deep commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion. We welcome her enthusiasm to help us successfully navigate the transformational changes facing Lurie Children’s as the healthcare industry moves into the future.”
Furst Group also has offices in Phoenix, AZ; Radnor, PA; San Francisco; Brentwood, TN; Chicago; Irving, TX; Minneapolis, MN; Seattle; St. Louis; and Washington, D.C.
Related: Furst Group Assists Medica in CTO Search
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
