Good Karma Brands Selects Christopher Group for Head of HR Search
September 8, 2020 – Good Karma Brands has selected The Christopher Group to lead its search for a head of human resources. The assignment is being spearheaded by managing director Nathaniel Schiffer, recruiting director Jeff Wilbanks and senior operations manager Matthew Duda.
“The Christopher Group’s recruiting services division is proud to partner with Good Karma Brands, ESPN’s best-in-class local operator,” said Mr. Schiffer. “Being from Cleveland I have a deep connection with their station WKNR 850, and even now as a Florida resident I still tune in frequently to stay current on my Cleveland sports. We are deeply honored to have been selected by them as they look to further establish their human capital capability as they continue to grow organically and through acquisition.”
“Good Karma Brands also has a significant physical presence in both Milwaukee and Chicago,” Mr. Schiffer said. “These markets are in our backyard, and our network of, and access to, high performing HR talent in Chicago as well as across leading markets in the Midwest is unparalleled.” Good Karma Brands offers a truly exceptional culture, he added, “and that will prove to be an important point of differentiation when candidates consider their employment brand.”
The head of human resources will lead all aspects of HR including, but not limited to, recruitment, talent management, training & development, and compensation & benefits. The incoming leader will be expected to build a cohesive and collaborative work environment, partnering effectively with other senior leadership to develop and implement strategic initiatives aligned with the organization’s business plan. “This role will provide strategic and tactical leadership across the organization and will facilitate a culture that values integrity, service, commitment, teamwork, personal accountability, and celebration of individual and team success,” said the search firm.
Established in 1997, Good Karma Brands is a sports media and entertainment company with expertise in local sports marketing activation. In addition to 100.5 ESPN, radio assets include news radio WTMJ in Milwaukee, six ESPN affiliated radio stations, including ESPN 1000 AM in Chicago, WKNR 850 in Cleveland and 94.5 ESPN FM in Milwaukee, and two stations in Beaver Dam, WI. In partnership with ESPN, Good Karma Brands can also offer local marketing partners geo-targeted advertising on ESPN’s digital platforms.
Veteran HR Recruiters
Founded in 1998 by Tom and Paula Christopher (former HR executives with GE, Pepsi, Progressive Insurance and Citigroup), The Christopher Group is a leading boutique HR executive search and staffing solutions firms. It is a highly specialized organization, staffed by former HR professionals and highly trained search practitioners who use proprietary, scientific and industry-leading systems, tools and processes. Its client list includes some of the world’s most respected companies across all industries and verticals.
Mr. Schiffer has over 30 years of experience in human resources, corporate executive services and executive search. He has a keen understanding of business strategy and operations, organizational structure and talent acquisition/ assessment/ development. This combination of experiences enables him to play a pivotal role in partnering with senior executives at Fortune 500 firms, start-ups, PE backed as well as private and closely held companies.
He specializes in all levels of HR search but frequently leads the firm’s most senior-level searches including CHRO, VP and other levels. He has recently completed searches across multiple industries and HR verticals for organizations including Phillips 66, Lamb Weston, Parker Hannifin, Air Products, Altria, Sc Johnson, Cal State Fullerton and Acorn start-ups such as OYO Rooms.
Mr. Wilbanks joined The Christopher Group in 2013 and has a strong record of successful executive search experience across a multitude of industries. He focuses on our senior-level executive searches for the firm. Mr. Wilbanks has filled numerous roles for both domestic and global clients such as Stanley Black & Decker, Altria, CDW, Baylor Scott & White, US Foods and Comcast.
Christopher Group Seeks CHRO for American Hotel and Lodging Association
The Christopher Group has been retained by the American Hotel and Lodging Association to lead the organization’s CHRO search. Founder and CEO Thomas Christopher, recruiting manager Kristen Pace, and senior operations manager Matthew Duda are leading the assignment. “The Christopher Group is pleased and honored to launch our second chief human resources officer search for a leading national trade association,” said Mr. Christopher. “This is a very dynamic and exciting organization headquartered in Washington, D.C. whose members include 10 of the largest hotel chains in the world.”
Mr. Duda works from the firm’s Ohio office. His current responsibilities include creating recruiting marketing and research information, populating call planners, and maintaining quality assurance in all The Christopher Group processes and materials.
Recruiting During a Pandemic
With the global COVID-19 pandemic wreaking havoc on businesses around the globe, companies and their recruiters have been forced to find new ways to operate, said Mr. Christopher. “This global pandemic has really turned things upside down. There has been a definite slowdown in certain sector activity, while other sectors are charging forward,” with business. Some clients are using this as a great opportunity to conduct opportunistic hiring, he said. “They are going after the hard-to-recruit, high performance/ high potential talent who now may be more willing to listen.”
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
