Heller Search Expands to Fill High Demand for IT Leaders

June 23, 2017 – Technology-focused executive recruiting firm Heller Search Associates Inc., has expanded with the addition of Kelly Doyle as managing director. The search and subsequent selection of Ms. Doyle was managed by Rochelle Schumer of R&L Associates.

With over 20 years of industry experience in executive search and talent acquisition for technology executives, Ms. Doyle joins Heller Search from global technology company Nuance Communications. She worked there for 10 years, hiring executives and teams across multiple divisions, as well as corporate functions. She was part of the talent acquisition team that helped Nuance scale from $200 million to $2 billion in revenue.

“The credibility Heller Search has built among IT professionals through its thought leadership and publications is unique in the industry,” said Ms. Doyle. “It gives the firm access to a deeper, higher quality candidate pool, resulting in superior talent for our clients. I am thrilled to be joining such an innovative company.”

Finding IT Leaders

“Because digital technology now informs, or even defines, business strategy, CEOs realize that they need IT leaders who can do far more than deliver their projects on time and on budget,” said CEO Martha Heller, speaking of the firm’s expansion. “They need top notch technologists with superior business acumen who can help lead the company’s digital transformation. As a result, more organizations are interested to work with an IT recruiting specialist like Heller Search when looking for these critical, scarce resources.”

Heller Search specializes in chief information officers (CIO), chief information security officers and other senior level technology executives in all sectors. Its clients include Fortune 500 as well as mid-market companies, higher education, non-profits, small businesses and high tech startups. In recent months, the firm has placed CIOs and VP-level IT executives at Warner Music Group, Visteon, Talbots, Intuit and Stanley Black & Decker.

To meet the growing demand for IT recruiting services, Heller Search also announced that Brittany Jeeves recently joined the firm as associate recruiter. She comes to the firm from Rocket Software, an infrastructure software company, where she was recruiting coordinator.

CIO Recruiting

The chief information officer is considered one of the most strategic roles within any organization. Executive search consultants who specialize in recruiting them say that the best CIOs can dramatically differentiate a company’s offering in the market, while a poorly performing one can be the single point of failure within an organization. But there’s a problem: These same recruiters report that headhunting within the function remains hugely challenging – with a majority reporting that it is ‘somewhat” or “very challenging” to find skilled, C-suite IT professionals.

In addition, CIO hiring and recruiting information technology teams are both on the rise. Nearly a quarter (22 percent) of U.S. CIOs plan to expand their IT teams, according to the Robert Half Technology “IT Hiring Forecast Trend Report.” It represents a three point rise from the beginning of last year and an eight percentage point jump from one year ago.

“Organizations are getting the go-ahead on more technology projects, prompting them to make strategic hires,” said John Reed, senior executive director of Robert Half Technology. “However, technology leaders continue to struggle to find highly skilled talent in a market with low unemployment. They seek IT professionals with specialized skills, especially in the areas of cloud computing, data analytics, mobile strategies and cybersecurity.”

“The CIO is enjoying unprecedented influence, and the role is being stretched in many directions,” said Albert Ellis, Harvey Nash Group CEO. “From grappling with an increasing cyber security threat, to working with the board on innovation and digital transformation, CIOs in 2016 are dealing with a more varied range of challenges than ever before, many of which are far, far away from traditional IT. Adaptability, influencing skills and an ability to keep a clear head in uncertain times are becoming increasingly important business skills for today’s CIO.”

In recent months, a number of organizations have turned to executive search firms to find CIOs. Here’s a few of the top assignments tracked by Hunt Scanlon Media:

TillmanCarlson recruited Scott Cousins as CIO of Roadrunner Transportation Systems. Founder Rob Tillman and managing director Kelly Carlson led the assignment. Mr. Cousins is in charge of all information technology solutions and services at Roadrunner. Previously, he was CIO of KeHE Distributors.

Next Generation Executive Search has been retained by West Virginia University to lead its search for a CIO and associate provost for information technology. Managing partners Mary Beth Baker and Phil Goldstein are leading the assignment. The school said it is seeking an inspiring leader for the position who will provide a strong vision for its information technology services.

Quick Leonard Kieffer recruited Matthew Peddie as CIO of Brookhaven Memorial Hospital Medical Center in Suffolk County, NY. Founder and CEO Roger Quick led the search. Mr. Peddie is a customer-facing, business-savvy, strategic-minded executive that brings to the position experience leading technology operations in a large, integrated health system.

DES Recruitment placed Ida Wainschel Cools as CIO of Eurasia Group. She becomes the first woman to hold the position as the organization continues to innovate and expand service offerings around geopolitical risk research and consulting. John Hodge, DES managing partner, led the assignment.

KPMG Executive Search & Selection was recently retained by the University of Adelaide to lead its search for a CIO. Associate director Kelly Kuras is leading the search. The incoming CIO, according to the organization, will take the university to the next level of excellence in its IT environment and service provision. The executive sought must have a deep understanding of trends in the IT industry.

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