JM Search Recruits CFO for Frontier Co-op
April 11, 2025 – JM Search, a senior-level talent provider serving private equity investors, portfolio companies, and Fortune 1000s, has placed Joshua Vogeler as the new CFO of Frontier Co-op, a wholesale supplier of organic herbs, spices, and related products. Phil Menzel and Matt Duncan led the assignment. “We look forward to seeing Josh and the Frontier Co-op’s team’s continued success.” JM Search said in a LinkedIn post. Mr. Vogeler brings over a decade of financial leadership experience to his new role. He joins Frontier Co-op from Krause Group where he served as the head of finance. Before that, Mr. Vogeler held the role of senior manager of retail accounting at Kum & Go. Their earlier experience includes over six years at HNI Corporation, where he served as controller, assistant controller, and cost accountant between 2014 and 2019. Mr. Vogeler began his career at Sears Holdings Corporation, as an inventory analyst and later senior inventory analyst.
Frontier Co-op specializes in natural and organic products. Our four brands – Frontier Co-op, Simply Organic, Plant Boss, and Aura Cacia – are found in mainstream retail and specialty stores throughout the United States and Canada.
JM Search is an advisor to CEOs, investors, and boards of directors in recruiting, assessing, and delivering high performance leaders and transformational leadership teams. Its clients include private equity firms and portfolio companies, venture capital-backed businesses, and publicly held companies across North America. Founded in 1980, the JM Search recruiting team brings together former operating and financial executives, investors and experienced search professionals with deep industry specialization, functional expertise, and proven access to talent spanning multiple industry sectors.
Mr. Menzel is a partner at JM Search and practice leader for the firm’s consumer practice. Since joining JM Search in 2015, he has been focused on recruiting executives across the food and beverage consumer industries. Based in Chicago, Mr. Menzel has built a growing and vibrant national practice with clients including large public, private and private equity owned food companies including: Rich Products, Reyes Holdings, US Foods, Pepsico, Shore Capital and Tilia Holdings.
Related: CFOs as Strategic Architects: Navigating Transformation in Financial Services
Mr. Duncan is a principal with JM Search and a member of the firm’s consumer practice. He specializes in placing executives and board members in the consumer-packaged goods, food & beverage, and retail industries. Mr. Duncan brings over 25 years of human resource and business leadership experience to JM Search. His experience leading public and private companies’ human resources and administrative functions allows him to relate to C-suite executives and board members looking to elevate talent in their organizations.
Today’s CFO
Today’s CFO serves as a strategic leader, guiding the organization in financial planning and risk management while aligning financial goals with overall business objectives. They leverage data analytics to drive informed decision-making, collaborate with other executives, and ensure transparency with stakeholders. However in recent years, the CFO role has shifted from being primarily focused on accounting and financial reporting to more strategic and operational, with influence over the business as a whole, according to Andrew Henry, a managing partner and co-leader of the healthcare & life sciences practice at JM Search.
“Modern CFOs are expected to be forward-looking and provide insights that drive business decisions, rather than simply reporting historical financial data,” he says. “The traditionally emphasized accounting or CPA qualifications are now balanced with skills in data analysis, forecasting, culture development, and leadership.”
Mr. Henry also notes that there is no one-size-fits-all CFO, especially in private equity-backed companies, where timelines to create value are short and intense, a CFO’s qualifications must fit the value creation plan, business model, industry, and existing leadership team. “However, there are a few common trends we’re seeing, which naturally include the ability to lead finance and accounting functions, but increasingly, CFOs must also be able to anticipate future challenges and see around corners, as well as understand the why behind the financial data and effectively communicate it across a broad set of constituents, including the CEO, board, investors, and internal departments,” he said.
The CEO and CFO pairing is arguably the most essential partnership within a company, according to Mr. Henry. He notes that powerful CEO and CFO duos have complimentary skill sets that allow both to operate autonomously, but still in alignment, as they focus on leading the organization and creating shareholder value. “This is especially true in private equity-backed companies where leadership teams are leaner and more collaborative. In these organizations, CFOs often play a broader role, with operational responsibilities that might have otherwise been under the scope of the COO, CAO, or general counsel in a larger organization,” Mr. Henry said. “Trust and working rapport between the CEO and CFO are vital, since moving at the pace of business requires them to make important decisions under timelines that may not allow for real-time collaboration. When it clicks, it clicks. This is why we often see newly appointed CEOs bring in a CFO they have worked with before.”
Mr. Henry also explains that experienced CFOs do transition into CEO roles, but as with any CEO transition, fit is critical for success. “A candidate’s strengths must map well to both the business’s value creation plan as well as its board and executive leadership team composition,” he says. “A CFO candidate will bring a strong financial understanding to the seat, as well as attention to detail, understanding of operations, business strategy, M&A, and team building, and experience managing relationships with the board and PE sponsors. To set the stage for this type of transition, CFOs will often take on titles such as CFO & COO and president and CFO. Ultimately, fit is the essential element for the transition to be effective, so matching the right individual with the right CEO opportunity will have the highest likelihood for success.”
Related: JM Search Assists LiiV in the Recruitment of New CFO
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
