Kensington International Appoints Energy and Engineering & Construction Practice Co-Leader
February 4, 2021 – Oak Brook, IL-based executive search firm Kensington International Inc. has expanded with the addition of Andy Wolkstein as partner and co-leader for its energy and engineering and construction (E&C) practice. “Andy along with the rest of our second-generation leadership team will be instrumental in the growth and management of the firm,” said Brian Clarke, a founding member and managing partner of the firm. “I am absolutely thrilled to be partnering with Andy once again,” said Steve Goering, partner with Kensington. “His overall client experience and sector expertise will no doubt make an immediate impact on our firm.”
Mr. Wolkstein’s energy engagements include experience with renewables as well as traditional technologies. In addition to his energy and E&C efforts, He will play a key role in the continued growth of the firm’s diversified industrial and manufacturing practice. His clients complement those of Kensington and consist of multi-generational family businesses as well as public, private and private equity owned companies, and he has worked on numerous search engagements from senior leadership through board-level positions. Mr. Wolkstein most recently was a search consultant and executive vice president at Robinson Resource Group. Before that, he was a search consultant and one of the first team members within The Laramie Group, a wholly owned subsidiary of Kensington International, which has since been folded into Kensington. He started his career as a research associate and then principal with Kensington.
Serving Corporate and Private Equity Clients
Since 1989, Kensington International’s executive search business has conducted thousands of search engagements for corporate and private equity clients and their portfolio companies. The team has a track record of recruiting board of directors, CEOs, COOs, CFOs, CHROs as well as other top functional leaders in EPC/infrastructure, healthcare, retail, industrial/gas, oil and chemicals, private equity, financial services and consumer products.
Kensington recently named Steve Goering as partner and practice leader for financial services. He leads search assignment within asset management, wealth management, real estate and fintech. “We are excited to welcome Steve back to Kensington International and believe he and the rest of our second-generation leadership will be instrumental in growing the company well into the future,” said Rick George, a founding member and managing partner of the firm.
The COVID-19 Impact on Executive Search
Over the past two weeks, recruiting software provider Thrive also interviewed dozens of leaders, CEOs, founders and managing partners from top executive search firms. They candidly shared how COVID-19 and the resulting social and economic impact will affect the executive search sector. While many executive search leaders are optimistic that the crisis will be short lived, nearly all agree that the severity will be high.
“Search firms are hoping for the best, but preparing for the worst — redoing their planning and forecasts, reducing budgets, and revising cash flow plans,” said J. Reed Flesher, founder and president of Thrive.
Last year, Kensington appointed Mary Jane Schermer as an equity partner. “Mary Jane is exactly the kind of person we want as a partner alongside the rest of the partners as we position the firm for leadership succession – we could not be more pleased,” said Brian Clarke, a managing partner at Kensington. “Our firm has experienced a significant presence and success in supporting private equity clients with healthcare investments under Mary Jane’s leadership,” said Tim Bealert, equity partner with Kensington. “We are excited about the future and the impact of her continued contributions.”
Ms. Schermer joined the firm in 2012 and has been instrumental in the growth and advancement of Kensington’s private equity practice overall and specifically within the healthcare services sector.
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
