Quick Leonard Kieffer Adds New Managing Partners
April 13, 2018 – Executive search firm Quick Leonard Kieffer has expanded with the additions of Derek Castaneda, Mark Nelson and Stefan Werdegar as managing partners in Omaha, Minneapolis and Austin, respectively.
Mr. Castaneda brings 11 years of recruitment experience to his role, most recently serving as the healthcare practice leader for a global executive search firm in Omaha. His focus has been on the placement of administrators and senior executives in critical access hospitals, prospective payment system hospitals, academic medical centers, children’s hospitals, physician-owned multi-specialty groups, federally qualified health centers, accountable care organizations and healthcare consulting firms throughout the midwestern and western United States, with particular expertise in the functional areas of administration, operations, finance, revenue cycle, medical management, clinical management, quality and compliance, and technology. Prior to entering executive search, Mr. Castaneda served for five years in the 155th Civil Engineering Squadron of the Nebraska Air National Guard.
Mr. Nelson has a 30-year career in comprehensive staff development and executive recruitment over a broad range of clinical, financial, marketing, sales, product development and IT professional specialties in national health care payer and hospital markets. He most recently served as a managing partner with Blausen Medical Communications, a company that produces online and mobile health education content for population health strategies, patient engagement programs, employee training and care management initiatives. Earlier in his career, he spent 13 years with Allianz Life, the U.S. health care subsidiary of Allianz AG, managing its $100 million HMO reinsurance and hospital provider stop loss business. Mr. Nelson was also Allianz Life’s representative on the Health Insurance Association of America’s Managed Care Committee in Washington, D.C.
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Mr. Werdegar brings over six years of executive search experience to his role, having served in a variety of vice president-level positions within national healthcare consulting and search firms. He has led successful searches to place executives in healthcare systems, ambulatory medical groups and private equity- backed technology service/software providers. Previously, Mr. Coker was vice president of executive search and leadership development of Coker Group, a national healthcare advisory firm that works with hospitals and physician groups to develop customized solutions. Before that, he was a VP at Tyler & Company. Prior to his career in executive search, he spent more than 12 years in business development and client management positions within large technology and healthcare IT software companies.
Healthcare Recruiters
Quick Leonard Kieffer specializes in placing executive-level employees across the healthcare industry. The firm was established in 1999 by Roger Quick and Michael C. Kieffer. Although the healthcare sector is among the most rapidly growing employment fields, the firm said, the industry is in the midst of a turbulent transformation. This makes the need for proven and experienced boards and executive teams with vision and broadening skills more important than ever.
At the start of the year, Quick Leonard Kieffer named Steven M. Derks as its president and CEO. He took over from Roger Quick, who now serves as vice chair. “We are delighted to welcome Steve to our firm and are confident his leadership will help us build on what we have established at Quick Leonard Kieffer,” said Mike Kieffer, chairman, and Mr. Quick, in a joint statement. “Steve believes deeply in our values of doing great work for our clients, assembling a top notch team of professionals that can find talent and discern great fit and ongoing learning so we continue to add value for our clients and candidates.”
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Mr. Derks brings over 25 years of executive level leadership and experience to his new role. From 2012 to 2017, he served as president and CEO of the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA), the iconic voluntary health association known for its Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon and summer camps for kids.
Just recently, Quick Leonard Kieffer also promoted Courtney Lada as managing partner. As the senior-most role within the firm, she will be responsible for business development, strategic planning, project management, and team member training and advancement. During her tenure, Ms. Lada has closed more than 100 C-level searches, with particular expertise in the not-for-profit sector.
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor; and Andrew W. Mitchell, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
