Waterstone Names New Managing Director
February 12, 2019 – Chicago-based executive search firm Waterstone, which recruits talent for high-growth companies and emerging industries, has named Amy Dordek as a managing director.
Ms. Dordek was previously chief revenue officer at GrowthPlay, a sales consulting firm, which was ranked No. 22 on the 2017 Inc. 500 list of fastest-growing private companies. A co-founder of the Driehaus private equity-backed company, she will remain on its advisory board.
GrowthPlay and Waterstone frequently collaborate. Waterstone has helped GrowthPlay clients fill key sales and leadership positions.
“At a time when talent is at a premium and unemployment rates are near-record lows, it’s critical to partner with industry experts,” said Shawn Primavera, a managing director and co-founder of Waterstone. “As an entrepreneur with more than 25 years of experience, Amy knows how to address our clients’ needs, especially when filing sales roles, in addition to helping us accelerate our growth.”
Deep Experience
Ms. Dordek is a “serial entrepreneur” and has been immersed in the Chicago start-up scene for more than 25 years, said Waterstone. With her husband, television news food reporter Steve Dolinsky, she is the co-founder of Pizza City USA, which gives weekend tours of Chicago’s pizza parlors.
She is also a mentor at 1871, a board member of the Chicago chapter of the International Women’s Forum, and an advisory board member for Sales Assembly, an association of sales executives. She is a past board president of Meals on Wheels Chicago.
“It’s rare that I go to an event in town where Amy doesn’t know someone, and I don’t think I’ve ever been to an event where someone doesn’t know at least one member of her family,” said Kimley Svendsen, a Waterstone managing director and co-founder. “We’ve recruited a partner who is trusted and beloved by so many, and trust is so critical in our business.”
Ms. Dordek said her career has been dedicated to helping people and companies grow. “And I’m especially passionate about recruiting women into innovative, fast-moving companies,” she said. “I’ll also be partnering with Kimley and Shawn to put Waterstone on an even faster growth trajectory.”
Emerging Industries, Including Cannabis
Waterstone, which recruits for clients worldwide, focuses on tough-to-fill roles in emerging industries, such as artificial intelligence and cannabis. Among Waterstone’s specialties: filling sales, marketing and engineering jobs in the high-tech, artificial intelligence and cannabisindustries. Since its founding in 2015, the firm’s revenues have more than doubled annually.
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Ms. Svendsenhelps clients build talent teams from director-level through C-Suite and across all functions. As a veteran of internal companies and leading services firms, she excels in diverse industries (CPG, software & technology, manufacturing, financial services, advertising, and healthcare) and companies ranging in size from startups to the Fortune 100. Mr. Primaveraserves diverse clients while thinking and acting as a trusted partner, sharing the disposition of colleagues and offering innovative tools and external perspective. His credibility as an advisor derives from experience in leading successful talent teams and participating in business discussions about the health and direction of firms he’s been a part of throughout his career.
Last fall, Waterstone launched a cannabis practice to meet the demands of this fast-growing sector. “This practice is important to us, because our personal and professional beliefs align with a mission toward cannabis advocacy, education and social justice,” said Ms. Svendsen. “We also have a passion for working within emerging markets, and regardless of industry experience, the cannabis space needs operational professionals who know how to build and/or contribute to the growth of the business.”
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
