The Forum provides an opportunity for AESC member consultants from small, boutique, and network firms to discuss what's currently happening in the search and leadership consulting industry and how business is changing to meet new demands. This year's forum will be chaired by Jose J. Ruiz, Chief Executive Officer of Alder Koten, and the format will emphasize best practice exchange and more time for facilitated roundtable discussions on market conditions; firm management and tools; and client relationships and execution.
If you have any questions, please email Jephenie Ramos at jramos@aesc.org.
Jose J. Ruiz
Chief Executive Officer, Alder Koten
Jose Ruiz serves as Alder Koten’s Chief Executive Officer providing vision, strategic direction and the roadmap for the firm’s future.
He is also involved in executive search work focused on board members, CEOs and senior-level executives; and consulting engagements related to leadership and organizational effectiveness helping clients create thriving cultures.
An important part of his time is also spent on research work focused on organizational effectiveness centered on leadership and culture.
Prior to joining Alder Koten, Jose was a Principal with Heidrick & Struggles’ Global Industrial Practice based in Houston, TX and Monterrey, Mexico.
His professional experience also includes leadership positions in engineering and operations management for manufacturing organizations in the US and Mexico. This experience includes serving as vice president and general manager at Holley Performance Products.
Jose is a bi-weekly contributor at Forbes.com.mx writing about executive leadership and career development.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical and electrical engineering from the Instituto Technologico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey. He is fluent in English and Spanish.
Tony Bolliger
CareerSmith, Chief Operating Officer
Eileen Finn
Eileen Finn & Associates, President
Chad Oakley
Charles Aris, Inc., President & Chief Operating Officer
Patrick Prout
Diversified Search, Managing Director
Tony joined CareerSMITH, Inc. in 2003 after having spent 10 years in the environmental and construction industries. Prior to joining CareerSMITH, he was employed as a Senior Project Manager for a billion-dollar environmental engineering and remediation firm headquartered in Northern California. Projects included managing large-scale remediation programs for the Department of Defense, environmental consulting, technical assistance with hazardous waste management, and management of solid waste construction projects for commercial and government clients.
Tony is the Chief Operating Officer of CareerSMITH. He provides oversight and leadership throughout the entire recruiting and search process including directing research, candidate identification and development, and interviewing, appraising, and presenting qualified candidates. He is intimately involved in the interview process of prospective candidates and in integrating the successful candidate into the client organization. This results in the highest quality candidates for the specific search. Having established a respected reputation, Tony is a frequent speaker about talent and staffing trends and issues at industry forums and executive conferences.
Tony earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from Villanova University in Pennsylvania.
Eileen Finn & Associates was founded in 1998, specializing in the placement of top human resource and corporate office executives globally in multiple industry sectors and in all functions under the Human Resources umbrella.
Eileen brings more than twenty five years of business experience to her practice including twenty years in executive search and top talent identification. Prior to forming her firm, Eileen was President and Managing Director of the MVP Group (a firm specializing in the financial services industry) and Director of Human Resources at Coopers & Lybrand (PWC) for their Actuarial, Benefits and Compensation Consulting (ABC) practice in New York. At Coopers & Lybrand, Eileen provided expertise in all HR matters with particular focus on working with the 26 North American Practice offices in talent development and acquisition.
Eileen graduated from Fordham University's Graduate School of Business with an MBA and received her BA from Rosemont College.
Eileen plays an active role within the industry, serving on Boards and Advisory Committees on Best Practices and Program Development. She is currently on the Board of the International Association of Corporate & Professional Recruitment, a member of the Association of Executive Search Consultants and a member of World At Work. In addition, she serves as Vice President on the Parent Board of Bucknell University, and previously on the Parent Board of the University of Pennsylvania.
Charles Aris Inc. president and chief operating officer Chad Oakley also serves as the company’s primary practice leader for Strategy & Business Development with an industry focus on Consumer Packaged Goods, Industrial Manufacturing and Financial Services.
Prior to joining Charles Aris, Chad worked as a consultant and case team leader in the Boston practice of Bain & Company. At Bain, he focused on solving strategic challenges for clients in a number of industries including software, telecommunications, optical networking, manufacturing and financial services.
Before his time with Bain, Chad earned an MBA degree from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. During business school, Chad spent a summer at Nabisco as a summer associate for the Oreo Cookie portfolio. Prior to business school, Chad served as a business analyst in the Philadelphia practice of Deloitte Consulting, where he focused on industries such as healthcare and pharmaceuticals in addition to oil and gas.
Chad also holds a bachelor’s degree in business management from North Carolina State University.
Chad met his wife, Mindy, at Wharton and together they have three wonderful children. He enjoys playing golf and the occasional trek up to Boston for a night of baseball at Fenway Park.
Patrick Prout is Managing Director with responsibility for the Financial Services practice of Diversified Search. He is also a member of the industrial/manufacturing and corporate board practices.
Prior to joining Diversified Search, he had launched his own executive search organization, The Prout Group, with responsibility for developing and managing the strategic direction and the daily operations of the firm, as well as providing leadership for the firm’s financial services practice. Additionally, he conducted senior level search assignments in the industrial/ manufacturing, non-profit, corporate board and corporate infrastructure practices.
Pat also served as a partner in the Cleveland office of Heidrick & Struggles. He was a member of that firm’s financial services, diversity, chief financial officer and industrial practices. He also conducted successful searches for clients in the insurance, manufacturing, telecommunications, entertainment and sports fields.
Previously Pat was president and chief operating officer, then vice chairman of Bank One, Cleveland, NA, a $2.5 billion assets affiliate of Banc One Corporation. His career in financial services also included positions with Bank of America in Los Angeles, Rainier Bank in Seattle and Chase Manhattan Bank in New York City. He also held sales and marketing positions with IBM and Miller Brewing Company.
Military Service
Commission in the U.S. Marine Corps and rose to the rank of Captain. Served two tours of duty in Vietnam and was awarded the Bronze Star medal with combat “v”.
Boards/Activities
Serving as a charter member of the board of Ideastream, a member of the Americas Council of the Association of Executive Search Consultants (AESC), the National Society of Hispanic MBAs (NSHMBA), the Executive Leadership Council (ELC), as well as an Advisory Board member of the Women in the Boardroom. Previously served on several non-profit and privately-held small company boards.
Education
B.S. Engineering, U.S. Naval Academy, M.B.A. Harvard University Graduate School of Business
Association of Executive Search and Leadership Consultants | Contact Us | Privacy Policy | Terms and Conditions | Copyright © 2023