Herd Freed Hartz is proud to announce the completion of the executive search for a new Executive Director for the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties.

See full article in the Puget Sound Business Journal (March 2, 2018)

Former Weyerhaeuser VP is Master Builders’ first woman executive director

Kathleen (Kat) Sims was named executive director of the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties on Thursday. She is the first woman executive director in the association’s 109-year history.  

Herd Freed Hartz partnered with HomeStreet (NASDAQ: HMST) on their recent Board search.

See full article in Business Wire (published May 16, 2018): 

Herd Freed Hartz is proud to announce the new Executive Director for the Port of Seattle after a thorough nationwide retained executive search process and working closely with key stakeholders and the community.

Click here for the full article (March 9, 2018) – Herd Freed Hartz Executive Search Partners has recruited retired U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral Stephen P. Metruck as the new executive director of the Port of Seattle Commission.

The search involved outreach to community leaders and stakeholders, five employee forums and an innovative online survey.

Candidates from around the region and across the country were reviewed in the selection process. The port was seeking a committed public servant who was energized by the chance to lead the management of robust economic development initiatives, rapidly expanding operations at Sea-Tac International Airport as well as numerous real estate and maritime operations.

Mr. Metruck fit that bill. He brings 34 years of executive experience in maritime, security, and financial leadership to his new role. Most recently, he was commander of the Mid-Atlantic Region, overseeing 3,600 military and civilian personnel. Before that, he was responsible for the planning and execution of the $10 billion U.S. Coast Guard budget. He also served as commander of Sector Puget Sound from 2005 to 2008. In that role, Mr. Metruck oversaw the enforcement of complex national and international safety, security, and environmental laws. He also directed the creation of the nationally recognized Puget Sound Joint Harbor Operations Center, which brings numerous government jurisdictions and stakeholders under a unified command in the event of a natural disaster or other major incident.

Related: Herd Freed Hartz Finds New Leader for Pike Place Market

The Right Fit

“First and foremost, we sought a great public servant to lead our outstanding organization with transparency and strong values,” said Courtney Gregoire, vice president. “Admiral Metruck brings an exemplary record of service and achievement to the Port of Seattle. We are thrilled to have his experience and leadership at a time of great growth and change. The port is committed to expanding diversity and ensuring equality as we create new economic opportunities throughout the community.”

Commissioner Fred Felleman, who co-chaired the executive director search committee along with Ms. Gregoire, said Mr. Metruck was an ideal candidate. “I have firsthand experience with Admiral Metruck’s integrity, leadership and commitment to environmental stewardship in his capacity as commander of Sector Puget Sound,” he said. “I’m excited to welcome him aboard to take the helm at the port and I’m confident he will steer us on a course to an environmentally responsible and inclusive economy.”

In his new role, Mr. Metruck is accountable for leading the organization to meet its strategic, social, environmental, financial, and operational goals. Along with the commissioners, he will serve as a face of the organization to the public. He will oversee more than 1,900 employees with a total budget of over $849 million along with an anticipated capital spend of $2.7 billion over the next five years.

Related: Herd Freed Hartz Leading CEO Search for Northwest Harvest

Priorities for Mr. Metruck will include leading the organization as it modernizes and expands Sea-Tac International Airport to meet rapidly growing demand, overseeing major developments at Fishermen’s Terminal in support of the North Pacific Fishing Fleet, managing the port’s real estate assets to maximize economic opportunities for local communities and further developing a thriving cruise business that handles over one-million revenue passengers a year. The port is also expanding its leadership in environmental stewardship and workforce development.

Founded in 1911, the Port of Seattle Commission owns and operates Seattle-Tacoma International Airport; two cruise ship terminals; Fishermen’s Terminal, home of the North Pacific fishing fleet; one-grain terminal; a public cargo terminal; four public marinas; and manages a number of real estate assets for financial return and economic advantage. Its operations currently help create nearly 200,000 jobs and $7 billion in wages throughout the region.

Veteran Search Consultants

Herd Freed Hartz, established in 2001, provides executive search services to the technology, financial services, consumer, manufacturing, non-profit and life science sectors from offices in Portland, OR and Seattle. Its client roster consists of leading, cross-industry brands, including Starbucks, Microsoft, Les Schwab, Amazon, Gates Foundation, Disney; T-Mobile, Alaska Airlines and Premera.  Herd Freed Hartz also works extensively  with Seattle and Portland-based venture capital and private equity-backed concerns. The firm has placed operating executives within the portfolios of Voyager Capital, Madrona, Endeavour Capital, Kleiner Perkins, TPG and Bain Capital, among others.

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

Herd Freed Hartz is excited to announce Jaja Okigwe was named at CEO at First Choice Health after an extensive nationwide retained search to replace the retiring CEO. “It was a pleasure partnering with First Choice and the Board to support them throughout the process,” commented Scott Rabinowitz, Partner at Herd Freed Hartz.

Full Puget Sound Busines Journal article (May 15, 2018) – First Choice Health has hired Jaja Okigwe as CEO to replace Ken Hamm, who is retiring after 12 years running the Seattle-based benefits administrator.

Okigwe comes from Premera Blue Cross where he was the senior vice president of strategic development. He was hired to help the health benefits administration company through its next phase of growth.

“Okigwe was selected based on his history of helping major industry leaders outline and navigate a clear pathway toward customer care and profitable growth,” said Clyde Walker, First Choice Health’s chairman of the board of directors. “We are confident he will help us define a future vision that honors our past while implementing plans and actions to guide us on the next path in this ever-changing healthcare landscape.” 

First Choice has 200 employees and roughly $30 million in revenue. First Choice Health negotiates prices for services at doctor offices and hospitals, pays claims, administers ID cards, and handles customer service for its members, including the city of Kirkland and Skills Corp.

The company works with employers, health insurers, and providers of all sizes in the Northwestern U.S., including Washington, Oregon, Wyoming, and South Dakota, and partners with health systems such as MultiCare Health System, Connected Care, and the Puget Sound High-Value Network.

Okigwe graduated from Harvard in 1992 and received his MBA from HEC in Paris in 1997. He had been with Premera since 2004, where First Choice Health said he was instrumental in leading corporate strategic planning efforts across the organization, helping the company identify and support annual key initiatives and progress monitoring while overseeing the development of Premera’s innovation program and health innovation laboratory. 

Before joining Premera, Okigwe served as a manager for Deloitte Consulting and vice president of business development of McKesson Corp.

“After Premera, I wanted to work on initiatives that had a more direct impact on people’s health,” Okigwe said in a news release. “What attracted me to First Choice Health is the ability I have here to make larger-scale changes that can drive growth and serve our customers far into the future.”

Hamm joined First Choice Health in 2000 and became CEO in 2006. The company grew under his leadership, gained key partnerships, and increased its community stewardship and support, Walker said.

“We donated more than $500,000 in 2017 to organizations such as Childhaven, the Alliance for Education, and the WSMA Foundation for Health Care Improvement,” he said. “This is a testament to Ken’s belief in giving back to the community.” 

Last-update of the article: 06/22/2020.

Herd Freed Hartz is proud to have had the opportunity to partner with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation on their recent CFO nationwide executive search.  We love the work they are doing to improve lives and make a real difference in the world.

Press release (from July 5, 2018) — The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation today announced that Carolyn Ainslie has been named chief financial officer, effective October 1, 2018. Currently, Ainslie is Vice President for Finance and Treasurer at Princeton University where she serves as the chief financial officer, responsible for the central financial functions of the University.

“We are very pleased that Carolyn will join the foundation as our CFO,” said Sue Desmond-Hellmann, chief executive officer of the foundation. “Her leadership and deep experience well position Carolyn to help ensure the foundation’s endowment is invested wisely and boldly in service of the people who need it most.”

In her new position, Ainslie will lead the finance and accounting, financial planning and analysis, assurance and risk management, and program-related investment teams. This is both a strategic and operational leadership role responsible for maximizing impact across the foundation’s portfolio of programmatic investments in global health, global development, and education.

“I am honored to join the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and do my part to help people around the world have productive and healthy lives,” said Ainslie. “I am grateful for my years at Princeton and Cornell where I embraced the value of lifelong learning and the importance of serving others, and look forward to building on that with the foundation.”

Ainslie has served as Princeton University’s vice president and CFO for the last 10 years and before that, she was vice president for Planning and Budget at Cornell University until 2008. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Bucknell University and an MBA from the University of Rochester.

About the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, it focuses on improving people’s health and giving them the chance to lift themselves out of hunger and extreme poverty. In the United States, it seeks to ensure that all people—especially those with the fewest resources—have access to the opportunities they need to succeed in school and life. Based in Seattle, Washington, the foundation is led by CEO Sue Desmond-Hellmann and Co-chair William H. Gates Sr., under the direction of Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett.

Last update of the article: 06/05/2020.

Herd Freed Hartz announced today that it placed Nick Ridgeway as Vice President of Land Acquisitions at Isola Homes. The position is based in Seattle, Washington. Mr. Ridgeway was previously Principal at The Ridgeway Company in Seattle. The search was conducted by Scott Rabinowitz, Managing Director, and Karen Bertiger, Director, at Herd Freed Hartz.

ABOUT ISOLA HOMES

Isola Homes is a multi-generational Northwest builder dedicated to building homes that reflect the evolving needs of homeowners and communities in the Seattle area. By continually implementing innovative sustainable design and environmental stewardship in their construction techniques, Isola’s homes stand for their livability, quality construction, and energy efficiency. All of Isola’s properties include environmentally friendly features. Their commitment to design and craftsmanship results in a home that is not only beautifully designed but is built to last while reducing waste and pollution.

Isola Homes, one of the largest home builders in Seattle, was started in Washington and remains a Washington company. This local, family-owned company is dedicated to sustainable design, environmental stewardship, and making a valuable and enduring contribution to the communities in which they live and build. The Isola Homes CEO is Colt Boehme.

Jeff LePage, Executive Vice President of Isola Homes, says, “We are eager to see Nick join our team. We expect great things from him based on his extensive background in land acquisitions.”

Additional information about Isola Homes is available on the company’s web site: http://www.isolahomes.com

Currently serving as the CEO of the United Dairymen of Idaho (UDI), Karianne Fallow is an accomplished Government Relations and Public Affairs strategist with more than 15 years of experience promoting the interests of numerous well-known brands such as Walmart and Albertsons. Karianne lives with her husband, two children and yellow lab in Eagle, Idaho. They enjoy camping, hunting, fishing and any excuse to be outside.

UDI was established in 1980, with the mission to provide Idaho’s dairy farm families with resources to support a prosperous Idaho dairy industry. Through coordinated marketing and communications programs, nutrition counseling and research programs, UDI builds consumer confidence in dairy farming and dairy products, and encourages global demand for Idaho-produced dairy products. UDI accomplishes this mission through its three member organizations: Idaho Dairy Council, Idaho Dairy Products Commission and the Idaho Dairymen’s Association.

Idaho is the third-largest producer of milk in the United States, and dairy farm families work hard to ensure their cows are comfortable and healthy. Producing over 14 billion pounds of milk, all of Idaho’s dairy farms are family owned and operated.

1) IN YOUR ROLE, WHAT INSPIRES YOU?
I serve as the CEO of the United Dairymen of Idaho, where I am fortunate to lead an organization tasked with inspiring trust in dairy farming and dairy products and building demand for high-quality dairy products around the world. I am passionate in my work for Idaho’s dairy farm families because they believe in feeding the world with safe and nutritious food. That’s my WHY.

2) WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE TO OVERCOME?
Having joined the industry from the outside, a lot of people doubted my abilities. Establishing a strong vision, communicating regularly and clearly, and doing everything with the highest level of passion has allowed me to overcome the challenge and take our organization to new heights.

3) WHAT HAS BEEN THE PROUDEST MOMENT IN YOUR CAREER SO FAR?
I’m most proud of being able to say that I work for Idaho’s dairy farm families. To call out a single moment of pride, though, is tough. My team and I have done so much to turn our organization around, build shareholder confidence, tirelessly protect the dairy farmer interests and connect to our WHY that I’m proud of what we accomplish every day.

4) IF YOU WERE STARTING A COMPANY TOMORROW, WHAT WOULD BE ITS TOP THREE VALUES?
Innovation, Optimism and Legacy.

5) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE INTERVIEW QUESTION?
“What have you taught yourself in the last year?”It shows the kind of curiosity and passion that I like to have on my team.

6) WHO INSPIRES YOU AND WHY?
I find inspiration in so many people every day, I can’t choose just one. I will say that I’m inspired to succeed to show my kids how important the effort is.

7) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PIECE OF TECHNOLOGY OR APP RIGHT NOW?
My iPhone is my favorite technology. I love being connected all the time. And, I love that I can use it to show my kids the world (via internet, pictures, etc.).

8) FAVORITE GUILTY PLEASURE?
Replacing dinner with a bottle of wine and a cheese board. Often.

9) FAVORITE WAY TO SPEND FREE TIME IS….?
Running and anything outdoors- camping, fishing, biking, hiking, sitting in the sun, walking the dog. You get the picture.

10) CAUSE CLOSEST TO YOUR HEART?
I contribute and work with three causes, but I’m most committed to the Idaho Foodbank. It’s the year 2016, yet we still have adults and children who are going to bed hungry or not knowing where their next meal will come from. I sit on the Board of Directors and find every opportunity to work on initiatives with them. The cause is noble and the work is rewarding.

I also contribute to the American Heart Association (I know too many people dying from or struggling with heart disease.)

Finally, I contribute to Boise Public Radio/ NPR. I love the programming and want to keep it on the air.

11) IN CLOSING, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO ASPIRING LEADERS/CEOs?
Don’t take yourself too seriously. Get out of your comfort zone. Take risks. Be a leader worth trusting.