Corey Scott – CEO @ Midwest Dairy

Paul Freed on April 12, 2024

Our Herd Freed Hartz executive search team was honored to partner with Midwest Dairy, on a nationwide retained search to find their new Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

Midwest Dairy Association®, proudly represents over 4,000 dairy farms to 41 million consumers across the midwest region. They work on their behalf to build dairy demand by inspiring consumer confidence in their products and production practices. They bring dairy to life for a better world with exciting flavors, convenient products, memorable experiences and credible information.

Midwest Dairy Association® is funded by farmers across a 10-state region, including Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas and eastern Oklahoma. As part of the national dairy checkoff, they focus on dairy promotion, nutrition education and research and committed to health and wellness through different collaborative programs.

“Working with Fred Pabst of Herd Freed Hartz far exceeded my expectations. He was a true professional throughout the entire process. We had a strong talent pool to interview and select our next CEO from. I would highly recommend Fred to any organization going through an executive search.” (Charles Krause, Board Chair of Midwest Dairy)

“The hiring process for the CEO role of Midwest Dairy was well organized, dynamic and expedient thanks to Fred. He kept in regular communication and set expectations for the process very clearly and frequently.” (Corey Scott, New CEO of Midwest Dairy)

Learn more about Herd Freed Hartz’s:
Food & Agriculture executive search practice
CEO executive search practice

Darcy Engle – VP Sales @ First Choice Health

Paul Freed on April 12, 2024

In 2023, our executive search team was honored to partner with First Choice Health, on a nationwide search to find their new VP of Sales.

First Choice Health, headquartered in Seattle, WA, is a provider-owned healthcare organization offering employers a forward-thinking alternative to traditional health insurance. They have been serving employers of all sizes and across many industries with exceptional health benefits administration for over 35 years, providing unparalleled access to a growing number of clinically integrated networks (CIN) and a traditional PPO. Alongside their Employee Assistance Program (EAP) addressing mental health and work-life balance, their services collectively support members in every step of their healthcare journeys.

At First Choice Health, they are proud to deliver the personalized, quality service our clients deserve, while reducing costs and keeping their members healthy. Uniting providers, employers, and individuals, they deliver sustainable solutions that elevate the health and care of their communities.

Just over one million people use First Choice Health’s array of products and services in Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota and South Dakota. Their network helps to reduce costs while maintaining quality and convenience. Their Health Plan Administration offerings include custom networks, flexible plan designs, and medical management. Their EAP offers counseling and referral services to complement our health benefit-oriented services.

 

Learn more about Herd Freed Hartz’s:
Healthcare executive search practice | VP Sales executive search practice

How To Be A Talent Magnet

Paul Freed on April 12, 2024

Do your job descriptions attract talent like a magnet?  Do they make a busy, employed, in-demand candidate stop scrolling and lean toward your company over every other option in their inbox?

INSPIRING

Paul Freed on April 12, 2024

Talent wants to feel something before they’ll act. The first job of your job description is emotional, not informational — the “sizzle.” Make your mission, your momentum, and the reason people love working at your company vivid enough that a candidate leans in with their heart before their head starts weighing logistics.

DIFFERENT

Paul Freed on April 12, 2024

Once you’ve won the heart of a candidate, now it’s time to also earn the head. Proactively lay out the facts a serious candidate needs — the “steak.” What you sell, who you sell to, how you make money, how big you are, where you’re located, and who backs you. Answering these questions up front signals respect and saves everyone hours as you are proactively answering questions a candidate would have about you.

AUTHENTIC

Paul Freed on April 12, 2024

Sound like a human, not an HR filing. If you read your description aloud, is it what you’d actually say to someone over coffee? Authenticity — a conversational tone, real culture and values, links, and video — builds trust and makes the reader feel they already know you.

TITLE & ROLE OVERVIEW

Paul Freed on April 12, 2024

This is where the role-specific pitch begins. Use a title candidates would actually search for, then give a 2–3 sentence, plain-language summary of the job — the version you’d give someone standing in line for coffee. Then make the whole thing easy to skim.

KEY OUTCOMES

Paul Freed on April 12, 2024

Define the Top 3 outcomes that would make someone a hero in year one. Most descriptions list activities — being busy — when A-players want to know the mission: what success actually looks like and how it’s measured. Getting clear here sharpens your interviewing and your onboarding, too.

ROLE ACTIVITIES

Paul Freed on April 12, 2024

Now describe what the job actually looks like week to week — enough to answer the obvious questions and paint a realistic picture, not an exhaustive HR task list. Less is more, and every activity should tie back to the outcomes.

QUALIFICATIONS

Paul Freed on April 12, 2024

Screen with measurable criteria — and avoid the two failure modes: so few or so vague that “everyone qualifies,” or so many that no one can tell what actually matters. Separate “required” from “preferred,” and don’t pad the list with personality traits.