“Jim was recommended by two colleagues—a CFO and one of my contacts at DVIRC. While we had never used an Executive Search firm for a sales position, Jim did not disappoint. Not only did Jim set us on the correct path for a good fit, he also found more than one great candidate from which we could choose.”
See how Fred Rodgers, President of Jowitt and Rodgers Co., was able to focus back on the business and fill a key sales role pivotal to the future of the company.
Fred Rodgers has been with the firm for 40 years. Recently two of his partners retired, one of them being the VP of Sales for over 25 years, so his shoes would be difficult to fill. The firm did its initial search internally and then hired someone from outside of the firm yet known within their industry. Unfortunately, that individual ended up not being a good match at all. Fred comments, “I couldn’t afford to make a hiring mistake again, so I had to find the right person—one who fit in with our future plans, so I reached out to Jim Geier, President and Founder of HCC Partners.”
Jim was quick to point out that the previous person didn’t work out because they came from a large corporation where resources were plentiful and rolling up your sleeves was not an everyday occurrence. With approximately 50 employees, Jowitt and Rodgers needed an experienced, hands-on leader who was excited about developing their department and growing with the company.
Fred comments, “It’s very difficult to find people with the right skills and experience. While we used Executive Search in the past for some of our financial professionals, this hire was different—and more difficult. On Jim’s first visit to Jowitt and Rodgers, he took the time to understand the company and its objectives, and also toured our facility. Then he came back to talk about the position, what failed the first time, what the company needed, and how best to move forward. He rewrote the previous job description and started working on finding good candidates. Jim first interviewed the applicants to cull down the list to deliver only those candidates who could be a good fit.” Fred ultimately selected someone without an exact match in terms of the industry, but who did have experience in a related industry—plus, most importantly, the desire and skills to develop Jowitt and Rodgers’ sales department.
Fred continues, “Our sales team is getting older, so we have several retirements coming up. We needed a sales leader who could re-build his own team and stay with us for the long-term. Our new Director is turning out to be the aggressive, self-confident individual we were seeking. It was difficult to make the final decision, but Jim helped us tremendously through the entire process.”
The HCC Difference
“I was most impressed with Jim’s quick analysis of our current situation and what we needed, as well as the knowledge regarding what didn’t work out last time. On his first visit, he just wanted to meet us, take a tour and understand our company—from now on, we wouldn’t use anyone else for our future needs.”
Fred Rodgers, President, Jowitt and Rodgers Co.
Results
Ability to Grow and Develop the Next Generation Sales Team
Alignment with the Company’s Succession Plan
Confidence in the Future for the Company
About Jowitt and Rodgers
Jowitt and Rodgers Co. is a privately-held abrasive manufacturing company based in Philadelphia, PA. Founded in 1951, the company meets the needs of selected niches within global abrasive markets. Its products are used in the production of automotive parts, bearings, cutlery, hand tools, forestry products, and a wide variety of other items for customers in North America, Europe, Asia, Central America and South America.
Isn’t it time you find—and hire—the next leaders for your company? Jim Geier has the experience, network, and process to transition your company and give you peace of mind. Contact us at 215.244.8110 or jim.geier@hccpartners.com