Kimley Svendsen, Founder, CEO, Drive Talent
Kimley is the CEO and Founder of Drive Talent, a Chicago-based recruiting firm which focuses on national searches for clients within Cannabis and Private Equity, among others. She builds teams from director-level through the C-Suite, and while an internal veteran of legacy companies and leading services firms, she has excelled in diverse and disruptive industries. Her experience includes leading college recruiting for CNA and heading up recruiting for Capital H Group and GATX. She had a front seat to the financial crisis while at Citadel, and spent four years working with Consumer and Financial Services Practice Partners within Korn Ferry. This prepared her to found Waterstone, which she and her Partner led successfully for over 4 years, before founding Drive Talent earlier this year. She has provided high touch search and outplacement services to diverse industries with a niche focus on cannabis, a space in which she has specialized for over 3 years.
By working arm in arm with the C-Suite, Kimley has learned the direct correlation between talent, fit, and the survival of an organization. She attributes her longevity to strong relationships and her role as a truly consultative decision-making partner. Her curiosity for how people relate and make decisions earned her success in recruiting and outplacement, and is bolstered by her master’s in Psychology from Northwestern University.
Kimley sits on the NCIA HR Committee, was a sponsor of The Arcview Group, a member of Illinois Women in Cannabis, and currently a member of the Montana High Tech Business Alliance and Entrepreneurs Organization.
Her integrity and sincerity keep Kimley grounded in life away from work. She finds meaning in service to her family and community. A Chicagoan for decades, Kimley was born in Montana. So when she steps away, she is likely out west, savoring huckleberry pie or hiking a remote trail with her husband and three daughters.
http://drivetalent.co
https://www.linkedin.com/company/drive-talent/
https://didoperspective.org/
EPISODE TRANSCRIPT
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