October 2017 Corporate Executive Breakfast: Closing the Talent Gap … and Keeping it Closed

Trends in Talent Management

Mid-size companies generate 60% of new jobs and employ about one-third of U.S. private sector workers, yet these firms consistently report difficulties with talent management, including recruiting, hiring, and retention. Kathleen will frame the program topic with recent research reports and suggestions on how executives can improve their talent management approaches.

Kathleen has decades of earning accolades in the staffing industry. However she determined that traditional models don’t always serve the best interest of clients. She vowed to disrupt the stagnant staffing/recruiting industry. In 2003, Kathleen launched TalenTrust to help companies find, keep, and grow the best people. Her firm’s expert team collaborates closely with executives to identify the root causes—and often interrelated issues—behind a company’s human capital challenges. TalenTrust serves clients across the United States, employs a team of 20+ people, and was listed as an Inc. 5000 fastest growing company in 2015 and 2016. Kathleen is a speaker and the author of a book titled: Solve the People Puzzle; How High-Growth Companies Attract and Retain Top Talent.

Made In Nature is a trailblazing brand in the organic food industry with a 28-year history. What started as one small pear farm near Mt. Hood, Oregon has now grown into the #1 organic dried fruit brand and one of the largest organic snacking companies in the United States. Operating out of Boulder, Colorado, Made In Nature 100% organic products are available in all 50 states, plus Asia, Australia, the UK and Mexico and ingredients are responsibly sourced from organic farms around the globe.  

Doug Brent is the Co-Chairman and CEO of Made In Nature.  Doug and his brother Hollis, as Co-Chairs of Brent Enterprises LLC—a family holding company —bought Made In Nature in 2003 and have created tremendous growth in the business by building on its foundation in dried fruit to expand into other Certified Organic, Non-GMO, no refined sugar added snacks, such as coconut chips, nut fusions, and Figgy Pops.

Previously, Doug served as the President and Chief Executive Officer at Bankers Trust Capital Partners. He was a Senior Managing Director and Member of the Business Council (Expanded Management Committee) at Bankers Trust New York Corporation; an instructor at Cornell University; and worked at KPMG Canada. A Chartered Accountants, Doug also received an M.B.A. from Cornell University’s Johnson Graduate School of Management.

Leveraging 25 years of foodservice experience (including Rock Bottom, VICORP and Sky Chefs) from the front-line trenches to the boardroom, Maryanne Rose today enjoys a unique and sought after perspective on the dynamic and ever evolving restaurant sector. In 2008, drawing on her diverse and contrasting experience she conceived and executed on a business plan to bring efficiencies (bottom-line profitability increases) to this sector via the all-important supply chain procurement and management process. Today, that vision and the Team she assembled within SpenDifference oversees $1 billion dollars annually in purchasing.

Today, Maryanne’s passion for the restaurant industry and driving supply chain efficiencies is without precedent. SpenDifference business-model focus is to level the playing field for mid-market and emerging chains by driving out 4-6% of supply chain costs. Fortunately, the providers or supply side of the chain also welcome this next level of expertise and management placing SpenDifference in the enviable position of being sought after by both manufacturers/suppliers and food-service retailers. Maryanne is a member of the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) and the Women’s Foodservice Forum; and serves on the Leeds School of Business Women's Council at the University of Colorado. Highly requested to participate on panels with an emphasis on Women Leaders and Entrepreneurs.

Originally from the San Francisco Bay area, Maryanne graduated from Cal State University Long Beach with a BS in Nutrition. She enjoys, biking, golf and fly fishing. Maryanne is married and together they enjoy a blended family of 5 adult children.

BluSky provides commercial, industrial, governmental, and multifamily restoration, renovation, environmental, and roofing services across the continental United States. BluSky is engaged in large restoration projects, including those resulting from natural disasters such as Hurricane Harvey or the historical hail storms here in Colorado. BluSky has been operating since 2004 and is a private equity-owned but feels more like the family business roots from which it came with a laser focus on the people who deliver its customer service.

BluSky is the recipient of many honors, including being listed among “Colorado’s Fastest Growing Private Companies” six times by the Denver Business Journal; seven-time winner of “Best Companies to Work For” by ColoradoBiz magazine; winner of the “50 Colorado Companies to Watch Award” and listed among the Inc. 500/5000 five times by Inc. Magazine.

As CEO of BluSky, Kent is known for his leadership around workforce issues and has written blogs on topics including, “Fundamentals of a Remarkable Culture” and “Hiring for Character.” Previously, Kent spent much of his career in a corporate finance roles and has worked with companies in all stages of growth—from start-ups to Fortune 500 firms. Kent received his MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. His received his Bachelor of Science degree in Business, majoring in Accounting, from Colorado State University.

Nadine has more than 20 years of audit and attestation experience with extensive experience providing financial statement audits, reviews, compilations, internal audit, and due diligence assistance to clients in the financial services sector, particularly broker dealers, as well as real estate developers, not-for-profit entities, service providers, employee benefit plans and manufacturing and distribution companies.