Blogs & Case Studies

Hiring For Good Ep. 5 with Anja Taylor of Kinesis

About Anja Taylor: Anja is the President at Kinesis. Anja brings over a decade of leadership experience to her role at Kinesis. Her why is people — she is a champion and advocate for everyone on our team, as well as the teams of our clients. She is passionate about creating work environments that enable […]
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Charles Swatzell

As an English major, I loved studying critical theory. Wolfgang Iser’s “Reader Response Theory” was my favorite approach to eliciting meaning from a text. In RRR, Iser suggests that the meaning of any work is unique to the reader, as each person brings to it their own understanding and repertoire of experiences. The best readers […]
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Hiring For Good With Acumen

Acumen has been honored to support clients and candidates who are doing truly impactful work in the world.  Click on the video below to see some of the ways these leaders are bettering the communities in which they serve, for good.
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Executive Search: Alignment of Organizational Goals and Values

During Acumen Executive Searches’ 16 years as an executive recruiting firm, we have supported numerous leadership recruitments. Whether it is a CEO, President, CFO, CTO, CIO, CHRO, COO, or a key director/manager, finding the right blend of technical skills and industry expertise is important, yet the biggest indicator of long-term success is the ability to […]
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Hiring for Good Ep4 with Charles Swatzell

Join us on the latest episode of Hiring For Good Podcast presented by Acumen Executive Search, featuring a compelling discussion with Charles “Matt” Swatzell, CEO at Formos. Explore the transformative power of leadership in SaaS product development, mobile applications, and process management solutions. This episode is now available on all platforms!
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Hiring For Good Podcast Ep. #3 with Nicole (Nikki) Chen

Today’s Hiring for Good episode’s guest is Equity and Inclusion Consultant, Nicole “Nikki” Chen. Nicole “Nikki” Chen is the Business Partner for the Office of Equity and Inclusion at the City of Vancouver. She partners with the Police, Fire and Public Works departments within the city. Nikki previously spent 19 years of her career working […]
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Executive Recruiting for Associations and Not-For-Profits

During Acumen Executive Searches’ 16 years as an executive search firm, we have supported numerous associations and not-for-profits as they transition to new leadership. A search at any level of leadership within these entities can be a very nuanced process, but the role of the top staff leadership, whether the title is Executive Director, CEO, […]
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Hiring For Good Podcast Ep. 2

Episode 2 of our new podcast “Hiring For Good” with CTO and software engineer, Stan Hanks is out now. Stan, a self-proclaimed troublemaker, has a fascinating story of being a pioneer and leader in the tech industry, leading the development and exits of numerous companies. This is truly a valuable and entertaining episode. Join us every 2nd […]
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Hiring for Good Podcast

Our inaugural episode of ‘Hiring For Good’ with hosts Tanis Morris and Suzanne Hanifin is now live! Hiring For Good examines how leadership has the power to transform a company, community, and society at large. Listen now on your favorite podcast platform and embark on a journey of leadership insights. Stay tuned for more empowering episodes to come! We […]
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Key Elements of an Onboarding Plan

During Acumen Executive Searches’ 16 years as an executive search firm, we have supported numerous onboarding plans for our clients’ new leadership hires. Here are some valuable factors we consider when strategizing pre-onboarding (the period between offer acceptance and the start date) and onboarding. As executive recruiters, these guidelines are tailored for leadership positions; however, […]
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The Benefit and Power of Acting Now to Hire A New Executive

Clear… and not so Clear The need to fill an executive role is often clear. A CFO is retiring, and a replacement must be found prior to their exit, or the CMO of a company has moved on and the company is in need of a new leader. In cases like this, you know a […]
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Supporting Out-of-State Candidates: How Executive Search Firms Make Relocating Seamless

An effective executive search firm does more than just match talent to opportunities where there is a strong alignment of mission, vision, and values. Boutique search firms such as Acumen cultivate a lifetime of relationships and offer a suite of services to their clients and candidates who are both local and relocating from other areas. […]
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What a Human Resources Partner Can Do for a Company

Situation When a long-time manufacturing client sought Acumen’s expertise to hire a Human Resource leader, little did they know that their needs were far greater. The company had been experiencing rapid growth and was struggling with filling positions, high rates of tardiness and absenteeism, bad hires, and supervisors who needed development. They had few formal […]
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Executive Compensation Philosophy

Executive compensation philosophy refers to the guiding principles and beliefs that an organization follows when determining how to compensate its top executives. It encompasses the overall approach and values that shape the design, structure, and level of compensation for executives within the organization. Here are some common elements that may be part of an executive […]
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Your Network is Your Prosperity

We want to thank Alice Tang for her time with the Acumen team. We were treated to her incredible workshop, “Your Network is Your Prosperity,” which she presented at our office last week.  During our two-hour session with Alice, Suzanne wrote down a number of comments that came up during our discussion about the value […]
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Improve Employee Retention Utilizing a Mindful Hiring Process

Employee retention is crucial for the stability and growth of any organization.  It is the opposite side of the Recruiting coin.  Organizations spend a great deal of time, money, and energy on recruiting.  But once you hire that great employee, how do you ensure they’ll remain an engaged and happy team member for the long […]
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Steps to Successful Recruiting

When assessing candidates for a specific position, Acumen recommends a systematic approach to evaluate their qualifications, skills, and suitability. We’ve outlined a series of steps below that provide a road map through the more scientific elements of the recruitment process. That said, exceptional recruiting goes far beyond data-driven spreadsheets and finding an individual with the […]
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Common Resume Mistakes to Avoid

How do you sum up the value you bring to a potential employer in one or two pages? Your resume is the primary marketing piece of your personal brand. Ideally, this document will help you stand out as an applicant and get companies clamoring to hire you, and there is no room for error. Unfortunately, […]
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Non-Profit CFO Finds Meaning and Mission in the For-Profit World

The Situation Our client, a global architecture, engineering, and construction firm with a specialty in sustainability and designing “living buildings” sought a CFO who could bring fresh new ideas from outside the industry as they were growing exponentially, into new markets and innovative new services.  They were also seeking a CFO who could develop a […]
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Acumen Welcomes Tanis Morris

We are delighted to announce that Tanis Morris has joined Acumen as Director of Business Development. She resonates with Acumen’s mission of providing high-quality, mission-driven executive search services. She is proud to participate in the process of bringing transformative and impactful leaders to client organizations, to work for a certified Woman Owned Business with a […]
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When Hiring is a Team Sport

Acumen often works with hiring teams to bring in new executive leadership. Whether a Board, Commission, or Hiring Committee this process provides unique challenges and opportunities. Here are a few tips and tricks to navigate hiring when it is a team sport: Bringing in new leadership can be time-consuming, stressful… and very important. We encourage […]
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Women’s Million Dollar Conversation

“Every time I have taken a leap of faith in myself, it has been rewarded tenfold.” ~ Suzanne Hanifin I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Alice Tang in her Women’s Million Dollar Conversation series, where she interviews leading women to discuss their insights, experiences, and tips on how they achieved their goals to […]
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An Afternoon Celebration

The Acumen team had a special afternoon of acupuncture, micro-needling, and self-care to celebrate our fearless leader Suzanne Hanifin’s big day. As a small, woman-owned business we were excited to partner with Karly Bannister of Keahi Health for our event — she gets “glowing” reviews.
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Acumen announces new EDI partnership

Acumen is delighted to announce our partnership with Equity expert and thought leader Zhou Fang from Intersectional Group. Zhou Fang is the founder and principal equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) practitioner of Intersectional Group LLC, an EDI consulting practice with a focus on intersectionality, empathy and compassion, as well as curiosity.  Zhou is an advocate […]
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Congratulations Karen – An Acumen Update

Karen Anderson, my longtime friend and colleague of Acumen Executive Search, is ready to follow and focus on her dream. For the past several years, Karen has been building Navarra Gardens, a 14-acre indoor and outdoor Corporate Retreat and Event Venue – which is now an open and welcoming business. Throughout our 20+ years of friendship, Karen […]
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Acumen Welcomes Felicia Wells-Thomas

We are pleased to announce Felicia Wells-Thomas has joined Acumen Executive Search as a Client Manager and will be helping leading businesses find executive candidates and leaders. Interconnectedness inspires Felicia. “I want to be the concierge of the World.” Her forte is finding solutions that benefit people, organizations, and communities by aligning goals and visions. As a […]
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FTC Proposes Ban on Worker Non-Compete Clauses

“Around one in five American workers are now bound by a non-compete, and a significant body of research shows that non-competes reduced wages overall. They don’t just reduce wages for the workers that are directly subject to a non-compete, but they actually have a market-wide effect, which is quite striking,” stated Lina Khan, chairperson of […]
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When a National FI Organization Wanted a CIO, Acumen Delivered More

The Situation An Award-Winning National Mortgage Company was in need of a CIO, with solid leadership skills: able to manage, develop, and grow a talented team; have hard conversations when necessary; and able to streamline processes to allow the team to perform more efficiently.  In addition, to being a strong leader, the organization required the […]
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Happy Holidays from the Acumen Team

Wishing you the best this holiday season.
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Building a Company Culture of Wellbeing

Stop burnout before it affects your office. Pandemic shutdowns, fears of a recession or layoffs, and inflation have been weighing on everyone lately. Many companies are adding to employees’ responsibilities to meet the increase in demands which can lead to burnout. Keep your team and yourself happy by incorporating some wellness practices in your organization.1.      Engage employees […]
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Happy Thanksgiving!

We have so much to be thankful for this season – family, friends, and our Acumen community are just the start. Thank you for sharing your journey with us. Happy Thanksgiving from the Acumen team!
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Integration & Onboarding

Make new team members feel welcome before they even step foot in the office on the first day. Write a personal note. Schedule a team lunch or happy hour. Give them time to build relationships and help make those introductions. Acumen Executive & Talent Search‘s own Suzanne Hanifin talked about the importance of taking the time to integrate new […]
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Push Past Discomfort to Build Confidence

By Suzanne Hanifin As a small business owner, I tend to get down into the weeds – driving sales, client management, accounting, office, and supporting my amazing team. I don’t usually go all out and do something that is so difficult like public speaking. I took the leap. When my friend, Tracy Vicario from HUB asked me to participate […]
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LinkedIn Cybersecurity

Social media channels offer an opportunity to reach people outside of our day-to-day routines both professionally and socially. Many executives rely on LinkedIn to get industry news, connect with colleagues, and even search for potential employees. Unfortunately, LinkedIn also hides potential trouble in the form of cyber threat actors. Recently, the site purged hundreds of […]
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Onboarding vs Integration

DisruptHR is described as “an information exchange designed to energize, inform, and empower people in the HR field.” 14 speakers are given five minutes to speak. Acumen’s Founder and CEO, Suzanne Hanifin, was invited to be one of this year’s speakers, and shared her thoughts on “Integration vs. Onboarding.”  Check out her full slide deck […]
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Acumen’s 15th Anniversary Celebration

It is not every day we celebrate a company turning 15 and we have met some incredible people along the way. Acumen has experienced some interesting changes including a global pandemic and we have grown stronger because of them. We would like to take this opportunity to recognize our team for creating one of the […]
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DisruptHR Portland 2.0

DISRUPT IS AN INFORMATION EXCHANGE DESIGNED TO ENERGIZE, INFORM AND EMPOWER PEOPLE IN THE HR FIELD.­ ­ We are excited to finally bring back DisruptHR to Portland, Oregon for the second time! ­ ­ Space is limited, so grab your ticket today!­ ­ There will be food, drinks, and fun! Hear from local speakers and […]
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Quiet Quitting – Another Lesson for Me

I have heard a lot about “Quiet Quitting” recently, people who are hired to do a salaried job within a set amount of time and stop working when either the job is done, or the time has ended (whether remote or in person). For example, an accountant is hired for 40 hours per week to […]
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5 Questions to Support Building Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Workplace

Acumen Executive Search aspires to conduct highly inclusive and equitable searches for new executive leaders who help our client organizations thrive. We approach this work with humility and an orientation towards continuous learning and training. Over the last several months, we have been outlining some of our processes and lessons learned as related to diversity, […]
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How New Leadership at Multnomah County Health Department is Driving Innovation to Elevate Health Outcomes for Vulnerable Oregonians

“What Does it Mean to Be One Health Center?”  For the Executive Officer of Oregon’s largest Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), this question was at the heart of the search for the health Center’s Chief Clinical Officer and Chief Operations Officer dyad which would help further the Health Center’s goals around healthcare integration, health and […]
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Great News – Oregon’s Biosciences is growing

Oregon Bioscience Association recently released a report on the bioscience boom in Oregon and its great news for the industry. Oregon biosciences is growing! The Oregon and Clark County bioscience industry has seen strong growth during the COVID-19 pandemic; in fact, seeing it’s highest numbers in the past twenty years. With new money coming from […]
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How Investing in the Right Search Firm to Identify the Right Manager Leads to Longevity and Client Success

“Mike is the best hire I have ever made” ~ Leonard F., President The Situation Our client, a company engaged in the design and manufacturing of portable instruments for agricultural and environmental research, had urgent need for a world-class Quality Assurance Manager. They had previously been employing students, who were used to lower salary requirements, […]
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Recruiting “Perfect Fit” Leaders

Acumen hosts an open discussion on Recruiting “Perfect Fit” Leaders on Wednesday, May 18 from 3:00-3:45 PM (Pacific Time) Online Via Zoom No agenda, no sales pitches – just come and share your ideas, ask your questions, and gain insights.  Suzanne Hanifin, CEO & Founder of Acumen Executive Search, will host this small group open […]
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Sometimes You Get What You Need

“I really appreciated the willingness to reframe this position and the sophisticated approach to negotiating for both the client’s and candidate’s best outcome.”  Technology Firm’s Vice President of Strategy, placed by Acumen. The Situation The placement of a Vice President of Strategy at an Oregon-born Technology Consulting & Professional Services firm did not follow the […]
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Acumen’s Michelle Satter Featured Person on the Move

Congratulations Michelle for being a Portland Business Journal Featured Person on the Move. https://www.bizjournals.com/portland/potmsearch/detail/submission/6513658/Michelle_Satter
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Good News in Manufacturing for Us All to Get Inspired

Karen Anderson speaks with Erick Frack of Enoch Precision Manufacturing
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Successions: Is Contingency Planning Enough?

Michael Beck of Eliciting Excellence wrote a thought-provoking article about Successions. What happens if the successor you bring in to run your company after you leave doesn’t do well? Michael explains the ways he and his company ensure that the successor you bring in is the right person for the job.
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Solutions for the Great Resignation: An Opportunity for “GROWTHH”

We at Acumen have had a front-row seat in witnessing the Great Resignation: people are leaving their jobs, pivoting in their careers, starting their own companies or consulting firms, or are opting for retirement.  We are witnessing this phenomenon with our multi-million-dollar and Fortune 500 company clients, our family-owned and operated clients, and even our […]
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Transition & Exit Planning: Why, When & How? Hosted by Ideal Business Transition Solutions and Now CFO

Do you have solutions penned for the uncertainty in life? Are your family and employees protected?
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Acumen Hosts Client Appreciation Party

Acumen welcomed dear colleagues to an appreciation party in October. It was a delight to connect with people in person! The wonderful company, in addition to the great food and drink, made for a good time by all. Be sure to check out photos of the event:
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How Do You Position Your Company to Attract Top Leadership Talent?

The pandemic forced us to alter our focus to what is most important: namely family, human connection, good health, flexible work arrangements, and most importantly, the “why.”  Needs and criteria of top talent have changed dramatically. Note per a recent Bloomberg News article: At least some atop the corporate ladder seem to be paying attention. […]
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Executive Compensation – Establishing KPIs

By Suzanne Hanifin Today, executive compensation packages are heavily weighted toward salary and bonuses.  As Executive Recruiters, we are often asked, “how do we set up a fair bonus structure?” The current consensus seems to be a bonus structure based upon 50% company wellbeing and 50% on personal goals or Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) is […]
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New CEO Breathes New Life and Innovation into Public-Sector Organization

By Molly Norton Acumen was retained to locate the next CEO for a leading-edge, respected, highly regulated Oregon-based quasi-governmental institution that has existed since the late ’70s. The organization was primed for new, visionary leadership to take them to the next stage of their evolution. The new CEO was hired following a national search and […]
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Your Words Are Powerful

Your words can frame a person’s perspective of you in just moments.  Read tips how to present yourself with credibility
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What’s Your Company’s Future

What’s Your Company’s Future. It starts with a conversation about culture, can you describe it in five words?
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Transition & Exit Planning – The Why, When, and What

Succession planning webinar on how to maximize financial return and strengthen your organization as you plan for retirement.
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Retire Without Selling – Putting Your Plan to Work, Part 3

Retiring without selling, putting your plan to work. Part 3 of series lead by Alice Tang, Suzanne Hanifin, Don Bielen, and Jim Grew.
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Are You Zoomed Out?

There's a reason we have been experiencing being ZOOMED-OUT and MS TEAMS-OUT
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Retiring Without Selling – Crafting Your Personal Plan Webinar, Part 2

Retiring without selling, crafting your personal plan. Part 2 of series lead by Alice Tang, Suzanne Hanifin, Don Bielen, and Jim Grew.
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Retiring Without Selling – Finding Options For You Webinar, Part 1

Retiring without selling, finding options for you. Part 1 of series lead by Alice Tang, Suzanne Hanifin, Don Bielen, and Jim Grew.
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Why Acumen Executive Search?

Why Acumen should become your partner for your executive recruiting needs.
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CEO Insights Invites Heyke Kirkendall-Baker

Heyke Kirkendall-Baker, Founder of NW Employer Solutions and CEO of Parity Software. What you need to do to protect yourself regarding Parity Laws in Oregon.
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CEO Insights Invites Carl Cox

Carl Cox, CEO of 40 Strategy. Today more than ever, having a strategy has never been more important. Hear from the Strategy Expert himself.
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Planning on Selling Your Business? Think Again…

There will be a wave of Baby Boomer business owners retiring but research shows there aren’t enough buyers for all those businesses. What are the alternatives?
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CEO Insights Invites Kate Kanapeaux

Kate Kanapeaux, VP of Pacific Northwest Defense Coalition discusses pivoting to support members’ business growth, our region’s economy, and national security.
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CEO Insights Invites Adi Klevit

Adi Klevit, CEO and Founder of Business Success Consulting Group. Processes and Procedures for Effective Business Practices During Covid-19.
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CEO Insights Invites Leonard Felix

Leodard Felix, President of CID BioScience & Felix Instruments to discuss how diversity and innovation is key during the the pandemic.
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Acumen Helps Real Estate Development Client Secure Top-Tier C-Level-Talent to Bring World-Class Biotech Innovation to Portland

Acumen Helps Real Estate Development Client Secure Top-Tier C-Level-Talent to Bring World-Class Biotech Innovation to Portland
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Acumen Case Study with Will Fox

Suzanne Hanifin speaks with Will Fox, COO of Precision Analytical on how Acumen did placing him and everything he has accomplished in a short amount of time.
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Acumen Resume Quick Tip

A simple way to increase your unique value proposition and help your resume get noticed
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CEO Insights Invites: Laura Salerno Owens

Laura Salerno Owens, President of Markowitz Herbold PC. Watch and learn about how a premier litigation firm is navigating its way out of COVID-19.
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CEO Insights Invites: Will Fox

Will Fox, the COO of Precision Analytical discusses how they relied on their core values to make their way through the shutdown.
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CEO Insights Invites: Andrew Hermann

Andrew Hermann, Pres of CorSource Technology Group, shares importance of reconnecting old relationships and building new ones within the technology community.
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The 7 Basic Rules for Sellers

Professional 50 member Pete McDowell provides an easy checklist to reference when thinking about succession planning. 
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CEO Insights Invites Kendra Iden

Kendra Iden, President of KIKS Co, a Globally Inspired Design & Sourcing Firm for your home decor. Watch and learn about starting a business during COVID-19.
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Acumen Presents Career Support Services

Acumen can help guide your career strategy, personal branding, and help you nail your next interview.
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CEO Insights Invites: Agnes Zach

Agnes Zach has been a leader within the local Non-Profit community and discusses the non-profit landscape, success stories, and outlook for smaller non-profits.
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CEO Insights Invites: Chris Keefer

Chris Keefer, Principal of Keefer Strategies, a Preventative Law practice. Watch now and learn about preventative law from an expert attorney.
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CEO Insights Invites Ron Schoenheit

Ron Schoenheit, Founder & President of Cascade Protection Systems. Watch now and learn about a local company and their innovation during a time of crisis.
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CEO Insights with Chris Marsh, Leader Extraordinaire

Acumen is proud to share the first interview in our “CEO Insights” series: Chris Marsh, Leader Extraordinaire.
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Local Seamstresses Come to the Rescue of Pediatric Patients in Need

Local Seamstresses Come to the Rescue of Pediatric Patients in Need
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Onboarding Lessons and Advice

The most effective onboarding plans are those that give their executives a 3-month schedule that allow them to work a week within each group in the organization. 
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How to Thrive in a Time of Video Interviews

Here are a couple resources to help get you started navigating this virtual world of interviewing.
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The Acumen Approach – Now Backed By Behavioral Science

The Science and Power of Story. Behavioral science shows a staggering 95% of all decisions are first made emotionally
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How One Well-Placed HR Business Partner Can Transform an Enterprise and Mitigate Risk

A decades-old international transportation company needed a strategic HR leader who had the ability to lead following the strong Founder’s departure. 
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Acumen Facilitates Succession Plan at the Eleventh Hour

A mid-sized aerial services company was looking to hire its first Chief Financial Officer (CFO) to help the succession from generation one to generation two. 
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Acumen’s Open House Was a Success

Thank you to everyone who came to Acumen’s Open House and helped make it a successful evening.
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Ted Allen placed as Consulting CFO for PlusPoint Consulting

Acumen Executive Search is proud to announce the successful placement of Ted Allen as Consulting Chief Financial Officer for PlusPoint Consulting.
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Finding True Professional Fulfillment

For the majority of today’s workforce, more waking hours are spent during the week dedicated to our professions than spent with family and friends.  
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Outsourcing & Company Culture

Is it possible to outsource certain functions while minimizing impactful effects to company culture? 
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Stop Lying to Job Candidates About the Role

Too many hiring managers avoid telling candidates the truth about a job. 
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Bryan Bast Chosen as CEO for Food and Beverage Innovations.

Acumen Executive Search is proud to announce the hire of Bryan Bast as CEO for Food and Beverage Innovations.
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Suzanne Hanifin joins Professional 50

Suzanne Hanifin recently joined the Professional 50, a network of Greater Portland’s Elite Exit/Succession professionals.
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Congrats to Scott Cooper – New MEDP Executive Director

Acumen Executive Search is proud to announce the successful placement of Scott Cooper as Executive Director for McMinnville Economic Development Partnership (MEDP).
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Product Marketing Manager Sought to Prepare Product Launch

An early stage, pre-launch medical device company needed an experienced Product Marketing Manager to spearhead go-to-market strategy. 
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Suzanne Hanifin awarded Volunteer of the Year

The Oregon Cancer Ski Out awarded Suzanne Hanifin the Dave Grimshaw Award Volunteer of the Year. Suzanne has been involved with the Ski Out for about 25 years.
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Small Business Hiring Trends for 2019

Finding qualified people to fill positions in a booming economy is a challenge. Here are 4 key tips to ease the pain
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PwC 2018 Family Business Survey Results Are Out

PricewaterhouseCooper released the results of their 2018 Family Business Survey. It finds family businesses to be in good health. Click here for the quick facts
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World-Class Talent Expeditiously Moves Organization Forward

World-Class Talent Brings “Deeper Bench” to Early Stage Medical Device Company and Expeditiously Moves Organization Forward
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Back to Old School Recruiting

Finding a Construction Project Manager at the beginning of construction season proved to be challenging. Find out how this was overcome.
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Finding the Unicorn Locally

A fast-growing technology company was seeking an industry-savvy CFO who grasped the finance complexities for companies developing both hardware and software.
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Acumen partners with MEDP

Acumen Executive Search is proud to partner with McMinnville Economic Development Partnership (MEDP) in the search for their new Executive Director. 
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Acumen Receives Award from PNDC

Acumen Executive Search was the proud recipient of the Pacific Northwest Defense Coalition 2018 Sustaining Member of the Year Award.
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OEDA Conference – Where Great People and Ideas Connect

Acumen was a proud sponsor and exhibitor at OEDA’s (Oregon Economic Development Association) Annual Fall Conference. Click here to see the award winners!
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How to Conduct a Search for Your Right Search Partner

The Most Critical Component of an Executive Search Takes Place Before the Search for an Executive. Read to see how to greatly increase the probability of search success.
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Pro-Bono Executive Development Board Hires Executive Director

An economic development board needed to hire it's inaugural Executive Director. Read how the needs were assessed and then successfully fulfilled.
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Acumen Successfully fills Executive Director Role

The experience we had with Acumen in the search for our Executive Director was superb. We highly recommend Acumen
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Focused Leadership Takes Good to Great

There was a substantial need for fresh perspective to help refocus the strategic vision and fine-tune executional methodologies. Read how the need was filled!
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The Right Person Opens the Door

A company hired 4 different individuals over a ten-year period and still didn't find the right Corp Account Manager. Read how they got finally got it right.
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The Cost of a Bad Executive Hire

Maybe that new executive you just hired, the one everyone thought was so great – isn’t. How much is their poor performance costing your business?
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The Leader’s Guide to Corporate Culture

Many leaders often don’t understand culture which can lead to their plans for company being derailed. Read more about how to use culture to shape your organization.
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Congrats to Avery Pickard, OEDA’s new Executive Director

Acumen Executive Search is proud to announce the successful placement of Avery Pickard as Executive Director for Oregon Economic Development Association (OEDA).
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Congrats to Sarah Garrison – New PNDC CEO/President

Acumen Executive & Talent Search is proud to announce the successful placement of Sarah Garrison as CEO/President for Pacific Northwest Defense Coalition (PNDC).
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Hiring and Retaining Top Talent

Hiring the right talent is a critical decision facing CEOs.  Vistage provides insights for hiring the talent you need and retaining the talent you have.
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Oregon’s 2018 Job Outlook

If you’re looking to make a change, the outlook is very good.   More than 30 companies, such as Nike, Umpqua, and OHSU, are looking for hundreds of workers.
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Tracking the right sales metrics

There are three metrics high performing sales organizations track: behaviors, leading indicators, and lagging indicators. Read how these can make a difference
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Bad Hires Can Be an Expensive Mistake

A CareerBuilder survey shows three out of four employers have made bad hiring decisions. Read how much a bad hire can cost your organization
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Thank you to all of our Veterans

As a daughter of a Veteran who served during the Korean War, and a wife of an active duty Army Guardsmen – I want to say THANK YOU to all who have served.
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Acumen’s 10th Anniversary Party

Thank you for sharing such a monumental night with us.  Listening to your stories of how Acumen has impacted you personally touched our hearts.
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Game Changing Technology

A biomedical device company struggled to find its next for global Vice President, Customer Support. Find out what the missing link was.
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Managing Scope & Aligning Internal Strategy

A healthcare technology innovator sought a marketing and communications expert to spearhead next steps in its go-to-market plan. See how they succeeded
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Oregon Laws Changed – Employers Need to Know

It is now unlawful for prospective employers, recruiters, and others involved in the hiring practice to seek an applicant’s or employee’s salary history.
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Current Trends in Succession Planning

Watch a great webinar on Succession Planning & Current Trends.
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High Growth Requiring Change Management

"We desperately needed a leadership role in Finance. Our executive resources were stretched way too thin. We had a big hole to fill."
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New Oregon Law on Equal Compensation

Starting on January 1, 2024, job candidates will have a right of private action against prospective employers if asked about their compensation history.
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Attracting Great Talent: Podcast with Tracy Vicario

Acumen Executive Search founder, Suzanne Hanifin, is featured in a Business Wellbeing podcast hosted by Tracy Vicario. Hear about retention and company culture
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What is employer branding?

Sid Smith, of Predictable Traction, recently wrote an article breaking down the phrase “Employer Branding” and discerning how it can be done properly. Read how.
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Changing Corporate Culture from the Inside Out

A national company discovered gaps in its accounting practices and needed to make a change, but risked losing valuable info that only the Controller knew.
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Company Reaches Crossroads and Contemplates Future

With aggressive competition creating a sense of urgency, leadership realized the company was at a crossroads and in need of fresh perspective.
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Summer Intern at Acumen

Portland, Ore.- May 17, 2017 Acumen Executive Search (http://www.acumenexecutivesearch.com) announced today that Lexi Goebel has joined the firm as a Summer Intern. Lexi was born and raised in Oregon and just completed her sophomore year at Wheaton College in Wheaton, IL. She is studying Business and Economics and looks forward to the opportunity to get […]
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Molly Norton as Director of Talent

Portland, Ore. – February 21, 2017 – Acumen Executive Search (http://www.acumenexecutivesearch.com) announced today that Molly Norton has joined the firm as Director of Talent. Norton joins Acumen’s team of seasoned talent professionals and will contribute to the company’s ongoing growth strategy. “I have enjoyed partnering with Acumen for the past two plus years and highly […]
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Acumen Supports PIVOT Job Corp

Job Corps is a no-cost education and career technical training program that helps people ages 16 - 24 improve the quality of their lives.
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USDOL Announces 2016 FLSA White-Collar Exemption Final Rules

Davis Wright Tremaine LLC posted the latest update regarding FLSA White-Collar Exemptions Rules. We want to share it the information of who qualifies for over-time.  It is important to note that the salary requirements have increased (for lower wage earners, it has doubled) in regards to the qualifications. Organizations have only 200 days to implement. […]
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Biosciences in Oregon Makes Big Economic Impact

The bioscience sector in Oregon may not get as much attention as San Diego or Boston, but it accounts for a sizable chunk of jobs and wages.
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Acumen’s Karen Anderson honored by Clackamas County

Clackamas County – Community Impact Awards are presented by the Clackamas County Community Action Board to honor individuals and organizations that achieve significant results fighting poverty and helping low income individuals and families overcome barriers and build upon their natural strengths and abilities. Karen Anderson has been a Board Member of LOTSM since 2014. LOTSM provides […]
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April 28th, 2016 Acumen’s Web Launch & Open House

Join us to celebrate the introduction of Acumen Talent Search (and our new website: www.AcumenTSearch.com) We have opened our offices for friends and colleagues to party with us – food, drinks, and fun! Drop by and stay awhile; bring a guest or two. We would love to see you! WHEN Thursday, April 28, 2016 from […]
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Congrats to Denise McCarty – New Oregon Bio Executive Director

Acumen is proud to announce the successful placement of Denise McCarty at Oregon Bioscience Associate. Click on the image to read the full article.
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