Our Roster
Click on the department to view our current lineup of talent:
Leadership & Operations
Customer Relationship Managers:
Recruiting Talent:
Chris Burkhard
“Each man should frame life so that at some future hour fact and his dreaming meet.” – Victor Hugo
This quote in a lot of ways sums up why I started CBI Group – I’m thankful everyday to be an entrepreneur and to have customers and employees that make up a great company.
Connect with Chris
Glenn Koetz
“There is only one boss. The customer. And he can fire everybody in the company from the chairman on down, simply by spending his money somewhere else.” – Sam Walton
Connect with Glenn
Lisa Van Ess
“You’ve got to promise not to stop when I say when.” – Everlong, Dave Grohl
Other business partners and service providers are often the ones to ‘say when’; CBI’s Outside-In® guarantees service to the nth degree, we don’t stop or say when to providing great support and talent to our customers.
Connect with Lisa
Mark Hollinger
“Enjoying success requires the ability to adapt. Only by being open to change will you have a true opportunity to get the most from your talent.” – Nolan Ryan
Connect with Mark
Lisa Turner
“Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
Connect with Lisa
Kelly Hocutt
Life is all about perspectives, what you’ve been through and how you view things. At CBI Group we view things from the customer’s perspective. That makes my job interesting because the customer’s perspective is always changing. The answer will always be I can help you but we will always adapt how we help you.
Connect with Kelly
Kelly Murray
“Throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain
I think this quote speaks to the entrepreneurial spirit we have at CBI Group. Essentially, we are all leaders and risk-takers working together as one team — a dynamic that is crucial towards achieving success, whether sailing the trade winds of the Atlantic or ensuring that your customers receive the best Outside-In experience possible!
Connect with Kelly
Karen Reed
I wanted to be part of the CBI Team as soon as I read the Outside-In pocket guide at my first interview. The cultural tenets reflected everything I was looking for in a company. I relate most to the “Change Makers” tenant. It’s about stepping outside the box and looking in… gaining a fresh perspective and looking into a better future.
Connect with Karen
Michael Oldham
“With willing hearts and skillful hands, the difficult we do at once; the impossible takes a bit longer.” – Inscription on the Memorial to the Seabees (U.S. Naval Construction Batallions)
From “Outside-In” to “I Can Help You”, there is nothing that we can not accomplish by working together with each other and keeping the customer as the focus.
Connect with Michael
Caitlin Olszewski
“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” – Howard Thurman
One of the most important things I have learned during my philosophic coming of age years is this idea of “positive social interaction”. I firmly believe that every individual matters and that interacting in genuine and creative ways can have an incredibly positive impact in the world. CBI Group has become this lifestyle of Outside-In culture that reflects the idea of sincere customer & client relationships that truly sets us apart from other companies. At CBI, we work collectively to not only achieve but exceed our goals on a daily basis, while building meaningful relationships with our clients to take our service to the 9th degree.
Connect with Caitlin
Karesa Blagrove
I was referred to CBI Group by Linda Chiffens. Initially I was skeptical about interviewing with a staffing agency (because that’s what I thought they were), but that all changed when I arrived for my interview and my name was on the notice board “Welcome Karesa Blagrove” – Oh, that made me feel so important.
I love CBI because their culture rocks! The work environment is collaborative, fun, and focused. CBI gives me the opportunity to be myself while learning from others, but most importantly, I like it that they put their customers’ needs first.
My Favorite Quote: “Be where you are; otherwise you will miss your life” – Buddha
I love this quote because we often spend our lives thinking and planning for the future that we forget to enjoy the present moment, which is all we have.
Connect with Karesa
Kim Burkhard
I have had a vested interest in being part of CBI Group since the day I said ‘I do’! I always knew that Chris had the entrepreneurial gene, so I am happy to have been by his side for the past 10 years. I am part of CBI Group because I believe in Chris, the rest of the team and our purpose.
Connect with Kim
Rich Kolodgie
I wanted to be a part of a very entrepreneurial company which also has a great Reputation, and I could not think of one better than CBI Group. I have also very much enjoyed my relationship with Chris Burkhard over many decades and greatly enjoy having the opportunity to work with him and help the CBI Group prosper after a very challenging recession.
Connect with Rich
Bryant McKenna
The glow of one warm thought is to me worth more than money. – Thomas Jefferson
The value of culture at CBI Group is like no other. It can be measured by the precise traits that we as people judge the worthiness of any person. Whether it be based upon their character, morals or honesty. CBI Group offers its guiding advice and Outside-In business concept to create a bond of transparency to turn customer to colleague and business partner to trusted advisor. These ideals made me want join CBI to become part of a vision that immediately embedded itself into my entrepreneurial spirit.
Connect with Bryant
Gaye Jablonski
CBI Group’s philosophy of “giving our customers’ the competitive edge” is an unusual statement in business, and in sync with my personal belief of doing the right thing and being accountable for what you say you’ll do.
Connect with Gaye
Dave Vander Does
When I sat down with Chris for my first interview, I was very skeptical about joining another search firm but after spending a few minutes with him as he shared his vision, I was sold. I loved the entrepreneurial feel of the company. I loved the unique “Outside-In” approach to customer service. I love the idea that I could do more than just recruit for my customers, I could actually consult and help them solve their business issues as it relates to the “people side” of their business.
Connect with Dave
Kim Facciolo
“Our attitude toward life determines life’s attitude towards us.” – Earl Nightingale
Connect with Kim
Gail Mical
I joined CBI Group’s team because of their reputation, culture & employees. They not only offer opportunity for growth but being Outside-In, CBI Group has a unique business approach that is customized from scratch for each client.
Connect with Gail
Montara Tyler
“To succeed… You need to find something to hold on to, something to motivate you, something to inspire you.” – Tony Dorsett
Connect with Montara
Jeff Robbins
“The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand.” – Vince Lombardi
Connect with Jeff
Elizabeth Mulle
“If you can dream it, you can do it.” – Walt Disney
Connect with Elizabeth
Patricia Wakefield
“Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
This quote really embraces what the CBI Group and Placers is all about. Everyone’s ideas and thoughts are carefully acknowledged and considered.
Connect with Pat
Rebecca Misel-Newpher
“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself, any direction you choose.” – Dr. Seuss
Connect with Rebecca
Kim O’Donnell
“Character and personal force are the only investments that are worth anything.” – Walt Whitman
Connect with Kim
Ashley Paulson
“Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” – Thomas A. Edison
Connect with Ashley
Mary Clay
“Man improves himself as he follows his path; if he stands still, waiting to improve before he makes a decision, he’ll never move.” – Paulo Coelho
Connect with Mary
Sara Donnell
“I truly enjoy knowing that I have had a role in helping people find a job that they love. I receive lots of phone calls from frustrated candidates checking having no luck in their job search. It’s very rewarding when I call them to set them up for an interview and hear the excitement in their voice and even better when I can make an offer to someone I’ve spoken to a lot. It’s nice to know that their hard work has paid off for them, their families and for us.”
Stanley Yau
“A customer is the most important visitor on our premises. He is not dependent on us. We are dependent on him. He is not an interruption in our work. He is the purpose of it. He is not an outsider in our business. He is part of it. We are not doing him a favor by serving him. He is doing us a favor by giving us an opportunity to do so.” ― Mahatma Gandhi
I was once asked in an interview, “If there were two people with whom have since passed that you could spend a half an hour conversing with, who would they be?” One choice of mine was Ghandi. He is a tremendously iconic figure whose doctrine adds value to our business philosophy of Outside-In. Let’s respect and hold value to our customers. Let’s be quiet, listen, and learn to let our customers write our story.
Connect with Stanley
Lindsay Griffith
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston Churchill
Connect with Lindsay
Alex Patton
“The world is your oyster.” – William Shakespeare
I consider this quote frequently, and it has yet to not motivate me on a daily basis, truly realizing that this world that surrounds all of us is what we make of it.
Connect with Alex
