Over the nearly 40-year history of our firm, when as a portfolio company within the private equity arm of Fidelity Investments or after our spinout as a freestanding partnership in 2012, we have had team members join us early in their careers, develop an aptitude and passion for executive search, perform exceptional work, and elevate to the level of Partner. Other colleagues have utilized early career experience in the executive search field to become educated about leadership and the business world and utilize that knowledge in a different career path that is well suited for their interests and abilities. Our alumni have gone on to pursue successful careers in life sciences, technology, higher education, financial services and other industries.
My time at Park Square introduced me to how critical finding, hiring and retaining the right talent is for any organization. I got to see firsthand how important it is for a business to have the right executive in place with the right experience and skill set. I was also introduced to how companies are structured and executive compensation, both of which have helped me tremendously in my careers in recruiting, consulting and now within the life sciences industry. I am thankful for my time and experience at Park Square and most importantly, the people I got to work with!
I learned the fundamentals of sales through my work in executive search. I was presenting candidates to clients and explaining the ‘why’ of how they could solve a problem. I didn’t realize at the time that I was learning a sales process that would remain at the core of my career beyond executive search.
There are few professions as nuanced and multi-faceted as executive search. To be exposed to investors, entrepreneurs, executives and board representatives that early on in my career was, in hindsight, an incredible learning experience. In many ways it was my MBA, and I would not be where I am today without the experience, exposure and mentorship I received during what really was a pivotal time in my early career.
My experience as a Research Associate and subsequently as an Associate has taught me the importance of qualifying a prospect and has given me the confidence to talk to important decision makers on the phone. Finding my own voice and style on the phone was challenging at first but it proved to be a critical factor that has helped me build rapport with prospects in my current role.
In my work with the Park Square team, I had to dive deep and get up to speed quickly on new industries – a skill that remains a critical aspect of my current work as a management consultant. I developed the ability to speak fluently about the importance of effective leadership with a company’s senior teams and investors. The fast-paced world of executive search was the ideal training ground to learn the importance of attacking complex projects with flawless execution, and it taught me how important it is to work alongside clients as true thought partners.
The high standards and rigor of quality search work I learned with the team from Park Square are fundamentals I use to this day. I am grateful for the experience of mentorship, spirit of collaboration, and a data-centric approach are skills that I now share with the teams I help build.
Beyond providing a solid foundation in research, project management, and communication skills, working as an Associate at Park Square opened my eyes to new industries and paths I'd never previously considered. Connecting with candidates, hearing their career stories, and ultimately finding the right match between company and executive gives you a unique yet grounded perspective from which to make decisions for your own career.
The Park Square team taught me that the right person in the right role makes all the difference. In my current role, I focus on optimizing team capabilities and performance; my experience with the Park Square team helped me understand that the essence of outstanding performance begins with people. I gained a deep understanding of organizational structure and leadership effectiveness which has been instrumental to my career. Further, the entrepreneurial culture that embodied the firm has instilled in me an enterprising and creative spirit that has remained even within a large professional services organization.
Joining the firm straight out of college gave me both the search experience I wanted and the business acumen I needed. I look back fondly at my 6 years with the company and am still in close contact with the friends I've made along the way. 15 years later, I still think of Aaron, Bruce and Jonathan as mentors and am grateful to have had them in my career.
My time at Park Square introduced me to how critical finding, hiring and retaining the right talent is for any organization. I got to see firsthand how important it is for a business to have the right executive in place with the right experience and skill set. I was also introduced to how companies are structured and executive compensation, both of which have helped me tremendously in my careers in recruiting, consulting and now within the life sciences industry. I am thankful for my time and experience at Park Square and most importantly, the people I got to work with!
Taylor Cronin Coskren is the head of the Organizational Strategy and Capability practice at Alexion Pharmaceuticals. Taylor’s work with us as an executive recruiter fueled her interest in helping businesses deliver on their strategy through cutting-edge recruiting and talent practices. To this end, she joined Deloitte’s recruiting team before transitioning to the consulting side of the business. Taylor served clients across Deloitte’s life sciences practice before joining Alexion. She studied economics at Tufts University as an undergraduate and earned an MBA from the University of Michigan’s Stephen M. Ross School of Business.
I learned the fundamentals of sales through my work in executive search. I was presenting candidates to clients and explaining the ‘why’ of how they could solve a problem. I didn’t realize at the time that I was learning a sales process that would remain at the core of my career beyond executive search.
Before starting Duplessy Foundation, Derrick Duplessy learned the fundamentals of sales as a member of our team. Derrick’s training in research, candidate development, and presenting to clients over 30 searches prepared him to understand the sales process. Today, Duplessy Foundation teaches women and minority business owners in 28 countries how to implement their sales processes. The organization has helped diverse business owners to generate $4.1M in the past 5 years. Derrick’s work for Duplessy Foundation has been featured on the The Doctors television show, The Boston Globe, and NPR.
There are few professions as nuanced and multi-faceted as executive search. To be exposed to investors, entrepreneurs, executives and board representatives that early on in my career was, in hindsight, an incredible learning experience. In many ways it was my MBA, and I would not be where I am today without the experience, exposure and mentorship I received during what really was a pivotal time in my early career.
David Katz is currently the Vice President of Corporate Sales at Hubspot where he leads a growing team focused on helping the company’s most strategic customers grow better by leveraging Hubspot’s modern CRM platform. Prior to Hubspot, David spent the better part of a decade helping small, high-growth SaaS companies scale their B2B GTM efforts (LinkedIn, Dropbox, Intercom and Tessian). David got his start in the real world with Park Square Executive Search once he realized he was, in fact, not going to be an Olympic downhill skier or a future presidential nominee (sorry Mom). When not working, David is a proud father of two young boys who he hopes will both go into executive search one day.
My experience as a Research Associate and subsequently as an Associate has taught me the importance of qualifying a prospect and has given me the confidence to talk to important decision makers on the phone. Finding my own voice and style on the phone was challenging at first but it proved to be a critical factor that has helped me build rapport with prospects in my current role.
Seo-Yeon Lee is a Sales Development Representative at athenahealth. She previously worked as an Associate on our team, where she interacted with senior executives across our industry practices and found a particular passion speaking with leaders in the world of healthcare IT and medtech. Seo-Yeon was compelled to parlay the sales skills she honed as a candidate developer into a commercially oriented role at a large healthcare technology company. Before starting her career as a Research Associate, she studied Allied Health at the University of Connecticut.
In my work with the Park Square team, I had to dive deep and get up to speed quickly on new industries – a skill that remains a critical aspect of my current work as a management consultant. I developed the ability to speak fluently about the importance of effective leadership with a company’s senior teams and investors. The fast-paced world of executive search was the ideal training ground to learn the importance of attacking complex projects with flawless execution, and it taught me how important it is to work alongside clients as true thought partners.
Annie Messmer-Kurdziel is an Engagement Manager within the healthcare practice of McKinsey & Company. Prior to becoming a strategy consultant, she was the Director of Talent and Recruitment at Building Excellent Schools, a non-profit organization whose mission is to prepare excellent school leaders to transform education in their communities. Annie started her career with us as a Research Associate and subsequently Associate. She earned an undergraduate degree in Philosophy from Boston College and an MBA from Columbia Business School.
The high standards and rigor of quality search work I learned with the team from Park Square are fundamentals I use to this day. I am grateful for the experience of mentorship, spirit of collaboration, and a data-centric approach are skills that I now share with the teams I help build.
Stephanie Moore is Vice President of Human Resources at Karuna Therapeutics. She previously led Human Resources at RA Capital, a crossover investment manager that invests in drug, medical device, and diagnostics companies. While on our team, she managed executive searches across the higher education, life sciences, and technology sectors. She built on this experience to address some of the most pressing challenges biotech companies face including acquiring top talent, developing performance management frameworks, and implementing organizational development plans. Stephanie graduated from Boise State University with a degree in English Literature and earned her Master’s degree in Film Studies from the University of Rochester.
Beyond providing a solid foundation in research, project management, and communication skills, working as an Associate at Park Square opened my eyes to new industries and paths I'd never previously considered. Connecting with candidates, hearing their career stories, and ultimately finding the right match between company and executive gives you a unique yet grounded perspective from which to make decisions for your own career.
Sarah Spangenberg is the Director of Product Marketing at MakerSights, a VC-backed technology company that provides data-driven insights to retail customers. Sarah’s work with us exposed her to a range of clients and candidates at entrepreneurial, fast moving private companies. This fueled her interest in wanting to get directly involved in the startup technology world. She worked as a recruiter at Dropbox before transitioning into partnership and marketing roles of increasing responsibility at Segment and Front, two Bay Area-based technology companies. Sarah majored in Classical Studies at Dartmouth College.
The Park Square team taught me that the right person in the right role makes all the difference. In my current role, I focus on optimizing team capabilities and performance; my experience with the Park Square team helped me understand that the essence of outstanding performance begins with people. I gained a deep understanding of organizational structure and leadership effectiveness which has been instrumental to my career. Further, the entrepreneurial culture that embodied the firm has instilled in me an enterprising and creative spirit that has remained even within a large professional services organization.
Laura Gilmore Young is a member of the North America professional development team at McKinsey & Company. Her focus is on improving team effectiveness and client experience. She also leads initiatives to further the advancement of women at McKinsey, including the support of flexibility programs and relevant capability-building for Diversity & Inclusion and Unconscious Bias. Before transitioning into the consulting world, Laura’s role on our team was dually focused on managing clients across the financial services and life sciences ecosystems, as well as managing the firm’s non-Partner colleagues. Laura earned an undergraduate degree in Psychology at Boston College and an MBA with a concentration in strategy and business analysis at Boston University.
Joining the firm straight out of college gave me both the search experience I wanted and the business acumen I needed. I look back fondly at my 6 years with the company and am still in close contact with the friends I've made along the way. 15 years later, I still think of Aaron, Bruce and Jonathan as mentors and am grateful to have had them in my career.
Jonathan Yung was the rare college student who was passionate about pursuing a career in executive search while still an undergraduate student. He joined us as a Research Associate after graduation, and after being promoted to Associate, he moved to London for a year and focused on executive searches in the asset management sector. Jonathan then relocated back to his native Brazil and started his own retained search firm, Vertico Human Capital, which serves global clients in the digital economy with an emphasis on Chief Technology Officers and Latin American Country Heads.