We help companies hire exceptional CFOs and other finance leaders through long-standing relationships across the CFO Leadership Council and Chief Executive Group communities.
Most executive recruiters start with résumés. We start with relationships and first-hand knowledge of your needs.
Most companies do not fail because they hire a bad CFO.
They fail because they hire the wrong kind of CFO for the stage they are in.
That mismatch is what makes CFO hiring so expensive.
Traditional search firms build candidate lists after the search begins. They rely heavily on interviews, references, and outreach to executives they may not know.
Through the CFO Leadership Council, we have spent years working alongside top senior finance leaders — seeing how they think, lead, and perform over time. That allows us to recommend CFOs based on real-world observation, not just introductions.
We specialize in serving middle-market companies — including private equity‑backed, venture capital‑backed, and other privately held companies — that need exceptional executive talent to reach the next level.
Many clients do not begin with a search. They begin with a conversation. Do you need a new CFO, or a different type of CFO? Either way, you make a better decision.
We have been CFOs and financial leaders and have worked alongside many of the CFOs we recommend. We understand what success actually looks like in the role — and we know the difference between a leader who interviews well and a leader who will truly fit the business.
Our perspective is informed by long-standing relationships across the CFO Leadership Council. We do not rely on cold calls. We are continuing conversations with CFOs we know.
We structure our work so our success is tied to yours. Fifty percent of the fee is invoiced at engagement. If the CFO is not successful within six months, we conduct a replacement search at no additional cost or refund your entire fee.
Through the CFO Leadership Council, we maintain ongoing relationships with thousands of senior finance leaders. That means we often begin with real knowledge of the market — not just a process for searching it.
The CFO Leadership Council is a professional network, not a candidate pool. We do not market members. We bring perspective shaped by years of real interaction, trust, and ongoing engagement with the finance leadership community.
Tell us what you are trying to solve. We will tell you whether a search is the right answer — and what it should look like.
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1:00 - 5:00 pm
Over 70% of Executives Surveyed Agree: Many Strategic Planning Efforts Lack Systematic Approach Tips for Enhancing Your Strategic Planning Process
Executives expressed frustration with their current strategic planning process. Issues include:
Steve Rutan and Denise Harrison have put together an afternoon workshop that will provide the tools you need to address these concerns. They have worked with hundreds of executives to develop a systematic approach that will enable your team to make better decisions during strategic planning. Steve and Denise will walk you through exercises for prioritizing your lists and steps that will reset and reinvigorate your process. This will be a hands-on workshop that will enable you to think about your business as you use the tools that are being presented. If you are ready for a Strategic Planning tune-up, select this workshop in your registration form. The additional fee of $695 will be added to your total.
2:00 - 5:00 pm
Female leaders face the same issues all leaders do, but they often face additional challenges too. In this peer session, we will facilitate a discussion of best practices and how to overcome common barriers to help women leaders be more effective within and outside their organizations.
Limited space available.
10:30 - 5:00 pm
General’s Retreat at Hermitage Golf Course
Sponsored by UBS
General’s Retreat, built in 1986 with architect Gary Roger Baird, has been voted the “Best Golf Course in Nashville” and is a “must play” when visiting the Nashville, Tennessee area. With the beautiful setting along the Cumberland River, golfers of all capabilities will thoroughly enjoy the golf, scenery and hospitality.
The golf outing fee includes transportation to and from the hotel, greens/cart fees, use of practice facilities, and boxed lunch. The bus will leave the hotel at 10:30 am for a noon shotgun start and return to the hotel after the cocktail reception following the completion of the round.
