Need: Experienced and impassioned leader for established statewide organization
Service: Executive search
This dynamic and growing membership organization of Ohio’s charitable and
free healthcare providers retained The Yunker Group to find a successor to its
long serving and retiring Executive Director. From its offices in Columbus,
Charitable Healthcare Network supports and advocates for quality care for
vulnerable populations.
Isi Ikharebha Green, MPH, Board Chair
“As Board members with full-time jobs, we understood that trying to take on this task of finding a new Executive Director was not in our wheelhouse. It was critical that we find a leader who could provide continuity – and help us grow –to best serve our members and our community during these turbulent times. So, having the leadership we got from The Yunker Group as we made this important decision was essential.”
“I appreciated absolutely everything about the search. The process, the quality of the candidates, the counsel we received, the timeliness of everything – it was all phenomenal. As busy as we were, the firm’s president, Jim Yunker, managed to make the process easy for us, and I think that’s a testament to the experience and expertise The Yunker Group brings to this work.”
“Jim is fantastic. He’s very personable, very professional – overall just a very pleasant person to work with. And he’s knowledgeable. He’s able to make this a comfortable process, and that is a great strength.”
“Jim made things easy for us, but we probably didn’t always make things easy for him. He had to wrangle some cats because he was dealing with a group of people who have a lot on their plates. But he always worked with us in a very diplomatic and respectful way. You honestly didn’t want to disappoint him by not getting your part done!”
“I plan to recommend The Yunker Group to my own organization. It’s just a good feeling to know when you have something important to do that you have a partner who has the knowledge and expertise you need to get the result you want. You can’t do it yourself – you just can’t. It’s a very competitive environment when it comes to talent, and how you present yourself as an organization is critical. You must keep the process moving. You must be responsive and timely with your candidates, and I just don’t think we could have kept up with everything without The Yunker Group’s support.”
Joel Kessel, Search Committee Chair
“We selected The Yunker Group for this search for three reasons: the strength of the process they presented, the fact that we knew Jim Yunker would be leading the work, and the emphasis he placed on being respectful of our time. The Yunker Group really lifted the burden off us and placed it on themselves, and that was a tremendous relief.”
“The search went very well – because we ultimately got the best leader and we all are extremely excited about. Honestly, with everything going on in the world, especially in the business world of talent and retaining talent, workforce shortages, etc., we had real concerns about how all of this would go. And looking back, I am absolutely convinced that, if we had tried to do this on our own, we would not have been successful. Because we went through a thorough process led by Jim, we were able to find and hire an exceptional person who is going to take our organization to the next level.”
“Jim is professional, experienced, knowledgeable. He is clear, he appropriately managed our expectations. He instills confidence, and he puts people at ease. And ultimately, Jim ‘gets it.’ He understands nonprofits – it’s his area of expertise. We just felt complete confidence and comfort knowing we were being led by someone who knows what they’re doing.”
“All I can say to someone looking for a recommendation is – talk to Jim. Have a conversation, have an open mind. And don’t look at this as a cost. Look at it as an investment in the future of your organization. Because that’s really what it is.”
Jason Koma, Successful Candidate
“I really find that the key to a good experience as a candidate in a search process is the level of communication and transparency around the process – and every time there was a lull and I started to wonder what was going on, Jim would reach out with an update. That’s an important touch that isn’t always there, and I really appreciated it.”
“I felt like I had more of a relationship with Jim than is typically the case when it comes to recruiters. He made the process more like a conversation and always emphasized that it had to be a right fit for everybody – which made me feel like I was also his client in a way. He was looking out for my interests, too, and that’s certainly not always the case.”
“Jim is very personable and puts you at ease. He took some of the formality out of the conversations, which helped me be myself and put my best foot forward. The process felt very authentic and genuine, and that made it a very positive experience for me.”
“I think The Yunker Group’s ability to build a connection and a rapport with the candidate sets them apart. There was a lot about this experience that felt different to me – like there was a real interest and curiosity in me as a person and that fostered a sense of open, honest communication that served everyone well. My interest in the position increased over the course of the process, and Jim was a big part of that. There’s only so much you can put in a job description, but to have someone that can really embody the opportunity and bring it to life for you during that process – that makes a world of difference.”