Witt/Kieffer Names James Utterback Principal & Practice Leader of the Firm’s IT Practice
Oak Brook, IL – February 5, 2015 — Witt/Kieffer, a leading executive search firm, today announced that James “Jim” Utterback has been named Principal and Practice Leader of the firm’s Information Technology Practice. Jim brings a wealth of global experience to the position, with 30 years of diverse and dynamic executive leadership and consulting experience in information technology and entrepreneurial, private equity and venture capital backed endeavors. Throughout his career Jim has gained a deep appreciation for the transformative power of technology and the importance of innovative leadership and partnerships to achieve business goals.
“Jim has deep expertise in the IT space, especially in healthcare, one of our core industries, as well as with technology-driven service companies. He has an appreciation for the vital importance of great leadership to organizational growth, value creation, and shareholder returns,” said Charles W.B. Wardell III, president and CEO of Witt/Kieffer. “We’re thrilled to welcome Jim and look forward to putting his creativity and vision to use for our firm and our clients.”
Through his experiences in public, private and academic settings, Jim has hired C-suite healthcare executives on five continents, including presidents and general managers, CFOs, COOs, CMOs, and leadership positions in IT, technology, and human resources.
Jim’s leadership roles have included serving as President/CEO of several health service and health technology firms, including those focused on genomics and personalized medicine. He has also held corporate officer positions with publicly traded Covance (formerly Corning Life Sciences) and Rhone-Poulenc Rorer Pharmaceuticals (now Sanofi). Jim began his career in the General Management program at General Electric’s Medical Systems Division.
Jim graduated Cum Laude from Washington & Lee University with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Economics. He graduated Summa Cum Laude from Virginia Polytechnic Institute with a Master of Science in Industrial Psychology.
Jim currently has served on the boards of organizations in the Contract Research Organization (CRO), Healthcare IT, and Genomic markets, and remains an enthusiastic supporter of entrepreneurship, technological disruption, innovation, and visionary thinking.
About Witt/Kieffer:
Witt/Kieffer is the nation’s preeminent executive search firm supporting organizations improving the quality of life, including those in healthcare, education, academic medicine, life sciences, sports, and the not-for-profit sector. It also serves clients through its Information Technology, Board Services and Leadership Solutions practices, which offer services that further strengthen client enterprises. For more information, please visit WittKieffer.com. Follow the firm on Twitter and Facebook, and connect on LinkedIn.
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