CASE STUDY: Fahrenheit Finds Right-Fitted Commercial and Academia CEO Successor for CCAM
The Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing (CCAM) is where the best of industry, academia and government come together to solve advanced manufacturing challenges. Harnessing the power of world-class talent, technology and training, CCAM perfects production methods, helps companies be more competitive and prepares the manufacturing workforce to helps grow our economy.
FRACTIONAL management & TALENT ACQUISITION
“Fahrenheit has been a significant business partner to CCAM over the past several years across multiple services. Initially, CCAM approached Fahrenheit to help evaluate the need for finance leadership and execution as the company was struggling to fill key roles in rural Prince George County. That conversation ultimately lead to the outsourcing to Fahrenheit of most of our finance and accounting functions, including a fractional CFO, a role they still fill for the organization. Having Fahrenheit’s broad base of expertise as part of our team has been integral through many challenges and opportunities over the last several years. Being able to leverage additional expertise has been critical, especially for a non-profit organization where every dollar is crucial. We were able to pull in human capital expertise from the Fahrenheit team as well when we needed it.
When CCAM was looking for a comprehensive partner for our search needs across the organization, Fahrenheit, again became a natural partner. The Fahrenheit team has delivered exceptionally well with the complex and unique set of positions that require highly technical skill sets. The depth of knowledge through this broad relationship with Fahrenheit across accounting & finance, HR and recruiting has allowed for an incredibly cohesive approach. Human capital for research is our most valuable asset. Fahrenheit was able to cost effectively draw talent from both industry and academia.
When it came time to consider my successor as the CEO for CCAM, I was confident in the relationship with Fahrenheit and their ability to execute. And, they were able to leverage a more flexible approach to a search solution. This was a complex role with a sophisticated board (made up of Fortune 1000 executives and leaders from the academic world) and Fahrenheit did a great job at bridging the commercial and academic world, in addition to all of the specific cultural and skill set requirements of the CCAM CEO role. All of this during a financially challenging time and in the middle of the global covid-19 health pandemic. I’ve worked with all the large national retained firms as both a client and a candidate. Fahrenheit delivered on par with any other firm I’ve worked with. And, in my opinion, better than any of the national retained firms I have experienced. Fahrenheit has been a true business partner to CCAM, becoming an extension of our team and I have enjoyed our relationship.”
-Will Powers, CEO, Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing
“The committee felt that we would be able to find a CEO by using our personal contacts, but we were quickly abused of this idea. We recognized that the search for the perfect person would benefit from real professionals doing the job. This is my first experience in which a search firm has been this involved with the search process. I have worked with search firms looking for board members and in one case, for a CEO of a large, multi-national corporation. None of those searches were as complicated as this one has proven to be. We would not be where we are now without Fahrenheit. Our experience with Fahrenheit has been excellent and Sarah Gobble has managed all aspects of the process. Her contributions to the process have exceeded our expectations.”
-Barbara D. Boyan, Ph.D. | Dean, College of Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University | Chair of the search committee charged with finding a new CEO for the Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing
“As the vice-chair of the board of CCAM and member of the search committee for a CEO position I had the privilege to work with [Fahrenheit Advisors and Sarah Gobble]. Sarah has been extremely helpful to the board in her role as a senior consultant in recruiting for this executive position. Her accuracy in detecting relevant candidates and her efficient as well as communicative management of the recruiting process has been substantial for the success of the committee in occupying this position on time…”
-Dr. Nezih Yaramanoglu | Vice-Chair of the board of Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing |Director, Cross-Portfolio Technologies & Innovation at Siemens PLM Software