Focus Search Partners Grows Interim Leadership Practice with Seasoned Leaders Barbara Haith and Matthew Zoltowski

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Dec. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Focus Search Partners, a Vaco company and leader in retained search and interim leadership, is expanding its Interim Leadership practice by hiring Senior Managing Director Barbara Haith and Managing Director Matthew Zoltowski.

In their respective roles, Barbara and Matthew are dedicated to placing interim executives at client companies. They provide organizations with access to the specialized skills and deep expertise of tenured leaders—without the long-term commitment of hiring full-time employees. This approach allows organizations to access top-tier talent for critical projects, while reducing costs and driving both agility and innovation.

"Executive-level staffing has rapidly emerged as a key solution in today's evolving Gig Economy 2.0," said Paul Frankenberg, Founder and Managing Partner of Focus Search Partners. "As businesses continue to navigate shifting markets and face increasingly specialized needs, the flexibility and expertise offered by interim leaders is invaluable. At Focus Search Partners, we are thrilled to grow our Interim Leadership practice with the deep expertise of Barbara and Matthew, who have proven track records of building strong client relationships, driving organizational success, and delivering tailored solutions that address the dynamic challenges our clients face."

Barbara Haith

Barbara Haith brings 30-plus years of experience in business development and strategic interim solutions to Focus Search Partners. As Senior Managing Director, Barbara sources highly experienced leaders across a variety of industries with a focus on manufacturing, operations, and consumer products. Her specialty lies in driving middle-market organizations forward by delivering innovative talent solutions and optimizing operations to enhance efficiency, productivity, and profitability. Prior to working at Focus Search Partners, Barbara served as Senior Managing Director at Korn Ferry, where she was primarily focused on interim solutions within manufacturing. She was also a Senior Managing Director at Patina Solutions, which was acquired by Korn Ferry in 2022. Barbara began her career in retail at Banana Republic, where she earned a reputation for innovative talent acquisition strategies and advanced to the role of multi-store regional manager.

"I'm thrilled to join Focus Search Partners and contribute to our mission of helping businesses thrive, particularly during times of transition, transaction, and transformation," Barbara said. "Our focus is on providing the right interim talent to fuel growth—whether that's stepping in to fill a leadership gap or bringing in specialized expertise to support key initiatives."

Matthew Zoltowski

In his role as Managing Director of Focus Search Partners, Matthew delivers customized interim executive solutions that drive client success. Matthew brings more than 20 years of experience in professional services and organizational development to the team. Most recently, Matthew served as the Executive Director of Client Development and Management at Business Talent Group, where he built expertise in strategic workforce planning. He previously held leadership roles at TEKsystems, Slalom, and Gartner. At Focus Search Partners, Matthew's consultative approach and extensive industry knowledge will help him connect top-tier interim talent with leading organizations.

"With business needs rapidly evolving, it's an exciting time to join Focus Search Partners as we see increased demand for agile and interim leadership roles," said Matthew. "Professionals are working differently these days. They prefer to focus on complex projects and challenges, rather than simply punch a clock. Our team is poised to help organizations connect with exceptional interim talent that not only drives meaningful change and accelerates growth—but also delivers cost-saving solutions."

About Focus Search Partners' Interim Leadership Practice

From interim board members and C-suite executives to senior-level professionals, the Interim Leadership practice sources for a range of positions and specializes in identifying top-tier talent across key leadership roles. This includes interim chief executive officers, chief financial officers, chief operating officers, vice presidents, and other critical executives who can step in to drive business growth, navigate complex challenges, and lead during periods of change.

Alongside Kate, the Interim Leadership team leader, Barbara and Matthew join existing interim team members Monica Foster, Managing Director, Teresa Hansen, Principal, and Nick Wilkins, Principal. Collectively, the team addresses clients' provisional talent needs across multiple industries, including healthcare, life sciences, technology, manufacturing, consumer products, and private equity, within both the private and public sectors.

About Focus Search Partners

Founded in 2001, Focus Search Partners specializes in building teams to grow companies, focusing on recruiting board members, executives, and senior-level individuals. In 2014, the company was acquired by Vaco, a $1.1+ billion global professional services firm. Today, Focus Search Partners has 45+ employees and 19 partners spanning the United States and abroad. For more information, visit focussearchpartners.com. 

Media Contact:
Brittney Kowalski
(603) 504-2024
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SOURCE Focus Search Partners