Jodie L. Jiles, Robert L. McMillan II, and Rich Phillips Join Wheless Partners Financial Services Executive Search and Leadership Advisory Practice, Ensure Clients' Access To 'Top-Of-The-Bell-Curve' Industry Talent

ATLANTA, Feb. 5, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Wheless Partners, a leading Board, CEO, 'C-Suite' and Senior Executive search and leadership advisory firm serving market-defining enterprises across 24 select industry verticals nationwide, announced an investment to ensure clients within the financial services arena true access to top executive talent in financial services markets with the additions of Jodie L. Jiles, Robert L. McMillan II, and Rich Phillips to its Financial Services Practice Group.

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Collectively, Jiles, McMillan, and Phillips bring over 80 years of insight and service to financial services enterprises operating within the investment and retail banking, insurance, brokerage, municipal underwriting, private equity, foreign exchange trading, venture capital, structured finance and financial data security. They join senior partner Michael Ballew, former Chief Recruiting Officer for a Top 30 U.S. bank holding company, in applying the firm's proprietary Portfolio Approach^SM assuring clients' within the portfolio virtually unencumbered access to market-moving financial services leadership talent.

Jodie L. Jiles - President and Managing Director.  Jiles was appointed and served as an active member of The Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas – Houston Branch, where he brought broad financial services experience, insight and keen business acumen representing 'Fed' interests in the United States' fourth largest city.  Beyond his Federal Reserve service, Jiles is a trusted advisor and board member for the Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, Greater Houston Partnership, Texas Business Leadership Council and is a volunteer with the University of Texas System and University of Texas at Austin, where he was recognized with its 'Distinguished Alumni' Award. Jiles brings significant financial services experience earned as a senior executive with RBC Capital Markets, First Albany Capital, Credit Suisse First Boston, and Bear Stearns.

Robert L. McMillan, II - Co-Managing Director.  McMillan brings a distinguished career in financial services, private equity, and healthcare administration and capital project development to the firm's Financial Services Practice. Most recently a senior executive with Merrill Lynch and Morgan Stanley, McMillan has received boardroom and trustee appointments from a number of renowned foundations and fraternal institutions, including his service as Chairman of The Greene Foundation of the Kettering Health Network and Chairman of The Ohio State University Buckeye Club. McMillan is a graduate of the Wharton School of Business and The Ohio State University.

Rich Phillips – Co-Managing Director. Phillips brings more than two decades of financial services executive search experience to Wheless Partners and has served national and global clients as Managing Director and financial services practice group leader with boutique and global executive search firms headquartered in New York.  Well-acquainted with the problems faced by clients of the largest search firms because of their restrictive 'off-limits' client relationships, Phillips was compelled by Wheless Partners' proprietary Portfolio Approach^SM prompting him to join the firm from his entrepreneurial consulting practice where he worked on behalf of name brand Fortune clients.

Michael Ballew is a seasoned executive search consultant with expertise in management, workplace diversity, counseling, training and operations. Before joining Wheless Partners, he served as the Chief Recruiting Officer for one of America's Top 30 U.S. bank holding companies, as well as a Chief Operations Officer and regional healthcare human resources executive.

"Boards, 'C-Suite' Executives and strategic Human Resources leaders have already embraced these four exceptional leaders as trusted partners who are gifted to identify, attract and bring forward the highly desired, 'top-of-the-bell-curve' talent required to advance their companies' marketplace position and ensure their legacy within the fiercely competitive financial services and insurance sectors," said Mike Wheless, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Wheless Partners.

"Jodie, Rob, and Rich could have joined any firm larger or better known than Wheless Partners," Wheless observed. "Each realized how our firm's unique Portfolio Approach^SM to executive search and leadership advisory services prevents the dilution of talent pools and the assignment of candidates based on the volume and timing of work for specific clients, two issues that continue to stifle our larger competitors' clients."

Wheless added: "We're especially delighted by the addition of Jodie L. Jiles, who is one of Texas's most recognized business and community leaders, and one of the first African-American leaders of a Financial Services Practice Group in executive search and leadership advisory firms in the country."

Together with Rob McMillan, Rich Phillips, and Michael Ballew, Wheless added, "We've created a powerhouse team of experienced search and advisory leaders serving financial services institutions who provide another distinct competitive advantage to leading executives who are striving to elevate their enterprise's overall brand value as well as their own individual brand equity. That's how we've become recognized as 'The Catalyst for Extraordinary Leadership^SM.'"

About Wheless Partners

Wheless Partners Executive Search provides nationwide search services to fill Board of Directors, Chancellor, President, Chief Executive, Chief Officers, and other executive, senior and mid-level management roles. The firm's contributions include executive leadership to internationally known and Fortune 50 organizations, mid-size corporations, and advancing small enterprises. Additionally, Wheless Partners has demonstrated expertise in conducting assignments for Fortune ranked companies, universities, not for profits and governmental agencies and private equity.

Contact: Kevin Arvin, Wheless Partners (800) 448-0926, ext. 108 or [email protected]

SOURCE Wheless Partners