Client Testimonials
What Our Clients Say
We were very impressed with the quality of service that O’Rourke & Associates provided during our recent CEO search. Given the fact that our Board consists of volunteers from various industries – with limited spare time, we needed O’Rourke’s expertise and dedication to do the leg work. The process was very organized and well thought out. The candidates presented were in line with what we were looking for, which put our minds at ease. The representatives from O’Rourke were there to answer questions along the way, and walked us through the process to ensure everyone was comfortable with the decisions that were made. I speak for our entire Search Committee and Board of Directors when I say that we highly recommend O’Rourke for your recruitment needs.
I was extremely pleased with O’Rourke & Associates’ meticulous process in aiding Orion’s search for two new executives. They took the time to understand our culture and strategic goals to better identify qualified candidates. Collaborating with them made the process seamless. I would recommend their services to any credit union and I plan to use them with future recruitment needs.
Over the past few months, we’ve worked with O’Rourke & Associates on two different senior level searches. They were successful in assisting us to explore the market and secure the right individuals for our organization. They were extremely knowledgeable about the market and did a thoughtful and thorough job of gathering information about the role and organization before they began the search. We have been extremely happy with the new members of our leadership group and will not hesitate to call on them again.
From the initial steps of defining the scope of work to negotiating our offer with the final candidate, O’Rourke & Associates was professional and responsive throughout. Our Search Committee was equally impressed with the quality of the candidates presented to replace one of the credit union movement’s most respected League CEOs. Simply stated O’Rourke & Associates delivered!
I was privileged to be on the search committee to recruit a successor to a highly successful and much-loved, long-time trade association and for-profit subsidiary CEO.
O’Rourke & Associates farmed the country for prospects, including some that were not actively looking to move from their employment positions. Our committee was able to interview several highly qualified candidates, and our organizations are thrilled with our new hire.
O’Rourke did a wonderful job of amassing candidates, and guiding us through the very challenging selection process. Speaking for myself, and I suspect more than one member of the search committee, Bridget subtly (and professionally) weaned me away from my fixation on finding a clone for our retiring CEO, but instead helped me focus on finding a skilled and energetic leader, who only secondarily possessed the business, trade and technology acumen necessary to the position. I highly recommend the firm.
O’Rourke & Associates did a wonderful job for us. The thought of replacing a long-time CEO for a very successful company was monumental for our search committee. We established the criteria for a successful candidate upfront and she went to work. They laid out a well-defined process and provided excellent communication throughout, allowing our committee to focus on one main goal – hiring the right candidate. They handled all the pre-screening, fielded questions from candidates and brought us to the interview stage with a field of excellent candidates. They facilitated the interviews with neutrality and handled all communications with the candidates. O’Rourke’s experience, networking ability and knowledge of running a successful search process allowed us to focus on our main task – finding the right person. By allowing the process to work, we achieved our goal and we commend the O’Rourke team for a job well done! Thank you.
Selecting a new CEO to lead an organization is one of the most important initiatives that a board member could experience. Our board was extremely pleased with the effort that O’Rourke put forth right at the very beginning of our relationship to understand both the organizations culture and priorities. O’Rourke also laid out key recruitment and interview milestones early on and met each one along the way. O’Rourke’s recruitment expertise combined with their vast network of contacts within the Credit Union System resulted in our board hiring a CEO that had the many desired skills and experience that the board shared with O’Rourke on day one.
I’ve had the opportunity to work with the O’Rourke and Associates team on several occasions, most recently when they helped us fill the role of SVP of Human Resources.
Their organizational integrity, experienced, knowledgable and objective team, unparalleled service and commitment to our success, makes O’Rourke our first call when looking for executive-level talent. They’re an incredible partner and asset to our industry.
Their organizational integrity, experienced, knowledgable and objective team, unparalleled service and commitment to our success, makes O’Rourke our first call when looking for executive-level talent. They’re an incredible partner and asset to our industry.
We brought in the O’Rourke Team to help us fill three key but difficult to fill management positions. To our delight they provided a pipeline of high caliber extremely qualified candidates in under a few weeks. Beyond just sourcing candidates the O’Rourke Team has played an instrumental role in helping us develop case studies and screening tools enabling us to select the best candidates. It has been a smooth process with great communication making it a pleasure to work with them.
We used O’Rourke & Associates to conduct an executive search for a Chief of Staff. The O’Rourke team clearly understood our business needs and the candidates we were targeting. Their approach was very focused and efficient, and they maintained excellent communication throughout the process. The candidates they presented possessed the knowledge base and experience we were seeking, and they were an excellent fit with our corporate culture. I would recommend O’Rourke & Associations without reservation.
Making the decision to further my career was not an easy one. I contacted the O’Rourke team and immediately felt valued and encouraged to pursue the next steps to becoming a new CEO. The O’Rourke team worked with me every step of the way and partnered with me to find the perfect match. I am so happy with the experience that I plan on using them to recruit for any key positions that come up in the future. Thanks team!
Making a transition, a new opportunity is always a challenging as it involves change, relocation, new cultural dynamics and alternative business strategies. The Team at O’Rourke & Associates recognizes in me the leadership qualities that match the organizational goals and strategic initiatives of the Board of Directors here at Pinnacle. I’m excited to be the new CEO of Pinnacle and look forward to the future, recognizing that valuable business partners help us achieve more for our members.
Working with the team at O’Rourke & Associates has been like an extension of our own organization. They are in tune with the culture, strategy and direction of Heritage Federal Credit Union, allowing them to effectively and accurately pinpoint the right fit for our needs. O’Rourke & Associates is definitely a “go to” resource and partner for executive recruitment.
Northeast selected O’Rourke & Associates after contacting a number of executive recruiters. Our search committee was totally impressed by O’Rourke’s presentation and follow up. They interviewed the senior management staff, the directors, getting the total picture of our CU, its needs and culture. Our CEO of 30 plus years had pass away as the result of an accident the day after he announced his retirement. O’Rourke & Associates established a time table, advertised in Trade Publications, utilized their data files and secured a good number of applications. The applicants were then vetted, and a short list of candidates were forwarded to the search committee for selection of the best for a formal interview. The interviewed candidates were all top notch and interviewed very well. We were able to make our selection within 4 months of starting our search. O’Rourke & Associates set a time table, secured a good selection of candidates and assisted us in the interview process. The professional approach, outstanding communications, and personal attention allowed NECU to recruit a top notch CEO. O’Rourke & Associates did an outstanding job. I can only say THANK YOU.
They have exceeded my expectations more than once and I consider them to be a “best in class” business partner in the recruiting arena. I have had the opportunity to work with O’Rourke and Associates for several years to replace key leadership positions at many credit unions during my time as a credit union consultant. The O’Rourke team were sensitive to the specific needs of the credit unions and more importantly aware of the cultural impact to ensure a well-positioned placement. From presenting to a new board unfamiliar with recruiting senior level positions to meeting with staff directly impacted by an upcoming change, I have found O’Rourke to be consistently willing to listen, research and locate a qualified pool of candidates best suited for the credit union and its members. I have personally worked with O’Rourke during some difficult and challenging situations.Their integrity, professionalism and support provided assurance and confidence during times of uncertainty.
First, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to O’Rourke & Associates for working so quickly to respond to our search request need. They are very knowledgeable, easy to work with along with being very adept at screening & presenting “top” talent. From my perspective, O’Rourke went “above and beyond” to understand our culture and the key professional success factors needed for a member of the Executive Management Team. They worked diligently to seek and present a slate of candidates who met and exceeded our position specifications. Overall, partnering with O’Rourke on this critical and key search was extremely positive and results-oriented. Our President/CEO was extremely impressed with the quality of the CLO candidate pool presented by O’Rourke & Associates. Thank you!
The O’Rourke team is competitively priced, very capable, and easy to work with. We absolutely will consider them again in the future. Finding top performers with the right fit for an organization requires a clear understanding of the workplace culture, strong communication channels between parties, skilled critical insights, and unrelenting diligence. Over the past several years, O’Rourke & Associates has conducted a number of searches for our credit union. The positions recruited have ranged from chief lending officer to branch managers and information systems professionals. All of our selections fully met our expectations for competency and fit.
Outstanding results! O’Rourke and Associates assisted in our VP of Lending search. It was a partnership that took account our past, present and future needs. They were sensitive to our unique culture here in the Appalachian Mountains as well as my own management style. They asked all the right questions and insured that the position was not just filled, but our needs were cared for. Thank you for a Job Well Done!
O’Rourke and Associates handled our CEO recruitment and hiring process with great professionalism. They were thorough, concise, and the process ran smoothly. They maintained the time lines that were discussed with us and provided us good direction in how the overall process would be.
WestStar had an opening for Chief Financial Officer at a critical time for us. I was confident that his team could help us find the right person for WestStar. The O’Rourke team were efficient, professional and eager to move quickly to help us. They worked closely with me to understand the specific needs of the position and the organization and were thorough and diligent in the process of screening candidates. In the end, we got the right person who was able to fit in immediately with our team and our organization. You can’t ask for more than that. O’Rourke delivered for WestStar!
From the moment we engaged O’Rourke, everything was handled very professionally and continued to be so handled through the successful candidate’s initial day at work and beyond. Time frames were met. The candidate pool was significant and the resumes selected appeared to meet the established criteria. O’Rourke understood the climate in which we operate, the business itself, and the culture of the organization. They was diligent, very accommodating, and accomplished everything as he promised including meeting time frames. They were detail oriented and made excellent suggestions. My background is HR for forty years and he ranks right up there with the best recruiters I have known.
We would highly recommend O’Rourke and Associates to any Board or Search Committee in the industry. Our credit Union was at an important inflection point and in need of a new CEO. O’Rourke and Associates took the time to understand our institution, its unique culture and the need for a new strategic direction. Working closely with the Board Search Committee, they brought us a wide array of diverse, highly qualified, and unique candidates. They met our timeline and, through their deep knowledge of the industry and their strong partnership with us, far exceeded our expectations.
Finding and hiring a new CEO is a critical undertaking for any credit union but particularly daunting for one with assets under $100 million. Based on our experience, O’Rourke and Associates is highly recommended for any executive search need. To guide us through the process, we found O’Rourke and Associates to be the perfect partner. O’Rourke was with us every step of the way; outlining the procedure, establishing a timeline, advertising for and screening applicants, conducting initial interviews, and negotiating terms with our chosen candidate. Thanks to O’Rourke, the process went smoothly and was accomplished with ample time for a seamless transition from the retiring CEO to our newly appointed one. Particularly helpful was the free flow of information between O’Rourke and us, and that every question, big or small, was answered promptly with explanations that met our satisfaction.
The team from O’Rourke & Associates met and exceeded our expectations for professionalism. Our board includes talented and capable educators with experience conducting complex executive searches. They thoughtfully explored our corporate culture in their search for candidates who matched our needs. They respected the role of the board and assisted us in every appropriate way. It was a personal and professional privilege to work with the O’Rourke team. Importantly, we concluded a successful search and are making a positive leadership transition.
Selecting a Chief Executive Officer is the single greatest responsibility that a Board of Directors of a credit union is charged with. Naturally, the search for a successor for our CEO gave our Board the opportunity to experience, first hand, the reality of this challenge. We met this challenge head on with great success due to the engagement of O’Rourke & Associates. They preformed what could only be described as a masterful job in conducting our executive search as well facilitating the interviews, final candidate selection and compensation negotiation processes. We were highly impressed with and remain grateful for their involvement. We would highly recommend this firm to anyone in need of their services.
Kudos to O’Rourke & Associates for their outstanding work with Verity Credit Union! O’Rourke & Associates did a superb job leading our selection committee and Board through the recruitment and selection process for our new President/CEO. Their thoughtful, thorough, and professional preparations for, and execution of, the entire process was flawless, yielded an excellent result, and made the effort so much easier and less stressful. O’Rourke worked collaboratively with the Executive Committee in establishing the recruitment/selection schedule and worked diligently to meet every date, providing invaluable guidance and technical support all along the way.
The team at O’Rourke & Associates did a complete and thorough job assisting me in recruiting a key member of my management team. They took the time at the outset of the engagement to understand our business dynamics and challenges, along with my specific requirements of the CFO position. They listened carefully at each stage of the interaction, and produced a quality slate of candidates, each with a comprehensive set of information that included resumes, interview notes, project deliverables and behavioral profiles. I appreciated their professionalism and believe we hired the best candidate for our needs. I certainly would consider their team for future executive searches, and would highly recommend them to others based upon our experience with our CFO search.
A terrific job! That is what we received when working with O’Rourke & Associates to obtain our new Vice President of Card Services. The O’Rourke team listened to our requirements and provided the attention necessary to understand our credit union’s culture. In turn they provided us a varied package of qualified candidates. As a plus they met our timeline and overall exceeded our expectations! We would definitely consider the O’Rourke team for future Senior Management searches!
I believe one of the most important things any CEO does is to build a great team. The volunteers, our members and staff deserve the very best when it comes to filling leadership positions in the credit union. That is why I contacted O’Rourke & Associates because I knew I needed help in finding a superior candidate for our vacancy. They were instrumental in helping us find the right personality to fill our vacant lending position. I will definitely call O’Rourke the next time I have a vacant position on my team.
Speaking from experience, being a candidate for a credit union CEO position is a stressful and demanding process. Fortunately, over the years I’ve had a number of interactions with O’Rourke and Associates which greatly benefited my career. The team from O’Rourke provided me with expert advice, timely feedback and trusted guidance that ultimately helped me secure my current position. They are a professional, caring and effective team and I recommend their firm whole-heartily.
O’Rourke and Associates delivered everything they promised in their proposal. They were thoughtful, diligent, organized, knowledgeable, and professional. The candidates they presented for our consideration were top-notch, and I’m confident that our new CEO has the expertise and vision to accomplish great things at our credit union!
Very rarely do I recommend service providers – but in the case of O’Rourke and Associates I have no hesitation. They have provided our credit union effective and transparent executive search services on multiple occasions. They serve as an excellent business partner by delivering highly qualified candidates and assisting us in objectively evaluating each. In addition to the depth of experience and understanding of the financial marketplace, the quality that sets them apart is their integrity. Each and every employee at O’Rourke focuses on building long term relationships with their clients rather than merely completing a transactions. They set a high standard by never “shopping” a candidate back once placed. I found this level of integrity commendable and believe it’s one of the qualities that sets them apart.
A complete job! That is what we received when working with O’Rourke & Associates to obtain our new President and CEO. The team at O’Rourke provided the attention necessary to understand our credit union’s culture and offered us a varied package of qualified candidates. As a plus they met our ambitious timeline and overall exceeded our expectations! We would definitely consider their team for future executive searches!
After a long career in one credit union, my move to SESLOC was the first CEO search which I participated in as a candidate. The team at O’Rourke exhibited the perfect blend of objective professionalism balanced with encouragement and caring for the stress the process can have on a candidate. They communicated regularly throughout the interview milestones, providing updates on timing and expectations, plus valuable feedback after each segment. For SESLOC, this was a new experience using an outside partner for recruiting as they were filling a CEO position for the first time in 41 years. I have received feedback from the Board that they were similarly impressed with the way O’Rourke and Associates gave the time, attention and priority to this placement as if it was their only recruitment.
We recently hired a key leadership position in our organization with the assistance of the professionals at O’Rourke & Associates. Having previously spoken with the O’Rourke team, we were familiar with their responsiveness and expertise. They took the time to understand our particular needs and to match that up with contacts they had in the field. O’Rourke narrowed the candidate base so we were presented with only those who were well qualified. We felt good about the process, were very pleased with the results, and recommend their organization to others. The team receives the highest ratings for service first and a job well done.
The challenges faced by credit unions serving members around the world make it easier to understand the challenges we face in the United States today. It puts things in perspective and gives us the means to create tools that will make life easier. We can’t do what we do without the support of our supporters and our volunteers. Thanks to all of you for helping us make a difference.
The O’Rourke and Associates team has been a great business partner to Oak Trust Credit Union. We worked together on an organizational transition initiative that included Board governance, leadership team development, executive coaching and the recruiting of our new CFO. Their comprehensive approach facilitated our success.
Rocky Mountain Credit Union utilized the services of O’Rourke & Associates to find their current President and CEO. The result was a very qualified, highly energetic and motivated CEO to assume the reigns of the credit union. “After I assumed the CEO position, I found myself needing to find a qualified candidate to fill the VP of Finance/CEO position in my credit union. Once again Rocky Mountain Credit Union sought out the help of O’Rourke and Associates to find the right individual who would bring the qualifications and knowledge to this management position. Both from the candidate’s perspective and the employer’s viewpoint ORA is an excellent choice when seeking job placement vacancies.
Making a difference means more than working together as partners. It also means looking to the future of the cooperative movement and that’s what O’Rourke & Associates has done for many years. Many thanks go out to the team at O’Rourke & Associates for their support of the World Council of Credit Unions, Elder Abuse Education, Financial Literacy, and the Children’s Miracle Network. That’s a true partner, one that helps my credit union and gives of themselves as volunteers because they care about the industry.
The complexity of today’s economic environment requires us to govern prudently, while also positioning for the future. O’Rourke & Associates has provided invaluable consultation to our Board and our executive team on strategic organizational development. O’Rourke understands our corporate environment, and also brings out the most innovative thinking to fulfill our brand promise to members. It’s great to have O’Rourke & Associates as our business partner.
The quality, integrity, and professionalism of the firm are the highest caliber. Their services extend far beyond simple recruiting. They build their high-quality reputation by personally customizing searches and their finding matches that fit the profile. In true credit union fashion, they are partners committed to the success of each client.
Leadership transitions are difficult tor any organization and having the right business partners to support our recruiting was critical to our efforts. I appreciate working with O’Rourke & Associates as they diligently supported my team in recruiting a key member of our leadership team. Thanks to all…
When it came time to recruit three senior management positions here at XFCU and select a firm partner with, we didn’t even bother to go through the RFP process. We just picked up the phone and called O’Rourke and Associates. Based on my previous engagements with the firm, I just knew that I’d get a fair price, an expedited process, and most importantly—The best possible candidates. The team at O’Rourke took the time to understand my recruitment needs upfront, were absolutely dogged about the best possible fit with my style and our credit union’s business plan, over-delivered on their proposed timeline, and were on absolute pleasure to deal with. What can I say?… I’m a big fan of O’Rourke & Associates
Credit unions of all sizes are facing a time of great challenge and a huge opportunity to serve members. Having a strategic focus is vital to our survival, but often difficult based upon the number of hats that we are required to wear as credit union CEOs. Our credit union is a progressive organization. We have the latest in technology and strive to anticipate our members’ needs. I’m active, I’m involved in the industry and I’m determined to keep credit union philosophy alive during this time of change. That is why we look for trusted business partners who understand the complexity of the current market and our credit union’s business model to help us create our strategic plan.
Leadership transitions are never easy, especially in on organization where the senior team has worked together for many years. When First Tech sought a new Chief Credit Officer, a key member of our CEO’s senior management team, we called upon O’Rourke & Associates to help us. Their response was immediate. They took the time to meet with us face to face and learn the nuances of the ideal person for this role. They delved into our culture, worked closely with our leadership team to conduct a national search effort and completed the process earlier than we anticipated. We received the outstanding service we expect from our vendors and partners. O’Rourke & Associates demonstrated consummate professionalism and their commitment to service excellence is unquestionable.
I believe one of the most important things any CEO does is to build a great team. We make an impact on our members, our staff and the community we serve. O’Rourke & Associates was instrumental in helping us, Tyndall FCU and me build this team. We share a common vision for leadership and Tyndall’s Member Return ranking speaks for itself, from 138th to 4th in 4 years while maintaining solid financial performance. From recruiting to succession planning, O’Rourke & Associates is our valued business partner.
Credit unions have a great story of collaboration to share with their members in 2009. I believe that now is the time to challenge the status quo and build consumer confidence in our segment of the financial services industry. Now is the time to ask our legislators to be active in understanding the credit union cooperative model. Now is the time to demonstrate our commitment to our colleagues and current collaborative entities such as Corporates, CUSOs, and Leagues, as a signal of our confidence in the credit union industry intellectual firepower. Our consultation with O’Rourke & Associates to develop organizational transition initiatives such as CU*Talent is another example of innovation and collaboration making a difference.
O’Rourke and Associates was the full service firm for our recruitment needs. After 30 years at FCIFCU our Manager decided to retire. O’Rourke and Associates was there with the Board of Directors every step of the way….from understanding what our small credit union needed and wanted to scheduling interviews and everything in between. We would not hesitate to use the services of O’Rourke and Associates in the future and highly recommend them to any credit union that is looking to fill leadership positions.
