Kurt Thomas

Commander
DISC Type : D

Executive Talent Program Partner (Advisory Position) at Patina - A Korn Ferry Company

St. Petersburg, Florida, United States

Overview

Kurt is a retired C-Suite Human Resources Executive with extensive experience leading talent strategy, executive compensation, and succession planning at public companies like MGIC. A graduate of Northwesterns Kellogg board governance program, he now serves as an Executive Talent Program Partner in an advisory role at Patina, a Korn Ferry company.

He is deeply committed to community arts and education, having served for over 14 years on the board of the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music, including as Chairperson. He has also been a board director for the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Foundation, contributing to its Finance, Investment, and Governance committees.

Unique fact: He was hired to build an entire Human Resources department from the ground up for Strong Capital Management (now Wells Fargo).

Personality Overview

Candid & Clear

Risk-Taker

Decisive

They respond better to strong and respectful interactions.  They take a lot of pride in personal achievements. They like to move fast and expect the same from others.

Topics They Care About

Executive Talent
His career as a CHRO and current advisory role at Korn Ferry are focused on executive search, succession planning, and talent acquisition for key leadership roles.
Board Governance
A graduate of Kellogg's board governance program, he has served on multiple boards, including roles on compensation, governance, and nominating committees.
Music & Arts
Passionate supporter and past Chairperson of the Board for the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music, where he served for over 14 years.

Media Appearances

Kurt has no verified media appearances

Work History

4-2022 - 3-2023
Executive Talent Program Partner (Advisory Position) at Patina - A Korn Ferry Company
12-2003 - 3-2020
SVP Chief Human Resources Officer (Retired) at MGIC
8-1995 - 12-2003
Human Resources Consultant at Independent Human Resources Consultant
8-1990 - 8-1995
Director of Human Resources at Strong Capital Management (now Wells Fargo)
12-1989 - 8-1990
Senior Compensation Administrator at Johnson Controls - Battery Group

Education

MS from Lubar College of Business
Corporate Board Governance Program from Northwestern University - Kellogg School of Management

More Information

Social Presence :

Prographics :

Exp : 37 Location : St. Petersburg, Florida, United States Job Level : N/A Designation : Executive Talent Program Partner (Advisory Position) at Patina - A Korn Ferry Company
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Insights For Selling To Kurt

During A Call Or A Meeting

DO's

  • Speak about competitive differentiation that your product offers
  • Make sure that you circle back fast on any action items, it wins their trust
  • Objectively showcase the impact that your product creates

DONT's

  • Do not spend too much time focusing on product tech or features
  • Don’t focus on process and rules, give the impression of being a ‘gets it done’ person
  • Don’t be in a rush to invite them for a social meet and greet

When Cold Calling

When Writing An Email

While Negotiating & Closing

    The secret to closing fast with Kurt is

  • Conviction around the impact matters the most to them, followed by a sense of achievement and ROI.
  • Will you ever get a clear answer from Kurt

  • If they are not convinced, they will say no without any hesitation.

Insights For Deal Planning

    How fast (or slow) will Kurt move?

  • They can reach decisions fairly quickly if they are convinced.
  • Can Kurt take some risk or not?

  • They don’t mind risks but can be quite binary about them.

You And Kurt

Personality Compatibility


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