Linda Burtch

Linda Burtch is the founder and managing director of Burtch Works, and an executive recruiter specializing in placing quantitative and marketing professionals. Formerly a senior partner at Smith Hanley Associates, LLC, she managed the Midwest practice out of Chicago. An experienced recruiter, Linda has been placing entry-level through top tier executives in small, mid-sized and large businesses worldwide for more than 25 years.

Linda has made her name as an expert in the specialized field of quantitative marketing analytics. Linda says:

The people I work with are highly educated and part of a growing, often not well understood niche in the business world. I make it my business to get to know my clients and candidates as individuals, as well as to stay abreast of the industry as a whole.

I'm excited about the changes that emerging technologies are bringing to the marketplace — the open networking and transparent interfaces of social networking and the Internet are changing the way we do business in dynamic, sometimes unpredictable ways. This is a high-touch business that's all about building relationships. Burtch Works is affording me, as well as my clients and candidates, the flexibility to capitalize on the growing potential of these technologies.

With more than 25 years experience, I also know what works. I have a long, vested interest in the quantitative and marketing communities, and a true belief that these professions will continue to evolve and grow in important, interesting directions. My greatest professional satisfaction comes from helping candidates explore and reach their career potential, and working with clients to plan for and maximize the potential of their business. That's what I'm good at — that's what I know.

Now I want to get to know you. Feel free to contact me by phone or email and let's get the conversation started.

Contact Information

Phone: (847) 440-8560
Email: lburtch@burtchworks.com
Blog: lindaburtch.blogspot.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lindaburtch

Linda specializes in:

Analysis, data mining, data warehousing, database marketing, direct marketing modeling, e-commerce, web analytics, business intelligence, econometric modeling, forecasting, market mix modeling, media optimization, sales analysis, market research, SAS Programming, statistical modeling, survey research and syndicated data.

Katie Ferguson

Katie Ferguson is an executive recruiter working in the highly specialized field of marketing science. Prior to joining Burtch Works, Katie served as a recruiting professional at Smith Hanley Associates, LLC, and spent six years as a recruiter and human resource generalist for the City of Chicago. She holds a Master's degree, with an emphasis in Human Resource Development, from the University of Illinois.

Katie has concentrated her efforts on becoming a recruiting specialist in the quantitative marketing science industry. Katie says:

I have a passion for recruiting and believe that establishing strong relationships and open lines of communication are the keys to identifying the optimal match between client and candidate. Recruiting is often an evolving process, and developing long-term relationships is critical to making the process a success.

Finding the right candidate for a client, and the right position for a candidate is a very personal experience. As I get to know the needs of my clients over time, I can be proactive in identifying the strongest candidates for their current and upcoming staffing needs. Qualifications listed on the big boards are only a part of the picture. Personal connections made by a recruiter with strong relationships will lead to a successful match that is likely to last.

Burtch Works is an entrepreneurial environment that fosters teamwork and collaboration. We have a very collegial atmosphere that facilitates idea sharing and open communication, which makes us all better recruiters.

I offer a thorough working understanding of the specialized field of marketing science and the variety of roles it encompasses. I use this knowledge to help clients successfully navigate the pool of candidates, and take deep personal satisfaction when I play an integral role in finding the best possible job for my candidates.

Please feel free to connect with me via LinkedIn. I look forward to getting to know you soon. I can be reached via my direct phone number or email listed below.

Contact Information

Phone: (847) 440-8562
Email: kferguson@burtchworks.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/KatieCFerguson

Katie specializes in:

Data mining, economics, forecasting, marketing mix, market research analysis and pricing, marketing science, modeling, promotion response, quantitative marketing, regression analysis, SAS, statistics, survey methodology, database marketing, statistical modeling, data mining, campaign management, CRM, e-commerce, online marketing, SAS reporting, quantitative entry level, and web analytics.

Sandy Marmitt

Sandy Marmitt is a recruiting specialist for all channels of direct marketing which includes campaign strategy and analytic modeling. She also specializes in the online/e-commerce marketing area which includes web analytics. An experienced professional, she spent more than four years as a full-cycle recruiter and 18 years as a corporate human resource generalist, recruiter and benefits administrator. Before joining Burtch Works, she was Director of the Midwest Direct Marketing Group for Smith Hanley Associates, LLC, and prior to that, was Director of Human Resources for Equitec Group, LLC.

Sandy is equally immersed in the practice of recruiting and keeping current with everything happening in the marketing world. Sandy says:

My role as a recruiter is to find the best fit for my clients and candidates. My three greatest assets as a recruiter are more than 20 years experience, a realistic attitude and a consultative approach. Anything can happen in this profession. With flexibility and experience, I am prepared to handle any situation.

It takes time to get to know both my candidates and clients, and getting to know them is the best part of my job. The more knowledge I have about a candidate's skills and personality, the more successful my recruiting efforts will be. It's equally important for me to develop long-term relationships with my clients, to determine their wants and needs, to get to know their preferences and company culture, so the candidates I refer are likely to be a good fit.

Along the way, I have developed relationships with hiring managers and corporate human resources professionals, allowing me to put my candidates directly in front of the decision makers, instead of getting lost in the black hole of the Internet resume submission process. People hire people — the Internet is just a tool — a valuable tool, to be sure, but only one of many that I have at my disposal.

Burtch Works is a positive, supportive environment, where we are steeped in industry knowledge that our clients and candidates appreciate. If you are interested in making a connection, contact me by my direct line or email address listed below, and be sure to reach out to me on LinkedIn.

Contact Information

Phone: (847) 440-8563
Email: smarmitt@burtchworks.com
Blog: sandymartmittdm.blogspot.com/
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sandymarmitt

Sandy specializes in:

Direct marketing, integrated marketing, direct mail, circulation, catalog, list management, database marketing, statistical modeling, data mining, campaign management, acquisition, retention, account management, CRM, e-commerce, online marketing, email marketing web analytics, online reporting.

Terra Schultz

Terra Schultz is Burtch Works' office manager. Prior to joining Burtch Works, Terra worked as an arts administrator for the Hyde Park School of Dance and Emerald City Theatre Company, two non-profit arts organizations in Chicago. She also worked as a market research recruiter for Smith Hanley Associates, LLC.

As office manager, Terra considers it her job to make the administrative processes at Burtch Works smooth and seamless. Organized, proactive and detail oriented, she puts technology to work for recruiters, clients and candidates. Terra says:

Our goal is to work with candidates over the course of their entire careers, and to provide the best possible matches for our clients' job openings. We are an extremely collaborative group and that hard-working team spirit trickles down into all the work we do.

I enjoy contributing to the team by developing and implementing applicable, effective administrative processes. I try to solve any problems quickly, calmly, and efficiently.

Please feel free to connect with me via LinkedIn. I can also be reached via my direct phone number or email listed below.

Contact Information

Phone: (847) 440-8567
Email: tschultz@burtchworks.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/schultzterra

Meghan Shea

Meghan Shea offers extensive experience as a nationwide recruiter specializing in credit and risk strategy and analytics, as well as marketing analytics for financial services. Meghan has developed an intimate knowledge of the inner workings of the credit industry, keeping her finger on the pulse of this complex, changeable business. She understands the team dynamics within the major organizations, as well as how various individuals and groups operate. Most recently, she recruited for Smith Hanley Associates, LLC and, prior to that, worked for Careers on the Move, a recruiting firm that focused on a variety of skill sets within the financial services industry.

Meghan knows the movers and shakers of the credit and financial industry. She says:

Establishing strong, long-term relationships is key. As a recruiter, you develop credibility over time, by placing candidates with clients who continue to thrive in the marketplace.

I'm able to follow candidates throughout their careers and work with them in a consultative way to help them manage their careers. Once I successfully place a candidate, I nurture that relationship as he or she grows professionally.

I believe my best assets as a recruiter are a strong work ethic and a diplomatic nature. I am able to translate a particular opportunity to a candidate to make it appealing to them, as well as to communicate the personality of the candidate to the client. These personal interactions transcend the flat, two-dimensional process of Internet recruiting, resulting in better matches for clients and candidates alike. In the long run, it's the personal connections that make the difference.

Linda Burtch has assembled a talented, enthusiastic team at Burtch Works. Her reputation in the industry brings credibility to the entire company. The team members bring a positive, cooperative spirit to the workday, and we often brainstorm about jobs, candidates and client opportunities.

Please feel free to contact me directly by phone or email, and connect with me on LinkedIn. I look forward to working with you.

Contact Information

Phone: (847) 440-8570
Email: mshea@burtchworks.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/meghanshea

Meghan specializes in:

Statistical Analysis, Credit Scoring, Quantitative Marketing, Portfolio Management, Risk Analysis, Pricing, Fraud, Credit Policy, Loss Forecasting, Risk Management, Basel II Modeling, Behavioral Modeling, Targeting / Segmentation, Predictive Modeling, CRM, Data Mining, SAS Programming, Campaign Management, Direct Marketing, e-Commerce, Partnership Marketing, Rewards / Loyalty Marketing, Web Analytics, Online Advertising, Survey Research, Sales Analysis, New Product Research, Strategic Planning, Consumer & Commercial Lending, Call Center Operations, Digital Marketing

Lauren Eck

Lauren Eck has recently moved into an executive recruiter role, working with Burtch Works' entry-level candidates.  She has roughly four years experience in the recruiting industry, including having previously worked as Linda Burtch's associate.  Lauren's time as an Associate Recruiter allowed her to develop a comprehensive understanding of the marketing analytics industry and the art of recruiting.  She believes in the importance of maintaining strong, long-term relationships with her clients, and operates with a uniquely collaborative approach.

Lauren describes her perspective this way:

I take great care in listening to my candidates – what they've done thus far in their career, what they are interested in, and what I can do to help them.   I give them advice on their resume, their job search and answer any questions they have about joining the work force.

The internet is an excellent tool, but it only scratches the surface. As recruiters, we have long-standing relationships with our clients, and have in-depth knowledge about their positions, so are able to tell you the details that a job description can't (and the details you really want to know!). We are also able to better prepare candidates for their interviews, helping them anticipate questions, and facilitating offers and salary negotiation processes.

At Burtch Works, we want our candidates to be successful, and our clients to be satisfied with their hires.  As a team, we work with integrity, honesty, and diligence to provide the best resources possible for both groups.

Contact Information

Phone: (847) 440-8561
Email: leck@burtchworks.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/laureneckfaucette

Lauren specializes in:

Entry-level candidates (graduating from a Masters or PhD program in Statistics, Mathematics, Economics, or other quantitative field) across a variety of industries.

Naomi Keller

Naomi has been a Recruiter with Burtch Works since the summer of 2012, working with Market research candidates. Prior to joining Burtch Works, Naomi was Associate Vice President of Business Development at GfK. Her firsthand experience in Market Research with GfK, Knowledge Networks, and Ipsos has put her in a unique position to assist her candidates and clients in the field.

Naomi says:

Market research has expanded in really amazing ways over the years. There are so many great consumer insights divisions across different companies conducting interesting, progressive, and consultative work. I feel like I have a unique view of the market from working with a myriad of companies and their consumer and shopper insights teams. I look forward to helping our clients grow these teams by providing them with the best possible talent. It's like a giant puzzle, finding the right fit between a candidate and client, and I love spending my days talking to both sides, hearing about each of their goals and how they can be mutually beneficial.

Having worked within the market research field for eight years, I have a good sense of the types of roles available and the skills necessary to succeed. Now as a recruiter, I am committed to sharing my knowledge with our candidates. I think it's critical to have a genuine interest in seeing candidates find a good match in order for them to be successful within their new roles. At the same time, you have to build a strong relationship with your clients and make sure that the resumes you are putting in front of them represent the best and brightest talent out there.

Burtch Works is an incredibly cooperative and team-oriented environment. We are constantly brainstorming and working together to find our clients the best talent and to find our candidates the best next step in their careers.

Contact Information

Phone: (847) 440-8565
Email: nkeller@burtchworks.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/naomikeller

Barbara Bednarowski

Barbara Bednarowski joined Burtch Works in early 2012 as a research associate. She is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin, where she studied English.

Barbara has a strong background in customer service and is excited to be working with the seasoned professionals at Burtch Works as the organization grows. Barbara says:

My role allows me to keep our candidates updated about new jobs and overall activity in the job market in creative ways, whether it's sharing an article on Twitter, researching job trends, or sending candidates updates on what jobs we are currently sourcing.

I'm extremely detail oriented and have learned to ask the right questions. My customer service background makes me comfortable communicating with both clients and candidates, and that elicits trust. The candidate needs to trust that we are working with excellent companies that can offer them good opportunities, and the client needs to trust us to send them outstanding candidates. I think Burtch Works excels at both.

While the Internet can be a great resource for starting your job search, it can also add stress to the process. Often, you can apply to dozens of jobs without ever hearing back from a real person. Working with a recruiter helps eliminate that stress. If you want feedback from an application or an interview, we're only a phone call away and our long-standing relationships with clients means we can get answers.

Please feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn, or call or email me directly.

Contact Information

Phone: (847) 859-4216
Email: bbednarowski@burtchworks.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/bednarowski

Betsy Blum

Betsy Blum is an executive recruiter working with businesses and senior level marketing science candidates throughout the US. Prior to joining Burtch Works, Betsy worked as Peace Corps volunteer in Guinea, West Africa, and then recruited for the Peace Corps Chicago office for several years. She also worked as a corporate recruiter for McMaster-Carr.

Betsy brings a variety of recruiting experience from both nonprofit and corporate sectors. Betsy says:

From my time in the Peace Corps, I learned a great deal about being flexible. I believe you need to adapt based on your current situation. Our goal is to cultivate long-term relationships. I believe this approach helps us build a deep understanding of our candidates' skill sets and what they can bring to a client.

The best part of my job is getting to meet so many people and developing a keen understanding of this industry. Linda has built an amazing and smart team that is guided by her 30+ years experience. Burtch Works is a great place to work and grow.

Please feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn, or call or email me directly.

Contact Information

Phone: (847) 440-8566
Email: bblum@burtchworks.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/betsyblum

Katie Prezas

Katie Prezas is a Manager of Recruiting Research and part of the Burtch Works marketing science team that supports senior-level roles and candidates. Prior to joining Burtch Works, Katie was part of a small market research consultancy in the Chicago suburbs working on-site with the firm's top client, a high-profile Fortune 500 organization. There she led a team of analysts responsible for quantitative and qualitative primary research focused on customer experience, store operations, and new product testing. She holds a graduate degree in industrial/organizational psychology.

Katie has extensive training in statistics and experience in data aggregation, analysis, and interpretation. Katie says:

Our ability to specialize in the specific niche area of quantitative recruiting has allowed us to establish rich expertise, something we're able to share with and leverage for our clients. I have developed extensive knowledge of the movements and trends within the analytics industry, which builds credibility and trust, and allows me to forge strong relationships with both clients and candidates.

For candidates, we serve as a source of some of the best analytics jobs currently available, and as trusted career advisors—a source of information and advice at each decision point. For clients, long-term relationships help us to gain a deeper understanding of their team and talent needs, which helps us to tailor our searches for additional employees and provide them with only the most highly-qualified candidates.

I believe our team offers a unique value proposition to candidates in the analytics and market research space. My knowledge of market research and analytics helped me quickly jump into the lingo of this industry and connect with candidates on a deeper level. In addition, my education in I/O psychology makes me well versed in employee selection procedures, including behavioral, situational, and other interviewing techniques.

My phone number, email address and LinkedIn information is provided below. I look forward to connecting with you soon.

Contact Information

Phone: (847) 440-8568
Email: kprezas@burtchworks.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/katiedunnprezas

Karla Ahern

Karla started at Burtch Works in 2012 and is one half of the Market Research recruiting team. Along with Naomi Keller, Karla works with candidates with expertise in consumer insights, competitive intelligence, and all facets of market research. Prior to recruiting, Karla worked in various client services, account management and business development roles at SymphonyIRI, Knowledge Networks (purchased by GfK) and Dimestore (now known as GfK Digital Market Intelligence).

Karla says:

I worked in market research before joining Burtch Works so the transition to recruiting for this industry has been great. In my previous positions, I was tasked with creating relationships quickly and cultivating trust in those relationships. In my role as a recruiter, I'm doing the same thing - working with clients and candidates, and forging meaningful and long-term partnerships. This is something I truly enjoy and I think that makes me a better recruiter.

Recruiting blends my past experiences and skills to help match the best candidates with the best roles. Using a recruiter who knows you, your background, and what you're looking for in your next role is one of the best ways to make sure you're best represented as a candidate for an open position. Networking and using the internet are also invaluable tools, but working with a recruiter ensures that you are represented in the best possible light.

Burtch Works functions extremely well as a team. It's a very collaborative environment and we're always willing to help each other and bounce ideas off one another. This not only makes it a nice place to work, but it's beneficial to our clients and candidates as well who have a whole team of smart, experienced professionals behind them.

Contact Information

Phone: (847) 440-8564
Email: kahern@burtchworks.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/karlaahern

Jessica Chinnadurai

Jessica has been with Burtch Works since early 2013. In her current role, she supports Linda Burtch assisting in administrative and research duties and managing candidate and client relationships. Jessica is a recent graduate from Loyola University where she studied Political Science, International Relations, and Psychology. Prior to joining Burtch Works, she worked at a local law office and held an internship with Missouri Representative Ellen Brandom.

Jessica says:

This is definitely a challenging and exciting role for me. While I've had experience working in the legal field and in government, business is a huge step and I'm learning so much. Being involved in the day to day process of a business is very interesting and fulfilling.

Market research and marketing science have grown a lot over the years and although I've never worked in this field before, it's been a great experience so far and I see such devotion in our entire team here to the industry. Burtch Works is still a relatively small company, but its influence is huge. I think Linda really strives to offer a personal experience for her clients and candidates and all of the recruiters seem to have the same goal in mind.

Contact Information

Phone: (847) 859-4213
Email: jchinnadurai@burtchworks.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jessicachinnadurai

Heidi Kalish

Heidi is one of Burtch Works’ most experienced recruiters and is currently doing selective contract work supporting quantitative candidates and clients. In addition to her role as a recruiter and sourcer, Heidi balances her project work at Burtch Works with a new career in photography.

Heidi says:

I worked with Linda Burtch at Smith Hanley Associates for 10 years and am excited to be working with her again at Burtch Works. I have done project recruiting with Burtch Works in the past and absolutely love the work and people here. I really consider them my second family and I think that closeness transfers into our recruiting efforts. We all work together in various capacities and it makes us successful.

Regardless of how technical our society becomes, strong personal relationship will always win out over a faceless job process. Burtch Works is committed to building those strong relationships with both our candidates and our clients and that’s why we have worked with many of them for several years.

Contact Information

Phone: (847) 859-4217
Email: hkalish@burtchworks.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/heidikalish

Ellen Haeg

Ellen is a Research Associate who joined Burtch Works in early 2013, assisting the Burtch Works market research recruiters in day to day job management. Before recruiting, Ellen worked in digital marketing in both sales and quality assurance roles.

Ellen says:

Recruiting is a new endeavor for me but it also builds on my experience in marketing. I’ve always been a focused and curious person by nature, and I like that this position allows me to utilize my curiosity to help our team, our candidates, and our clients. I love supporting small teams and working in a close, collaborative environment, and I think Burtch Works is so successful because of this structure.

Recruiters are invaluable because of the democratization of the job search. Employers and HR departments are now quickly flooded with applicants for job openings, but with their deep industry knowledge, recruiters can streamline the process by identifying and securing highly qualified candidates. In market research specifically, the growth of social media has greatly expanded our access to information about consumers and buying habits. There are huge opportunities in market research as companies recognize that potential and staff accordingly. I’m excited to help match our clients to qualified candidates and participate in this quickly growing field.

Contact Information

Phone: (847) 859-4212
Email: ehaeg@burtchworks.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ellenhaeg