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Author: M3 Placement

Helping Find Tomorrow’s Executives, Today

Smart Succession Planning is a Year-Round Job. M3 is Here to Help.


Every business, no matter the size or sector, will need to navigate a leadership change at
some point. 77% of middle-market businesses have gone through a major leadership or
ownership transition in the past five years or expect one in the next five, but only a third of
them have a written CEO succession plan in place. Among family- and privately-owned
businesses surveyed in 2025, 30% have no succession plan at all. Yet with CEO departures
hitting an eight-year high in 2025 and executive tenure dropping, organizations can no
longer afford to wait and hope to figure it out when a leader inevitably departs.
Knowing “who’s next” is one of the cornerstones of a robust talent strategy. Mid-market
businesses face myriad challenges when designing succession plans, including smaller
benches of internal leaders, intense competition for qualified external candidates, and the
lack of institutional experience finding, developing, and retaining executive talent. That’s
where talent advisory firms like M3 can help fill in the gaps, helping organizations to
identify, develop, and attract their next leader.
What Proactive Succession Planning Looks Like
If your leaders left today, who could step in to lead tomorrow? Whether your succession
event is a planned transitions or an unexpected departure, the primary goal in any
leadership transition is to minimize disruption to the organization. In today’s rapidly
changing business landscape, the cost of such disruptions can be steep. Proactive boards
can take steps now to strengthen their succession plans, including:

Preparing for a smooth transition. The first year of a new executive’s tenure is the
most crucial for their success. Knowing who internally will help guide this transition,
the role for the outgoing leader (if applicable), and the milestones and benchmarks
denoting success will help get everyone on the same page quickly.
Preparing for the Future Creates Strength in the Present
Good succession planning not only prevents chaos; it unlocks strategic benefits in the
here and now. High performers stay when they can see a path up. Asking “what will our
next leader need to do?” forces a sharper answer to “where are we going?” And a company
that can run itself effectively, even if its top executive were to step down unexpectedly, is
easier to sell, finance, and hand down.
Few growing companies have a talent team with enough executive leadership experience
to run this process, and few should build one for an event that happens every five to ten
years. This is where an experienced search partner earns its keep: helping define the role,
mapping the market before you need to access it, assessing internal candidates and
external options, and guiding a clean transition. If you don’t yet have an answer to the
question, “who’s next”, M3 is here to help you find your next world-class leader, together.

Establishing an emergency succession plan. This person should know that
they’ve been tapped as a potential interim leader, and prepared in advance with the
strategic context, business relationships, and skills necessary to hit the ground
running.

Assessing and developing promising internal candidates. Promoting from within
is often the best way to ensure both cultural and strategic continuity yet finding and
retaining these key employees requires time and care. Such prudence is also a
powerful retention tool – investing in talent and communicating long-term plans for
their growth helps keep them in-house.

Reviewing and revising desired skill profiles. If you were to look externally for a
new leader, what skills and experiences would be considered essential? In the case
of an unplanned executive search, establishing who you’re looking for in advance
can save valuable time and ensure your job post is uncovering the right candidates.
Having an outside talent strategist quietly scan the outside market can help stay
abreast of who is potentially available and what they cost in the event of a search.

Timothy T. Rosbrook || Senior Vice President, Human Resources and Organizational Effectiveness, Revere Copper Products Inc. || https://www.linkedin.com/in/timothy-rosbrook-18315a127/

Tim Rosbrook has led Revere Copper Products’ human resources and organizational effectiveness function since 2010. As a member of the executive team, he advises on enterprise strategy and aligns people, leadership, organizational capability, and workforce priorities with business objectives. His experience offers a board-level perspective on executive talent, succession, workforce strategy, organizational transformation, and the operational realities that shape successful recruiting and leadership placement. Revere is an employee-owned company with operations in Rome, New York, and Mebane, North Carolina. In 2026, the company celebrated 225 years in business. The work of Revere’s employees supports critical applications across the United States, including data centers, cellular towers, electric vehicles and charging stations, medical devices, power distribution, aerospace, naval defense, and award-winning architectural projects.

As Senior Vice President, Tim has led enterprise initiatives spanning safety culture, leadership effectiveness, behavior-based management, labor relations, benefits strategy, organizational design, and talent development. He has negotiated multiple labor agreements with UAW Local 2367 while establishing a more collaborative and constructive relationship with local union leaders—experience that reflects sound judgment, stakeholder alignment, and the ability to lead through complex organizational issues. He has guided reorganizations that positioned existing and emerging talent for greater responsibility, strengthened leadership capability, and supported Revere’s continued business progress. His work has also included leading and supporting the start-up of a new copper bar operation in North Carolina, helping advance important capital improvements, and serving as a trusted adviser and mentor to leaders across the company. He is currently developing an HR operating system designed to sustain the organization’s workforce, leadership, and capability needs into the foreseeable future.

Before joining Revere, Tim served as Director of Labor Relations at National Grid, where his career spanned from 1991 to 2010. In that role, he oversaw a labor agreement covering 6,000 hourly employees across New York State and served as a business partner to operations on labor and employee relations matters. He represented the company in discussions involving safety, benefits, and operational issues, working with union representatives to advance organizational objectives.

Tim would bring to the board a seasoned executive perspective on leadership assessment, talent strategy, and recruiting decisions that advance business results.

Tim holds a Master’s degree in Human Resource Management from Chapman University and a Bachelor of Science in Economics from Saint Michael’s College in Vermont. He resides in Rome, New York.

Annie Canning || Business Development & Client Engagement Partner || https://www.linkedin.com/in/annie-canning/

Annie is excited to join M3 Placement and Partnership as the new Business Development and Client Engagement Partner. She previously worked at the Whitney Museum of American Art, where she developed a strong foundation in sales, operations, and marketing. Annie is an experienced collaborator with a passion for great customer service, so she is especially drawn to M3’s commitment to client success and meaningful partnerships. 

Annie earned her bachelor’s degree from Hamilton College in 2019 and is thrilled to be back in upstate New York after spending several years in Telluride, Colorado, and Brooklyn, New York. In her free time, she enjoys running, skiing, reading, and spending time with friends and family. 

Christy Harris || Chief Human Resources Officer, CCC Intelligent Solutions || https://www.linkedin.com/in/christy-harrissphr/

Christy Harris is Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer at CCC Intelligent Solutions, where she leads the company’s global people strategy in support of sustained growth, innovation, and operational excellence. She partners closely with the executive leadership team to shape culture, evolve the operating model, and ensure the organization has the talent, capabilities, and leadership needed to compete in a rapidly changing environment.

Christy is particularly passionate about the intersection of people, technology, and performance. Her work centers on modernizing HR through scalable systems and data‑driven insights, advancing inclusive and values‑based leadership, and preparing the workforce for the impact of AI and automation. She is a strong advocate for transparency, thoughtful governance, and human‑centered adoption of emerging technologies.

Known for her collaborative and pragmatic leadership style, Christy focuses on creating clarity through change, building strong leadership teams, and aligning talent strategy with long‑term business outcomes. She brings a steady, enterprise‑wide perspective to transformation—balancing innovation with discipline, and ambition with care for the employee experience.

Dr. Kimberly Townsend || President & CEO, Loretto || https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberlytownsend/

Kimberly Townsend is President and Chief Executive Officer of Loretto, a post-acute care system located in New York, with assets in skilled nursing, housing, managed care, short term and sub-acute rehabilitation and home and community- based services. 

Ms. Townsend is currently a Governor’s Appointee to the New York State Workforce Investment Board.  She also serves as a board member and in board leadership positions for several non-profit organizations.

Ms. Townsend received her BS and MBA from the Whitman School of Management, her JD from Syracuse University College of Law, her MPA from the Maxwell School of Public Administration and her Doctorate in Executive Leadership from St. John Fisher College. She is admitted to practice by the New York, New Jersey and Washington, D.C. bars.

Maureen O’Brien || President & CEO, NYSID || https://www.linkedin.com/in/maureen-o-brien-60900a6/

Maureen E. O’Brien is a life-long New Yorker. She is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame (B.A.) and New York University (M.A.). In 2023 Maureen completed, Women on Boards, Succeeding as a Corporate Director, at Harvard Business School.
In 2018, following a national search, Maureen was appointed the first female President and Chief Executive Officer of New York State Industries for the Disabled (NYSID). NYSID is the designated facilitator of the Preferred Source Program for individuals with disabilities. Maureen manages the execution of over 1,200 state and municipal contracts valuing $320m on behalf of 135 disability service provider member agencies and corporate partners. Annually, more than 6,500 individuals with disabilities are gainfully employed through the program. Maureen combines her private sector experience and inclusion expertise with her desire to provide opportunities and advancement to individuals with disabilities, bringing transformational change to the organization.
After serving as the Director of State Operations to 20th Congressional District Representative and Homeland Security Appropriator John E. Sweeney, Maureen became the Director of Government Affairs for Motorola Solutions Inc. (MSI) in 2007. In this capacity she handled the company’s public safety government relations work on large strategic projects. In her tenure at MSI Maureen secured public funding for over $1b in public safety projects.
Maureen’s reputation in the state houses she has called on and among the partners of NYSID is that of an honest broker and trusted advisor with a keen understanding of the political process. Those who work closely with her are witness to her sense of humor, deep network of respectful colleagues and persistence in leaving no stone unturned.
Maureen is a Director at the New York State Enterprise Technology Corporation and LifePlan, CCO NY. She is Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees at Christian Brothers Academy, a member of the Executive Board of Governors at the Center for Disability Services and the Albany Medical Center Hospital Affairs Committee. Maureen is a partner of the CEO Commission for Disability Employment.
Maureen was a recipient of the Andrew Heiskell Community Service Award and on two occasions the quarterly MSI Foundation Volunteerism Award. In 2012, 2013 and 2016, Maureen was inducted in MSI CEO Circle – recognition of performing in the top 10% of the company. In 2016, she was a recipient of The American Institute for Public Service Foundation Jefferson Award. In 2020, Maureen was recognized by the Albany Business Review as a Community Connector for Leadership in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and by City and State New York as a Socially Responsible 100 Leader making our state better for New Yorkers.
In 2021, Maureen was named a “Woman Who Means Business” by the Albany Business Review. She also received a Game Changer Award from Special Olympics New York and the Anthony J. Koenig Volunteer Service Award from the Cerebral Palsy Associations of New York State. In 2022 she received the Key For Women Achievement Award. In 2023, Maureen was named the non-profit leader of the year by the Capital Region Chamber.
Maureen is a member of the Notre Dame Club of Northeastern N.Y. and The Notre Dame Monogram Club. She and her family are communicants of Mater Christi Parish in Albany, New York. Together Maureen and her husband Dr. Paul F. Vogt have four boys Patrick, Andrew, Christopher and Gabriel.

Kevin Randall || CFO, Crouse Health

M3 has the reach and resources of a national recruiting company while still feeling like a local, small business embedded in our community. They’ve been a vital partner in helping us find the kind of exceptional healthcare leaders who not only drive long-term business success, but also ensure we take great care of our patients.

M3 Placement and Partnership + Crouse Health

Recruiting, hiring, and retaining impactful leaders is vital in every industry, but the stakes are even higher for health care companies, who must juggle both organizational challenges and high-stakes medical decisions. Finding the right executive health care talent requires companies to look beyond the standard job boards and go deeper than a resume— it requires a dedicated, trusted recruiting partner who understands the unique structural needs of the community, has a robust understanding of cutting-edge industry trends, and supports the long-term goals of the company.

M3 is not a transactional recruiting firm: we’re high-touch advisors and partners committed to supporting our clients’ unique talent strategies. As we’ll discuss below, our work with the healthcare company Crouse Health, one of the largest employers in Central New York, showcases how our differentiated approach to recruiting and hiring exceptional executives can lead to sustainable business success in the healthcare space, and how that approach can benefit health care companies nationwide.

Highlighting Crouse’s Unique Challenges and Opportunities

Crouse Health has been keeping Central New York healthy for over 130 years and serves as both a major regional healthcare provider and significant economic anchor, delivering care to a 15-county region while maintaining deep community roots and innovative clinical capabilities. They employ over 3,000 people, making Crouse one of the top ten employers in the region, and boast cutting-edge maternity, educational, and robotic surgery centers.

Both the organization’s large scope and the complexity offer unique challenges and opportunities for attracting talent, and Crouse worked with both large and local search firms prior to M3 without much success. Whereas the largest recruiting firms had the reach to identify top talent, they lacked a personal touch and nuanced organizational understanding, leading to misalignment and truncated tenures. Smaller agencies, on the other hand, didn’t always have the tools, reach, or network necessary to find outstanding candidates who could thrive in Crouse’s high-stakes and rapidly evolving corporate environment.

Eventually, Crouse CFO Kevin Randall turned to M3 when searching for a new Head of Human Resources. While Crouse is an exciting and industry-leading organization, companies outside of major metropolitan areas must often overcome the inherent difficulty of attracting and retaining high-end talent from larger markets. Doing so requires not just the reach of national firms to find candidates, but the deft cultural understanding of local firms necessary to place the right candidate in the right role, long-term. As Crouse later discovered, only M3 could offer both.

Crafting a Tailored Recruitment Strategy

Long before we interview candidates, we interview our clients. In many cases, hiring the wrong candidate is worse than hiring no one, and we believe that attracting the high caliber of talent that leads to long-term organizational success requires a deep understanding of the organization, first. To do so, we:

  1. Engage key stakeholders early and often. We interview key stakeholders including the CEO, CFO, and any direct reports for the role in order to understand what they really want out of their next executive, both operationally and culturally.
  2. Examine recent successes and failures in talent strategy. What exactly wasn’t working with prior search firms? What are the reasons employees are giving for any talent attrition issues? What, in the client’s eyes, does a successful hiring process look like?
  3. Uncover the company’s broader employee value proposition. Compensation is about more than just a paycheck. Understanding the unique benefits of Crouse’s growth trajectory, opportunities to make an impact, and regional perks allows us to market the position more effectively and find the talent most receptive to Crouse’s mission.

When we approach talent, our goal is never to appear like an external search firm, but instead present ourselves as a natural extension of the client, allowing us to attract not just any talent, but rather the right talent.

Finding and Attracting Top Tier Candidates

Drawing on our prior industry knowledge, deep roster of potential executives, and sophisticated artificial intelligence systems, we developed a signature search strategy specific to Crouse’s needs. For a health care system in upstate New York, we first focused on candidates with a prior connection to the region, especially those who might relish the opportunity for a high-impact role in a smaller market.

Together, we found an exceptional candidate who not only had the right experience but also personal ties to the area, even though they themselves had not initially considered a position like the one open at Crouse. Finding this candidate, however, was only half the job.

Helping Crouse hire someone who might leave within a year, or end up being misaligned with the organization’s goals, is not an outcome we consider successful. One of the differentiating factors at M3 is our ability to act as trusted partners at all stages of the hiring process, not just recruitment. To do so, we:

  • Provide honest feedback about the role and talent pool. We pride ourselves on thinking outside the box with recruitment, and engage in significant dialogue about the exact requirements, compensation, and targets for the role. If we believe that expanding the search beyond the initial criteria might unlock a wider pool of viable candidates, we aren’t afraid to get creative.
  • Personalize outreach to individual candidates. Rather than waste people’s time with mismatched opportunities, we garner candidate interest directly from the very first communication. Furthermore, we openly represent the unique challenges and opportunities of our clients to the talent, ensuring there are no “rug pull” moments later in the process.•
  • Market the unique benefits of the role. We understand that interviewing is not a one-way street. M3 endeavored to highlight Crouse’s recent investments in new facilities, history of regional leadership, and cutting-edge opportunities in order to showcase the unique value of a career with Crouse. We utilized Visit Syracuse and I Love NY pages to best represent the region’s unique natural beauty, cultural legacy, and lifestyle opportunities.
  • Help craft competitive compensation terms. As the process advanced to the offer stage, we remained actively engaged, facilitating key conversations around compensation and expectations that can make or break an offer.

Throughout, our team at M3 ensured the hiring team at Crouse was a fully informed, trusted collaborator. As Randall later noted, M3 had “the ability to provide exceptional candidates that we were unable to attract otherwise, and their attention to every detail throughout the process created a memorable experience for the candidates and the Crouse team.” We take great pride in that experience, and our work with Crouse validates how successful such an approach can be. Since hiring their HR leader, we have helped Crouse Health hire several more roles at both the executive and managerial level, continuing our partnership to this day.

A True Partner for Health Care Companies

At M3, we don’t believe in one-size-fits-all recruiting. Plenty of recruiting firms can post a job and send over a few résumés. But when it comes to building a strong, lasting team in today’s fast-moving healthcare world, the most effective talent consultants transcend traditional recruiting and serve as strategic partners. The best matches are built on authentic connections, thoughtful listening, and a willingness to dig deep.

Our rare blend of local insight, national reach, and top-tier recruiting tools, means you never have to choose between feeling understood and accessing national talent pools. For healthcare organizations, especially those deeply rooted in their communities, having the right leaders in place makes a difference for patients, caregivers, and the community. With M3 by your side, you don’t have to find those leaders alone: “All the candidates we’ve hired through M3 have been incredible additions to our team,” Randall said, “and all of them are still here today.”