At Executive Connections LLC, you always have only one leader and contact point for your project.
Jeff Gundersen, Founder & CEO of Executive Connections LLC, has built a loyal following for developing outstanding digital business and marketing leaders. His boutique firm’s competitive edge is based upon the long-term C-level partnerships Jeff has cultivated paired with EC’s innovative solutions that blend executive search, transition consulting, and personal branding. Global CEOs—seeking to build “best in class” marketing and media businesses and personal brands—have made him their trusted advisor. They rely on his proven connections, depth of marketing and media sector experience, and record of delivering high-touch support for the long-term success of their businesses and the executives placed.
A sought-after speaker on the forefront of digital marketing and new media talent acquisition and development, Jeff is involved with leading digital and direct marketing industry associations including the IAB, AdTech, MMA, DMA, and AMA.
Jeff personally demonstrates that for success in the partnership “game,” conditioning, focus, and performance/winning are all important. His team consistently operates at the leading-edge of new digital marketing and media competencies that result in over-delivering on objectives for their clients. Jeff earned his B.S. degree from Lafayette College, MBA degree from Rutgers University, Certified Management Consultant (“CMC”) while at Deloitte Consulting, and is a Reach-Certified Personal Branding Strategist. A champion and advocate for high-achieving children and young adults through providing higher education and internship opportunities, Jeff is committed to programs such as Future Possibilities, DMEF, and EC’s Rising Stars. Jeff also actively pursues his passions as a championship tennis player and a world traveler.
Lola White is the personal brand champion for progressive leaders who want to step into their desired lifestyle and create a career legacy of which they can be proud. With her inspiring and motivating style, Lola is known for turning ideas and plans into action. As a results producer, she has invested 15+ years building businesses and rebranding leaders to reap the rewards of their efforts and serve as role models. Be the change you want to see is the thread that connects everything she does!
She recently designed and launched the Goddess Cottage, her inspirational office and brand retreat center for busy executives to make time to be the architects of their futures. She serves as her clients’ brand manager and advocate to create a more powerful brand, not only for themselves, but also for the companies and people they lead.
A Master Certified Coach and past board member of the International Coach Federation, she is also the founder and visionary of Future Possibilities, Inc. (a global non-profit KidCoach organization) and currently serves on the board of The Coach Initiative (an organization dedicated to advancing non-profits’ missions through pro-bono coaching to their leaders).
As chief energizer officer of her life, Lola has created her own rewarding blend of daily roles that align with her brand values: visionary, philanthropist, amateur photographer, mentor, fundraiser, event organizer, rookie painter, tennis junkie, gourmet cook, cherished friend, and bonus mom.
Kirsten Dixson is the Personal Branding and Online Reputation Management Strategist for positive influencers who want to profit from their ideas. With her keen insight, she helps our clients create a distinct online and offline communications platform to reach their goals.
Kirsten is the coauthor of Career Distinction: Stand Out by Building Your Brand (Wiley) and has trained more personal branding strategists than any other person in the world in her work with Reach Personal Branding. As one of the first Reach-Certified Personal Branding Strategists and a Certified Job and Career Transition Coach, she has successfully helped hundreds of professionals with career marketing since 1997. Kirsten earned a Certificate in Adult Career Planning and Development from New York University and her BA degree from Vassar College.
As a media resource and speaker on building and managing your online brand, she’s been interviewed on The Today Show and quoted in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Boston Globe, Real Simple, More, Advertising Age and CIO.com.
Leslie Quiñones, Information Officer
Leslie Quiñones joined Executive Connections in Fall 2005 to manage our newly launched EC database. As such, she ensures timely and consistent data integrity for search consultants, and provides updated targeted lists for EC marketing communications and other announcements to the client base.
Leslie brings to Executive Connections, LLC, more than 30 years of administrative assistant experience in varied industries, including training and development, higher education, manufacturing, architecture, construction design, pharmaceutical and telecommunications.
Companies she has worked with include: The University of Montana (MT); First Technology Safety Systems (MI); Gilmour Academy (OH); The TAF Group (VA); WorldTravel Partners, supporting Eli Lilly and Company (IN); and AT&T, Public Relations Speechwriting Division (NJ).
Leslie is an expert in MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint, and is fast becoming one in PCRecruiter, EC’s applicant tracking database.
Thornton D. Hooper II, Executive Coach & Consultant
Tony Hooper is an executive coach and consultant with over 20 years of management and leadership experience. He specializes in helping business leaders to focus their strategies and develop the leadership necessary to excel in areas that truly matter to them. As an Executive Connections coach, he supports executives to make successful leadership transitions, helping them to quickly establish themselves by building strong relationships, accelerating their learning, and securing early wins. Tony also advises on business and marketing strategy for organizations of all sizes.
Tony’s experience as founding partner of Leadership Strategy Group Inc., brings organizational and leadership development expertise with teams and individual leaders, with a particular emphasis on leadership dynamics, team effectiveness, internal diagnostics and employee engagement.
Tony began his career as a management consultant in the strategy practice at Booz-Allen & Hamilton, working in diverse industries such as automotive, steel, telecommunications and broadcasting. In his ten years at American Express Company, Tony ran various marketing groups within the consumer businesses, developing his skills in business planning, marketing management, staff performance management and leadership. Tony also served as Executive Director of Future Possibilities, Inc., non-profit organization coaching children in under-served communities.
Tony holds a B.A. from Northwestern University and an M.B.A. from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He has served as a director on the boards of Future Possibilities, Inc., Plan Central, Inc. and TSI Soccer, Inc. Tony also volunteers with the Wharton Club of New York and the Outreach Committee of Park Avenue United Methodist Church in New York.
Peter Bopp, Executive Coach
As an Executive Connections coach, Peter helps drive executives to achieve successful transitions to new positions by working with them to quickly secure early wins by building effective relationships and focusing on defining their personal brand mission and values, to align these to their professional leadership.
Peter also brings his experience as founding partner of the Leadership Strategy Group, to work on organizational and leadership development with teams and individual leaders, which places particular emphasis on leadership dynamics, team effectiveness, internal diagnostics and employee engagement.
Peter draws on years of marketing, managerial and coaching experience in major organizations, including American Express and Kraft General Foods. At American Express, Peter served as vice president of U.S. advertising, where he led the development of brand positioning and communications for the charge and credit cards, financial services, traveler’s cheques, and interactive businesses. Peter also held marketing leadership positions in American Express’ Small Business Services group. At Kraft General Foods, Peter served as a brand manager in the Maxwell House Coffee division, leading the Sanka and Maxwell House Decaffeinated Coffee businesses.
Peter earned his MBA in marketing and finance from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and his BA in International Relations from Brown University. He serves on the board of directors of the Advertising Club of New York and the board of governors of the Brown University Alumni Association. He lives in New York City.
Erika Fikes Humphrey, Special Projects Coordinator
In addition to her responsibilities at Executive Connections LLC, Erika Fikes Humphrey is also well known as the founder and president of Visualizing Your Dreams Inc.; a company committed to improving the academic performance and social responsibility of today’s students. The organization was created as a result of Erika’s desire to motivate young people to commit to a path of academic excellence and self-awareness. She translated this into the development of “Visualizing Your Dreams-The Personal Development Process,” a goal oriented and self-efficacy program for students in grades 5th-12th and enrolled in college. The program has been delivered to over 5,000 students in the New York and New Jersey areas.
Erika has several years of experience in curriculum design and development as well as placing emphasis on conducting specialized interactive personal development training in public elementary and secondary schools. Her focus goes beyond self-efficacy for students to also provide professional development for administrators, teachers and parents. She published two curriculum manuals, The Personal Development Process—Creating a Personal Road Map, for students and teachers. She has also written and published several articles on setting personal and professional objectives in a youth magazine entitled, “Youth Excited about Success (YES).”
Erika is the After School Director for Future Possibilities, Inc. (dedicated to teaching life-skills to youths ages 7-12), where she first began working with Jeff Gundersen and Lorraine White, of Executive Connections. She is also a Certified Entrepreneurship Teacher Instructor for the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship and sits on the Board of Brooklyn Excelsior Charter School.