Chris is a classically trained marketer who began his career in sales. Over a decade ago, he moved into recruiting because he was someone that was frequently recruited and was tired of recruiters hounding him to consider roles they didn’t understand, and he wasn’t interested in pursuing. He was determined to disrupt Executive Search to deliver a better result and experience for companies and the commercial talent they need. After over a decade seeing the dysfunction in executive search firms large and small he formed Due North Executive Search in collaboration with his wife Amie.
Chris holds an MBA in Marketing and Finance from the University of Minnesota and a Master of International Management from the University of St. Thomas. Chris is also a founding board member of SMMG MedTech an organization serving MedTech leaders with networking and knowledge sharing across the country.
Amie has deep functional expertise across project management, general management, supply chain and operations. She has deep experience both as a consultant and a leader for organizations across manufacturing, retail, financial services and software. Amie is known for her unrivaled ability to organize chaos, ensure successful project completion and wins over everyone in the process.
Amie holds an MBA in Operations and Supply Chain from the University of Minnesota and a Master of International Management from the University of St. Thomas. Amie also holds a Project Management Professional certification.
We call ourselves “Talent Guides” because we know that the journey to find top Commercial talent requires knowledge of the sales, marketing, product management and related functions, industry experience and talent market expertise.
When I first met Chris Gustanski at SMMG, I recognized that I liked his deeper understanding of marketing organizations and the variety of key skills that lie within marketers. Chris was able to work with me, identify the right profile of the candidate we needed for our specific organization needs, and then execute. From initial call to candidate start date, Chris delivered within 10 weeks. Outstanding communication, excellent candidates consistently presented, and a smooth offer and acceptance process. I look forward to working with Chris again.
John KrierPresident and Chief Executive Officer at Dynatronics
I have worked with Chris as both a candidate and a client. Recently, we engaged Chris and Due North Executive Search to fill a critical product management role that we had been working for several months to fill. Chris was able to provide us with several great candidates within weeks. Not only do I feel we made a solid hire but based on the quality of candidates and price point we were hiring at, he made our job difficult. Many good candidates to choose from.
Matthew HutchingsVice President Global Marketing & Innovation, Infusion Systems at ICU Medical
As VP of Global Marketing, when a division of UnitedHealth Group was looking to build out their marketing and communications team, I recommended they contact Chris. As a marketer turned recruiter, I knew Chris would understand the need and be uniquely able to fill these roles. He filled 4 key leadership positions within just a few months with exceptional talent. I would strongly recommend using Due North Executive Search for top marketing talent!
Heather PolivkaOwner, HeatherP Solutions (former VP of Marketing with UnitedHealth Group)