Pati Kelly

WAI Member since 2017

"We like to be knowledgeable of the industry segment we are part of. Since I am Egret’s wire and cable expert, I want to be involved in the organizations that work within my industry. WAI helps me do that." - Pati Kelly

Q: What does your company do? A: Egret Consulting Group is the largest U.S. search firm dedicated solely to the electrical industry. In the past 17 years, we have placed over 700 new employees at over 100 clients in manufacturing and distribution.

Q: What is your role there? A: I work specifically in the wire and cable segment of the industry. I have placed vice presidents of sales, regional sales managers, plant managers, product managers, design engineers and process engineers.

Q: What do you like best about your position? A: I can make a difference in a company’s future growth and also someone’s life. When you find a candidate who is the right fit for a company and he/she makes an impact there, and the employer later thanks you for finding that person, it is a great feeling.

Q: How has your industry most changed? A: There are a lot of technical changes—from alternative energy and distributed generation to outsourcing and the rising influences of technology, such as the IoT/Smart Factory—but we see other big challenges. Leadership is changing as many owners and senior managers retire, and we need to find new talent that can lead the industry into the future, and there is competition from other sectors.

Q: How does your company remain competitive? A: We strive to be knowledgeable of industry trends; we do that by talking to leaders in the industry and following the news that is specialized to our industry. We also try to educate our clients on hiring practices and salary compensation ranges.