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Michael Wurster

Michael Wurster

Based in Chicago, Michael serves as Managing Partner of the firm. His primary specialty is providing leadership advisory services across a number of consumer-facing markets and functional disciplines. With nearly two decades of experience in senior leadership assessment and selection, Michael has executed assignments for Fortune 500 companies to mid-size entities, to entrepreneurial start-ups. He also brings deep international appreciation and experience, and knowledge of both developed and emerging markets. He has worked throughout North and South America, Europe, Middle East, and Asia-Pacific regions on behalf of established and early-stage organizations.

Previously, Michael was a core member of the CEO / board, consumer and diversity practices for two other leading executive search firms, Heidrick & Struggles and Spencer Stuart respectively. In these roles, he specialized in the recruitment of Board of Directors, Chief Executive Officers, Presidents, Chief Operating Officers, Chief Financial Officers, Chief People Officers, Chief Marketing Officers, Chief Digital Officers, Chief Information Officers, and other corporate officer positions.

Prior to entering the leadership advisory business, Michael served in the public sector with the State of Indiana, distributing and managing federal and state juvenile funding programs for the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, a division of the Department of Justice.

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Michael holds a bachelor's degree from Indiana University - Bloomington. He is a member of the National Association of Corporate Directors, The CMO Club and the American Film Institute. Michael is also active in several non-profit organizations including UNICEF and the Jewish Community Center of Chicago. He and his wife, Laurie, reside in Highland Park, Illinois with their three children.

Areas of Expertise:

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- Diversity, Equity & Inclusion


- Corporate Governance Advisory


- Board/CEO Succession


- Corporate Officer


- Specialty Officer 


- Digital Transformation


- Consumer


- Venture Capital


- Private Equity

  • LinkedIn
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Gene Clark

Gene Clark most recently served as Penn Entertainment’s Chief Human Resources Officer and joined the Company in August 2005. In his role, he was responsible for all human capital activities, including workforce planning, training and organizational development, talent acquisition and management, labor relations and compensation, and benefits administration. Gene also served on the board of the Penn National Gaming Foundation and chaired the Company’s retirement committee.  

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Before joining Penn Entertainment, Gene held various human resources positions at Caesars Entertainment, in property, regional and corporate positions. Prior to his work in the gaming industry, Gene spent 10 years in human resources with the international consulting firm PriceWaterhouse Coopers in the Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. offices. Gene has served on several non-profit Boards in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

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Gene holds a Bachelor’s degree from Marywood University and a Master’s degree in Human Resources Administration from the University of Scranton. He lives in St. Davids, Pennsylvania with his wife and daughter.

Areas of Expertise:

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- Diversity, Equity & Inclusion


- Corporate Governance Advisory


- Board/CEO Succession


- Corporate Officer


- Digital Transformation


- Venture Capital 

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- Private Equity

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- Workforce Planning

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- Mergers & Acquisitions

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- Organizational Design & Development

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- Talent Management & Development

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- Cultural Assessment & Integration

  • LinkedIn
Gene Clark
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Cori Whitacre-Young

Cori Whitacre-Young is a versatile, well-rounded Human Resources leader with over 25 years of expertise with high growth and complex companies. She has a strong focus in talent acquisition, management and assessment, employee engagement, organizational design, training and professional development, compensation and benefits, and labor relations.

 

While serving as Vice President of Talent Management with Penn Entertainment for over 15 years, Cori was responsible for developing comprehensive talent strategies across the Company, including talent development and retention, talent acquisition and management strategy, organizational design, succession planning, and performance management, and employee relations and engagement. With a strong focus on building internal bench strength, she was also responsible for the successful design of the Company’s first talent and succession planning process, which identified and developed high potential leaders (property and corporate), ultimately increasing internal promotions by over 20%. 

 

Cori has also served as a trusted advisor to property executives and corporate leadership regarding talent strategy, organizational change initiatives, coaching, and team building. The extensive work in these areas were contributing factors to Penn Entertainment being named a top Employer of Choice by Bristol/Spectrum’s annual gaming survey over the past several years, influencing the Company’s high engagement scores that continually exceeded broader industry trends and benchmarks.   

 

Cori holds a Bachelor’s degree from Southeast Missouri State University with a Master’s degree in Education and Counseling from the University of West Georgia.

Areas of Expertise:

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- Diversity, Equity & Inclusion


- Corporate Governance Advisory


- Board/CEO Succession


- Corporate Officer


- Digital Transformation


- Venture Capital 

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- Private Equity

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- Workforce Planning

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- Mergers & Acquisitions

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- Organizational Design & Development

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- Talent Management & Development

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- Cultural Assessment & Integration

  • LinkedIn
Cori Whitacre-Young
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