When Pewaukee computing solution manufacturer Dedicated Computing needed an interim CFO, they turned to Patina Solutions.
Jane Menheer, CFO at Dedicated, had been hired but needed some transition time. Patina helped the company achieve a smooth transition between CFOs with an experienced professional who took on the role for a short time.
When Dedicated Computing recently needed an outside review of its supply chain, it again turned to Patina to find the right candidate.
Patina gives Dedicated an external view of the market and serves in a consultant role, particularly when filling temporary, fill in or special project leadership roles, Menheer said.
“The people that they deliver are really high quality,” she said. “They are very hands-on in the selection and the search for the right fit.”
The Brookfield-based professional services firm focuses on finding executive and management professionals with 25 or more years of experience to fill part-time or full-time and short-term or long-term projects, said CEO Mike Harris.
“We really have sort of hit a real need, where clients like the ability to access this level of talent but they don’t want to necessarily have these folks full-time on the payroll,” Harris said.
Founded in 2009, Patina has grown quickly, with manufacturing companies accounting for about 50 percent of its work.
“One of the beautiful things about Patina is the range of things we can do for companies and the breadth of industry coverage we have,” he said.
Since many manufacturers cut back in the recession, a solution that provides a temporary leader could allow businesses to avoid adding back to the full time headcount, Harris said.
The company now has 40 employees at eight offices, including three in Wisconsin. Revenue grew about 65 percent from 2011 to 2012 and the company expects 50 to 60 percent growth in 2013, he said.
