Peter D. Crist
Mr. Crist is entering his 28th year of executive recruiting. Beginning in 1977 with Russell Reynolds Associates (“RRA”) in Chicago, he helped build and run one of the most successful senior level recruiting offices in the country, becoming Co-Head of North America and a member of the Executive Committee for the Firm by the time he was in his late 30s. While at RRA, he also helped launch the Board Practice.

In 1995, after 18 years with Russell Reynolds, Mr. Crist launched Crist Partners in Chicago. Focusing on CFO and other C-level searches, Crist Partners quickly became a national boutique with clients such as Eastman Kodak Company, CVS Corporation, Ecolab Incorporated, Whirlpool Corporation, Levi Strauss & Company, The St. Paul Companies, and Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company.

Korn/Ferry acquired Crist Partners in 1999, and Mr. Crist was named Vice Chairman of the Firm and Chairman of the Global Board Services Practice. After building the Board Practice and completing all obligations to Korn/Ferry, in January, 2003 Mr. Crist launched Crist Associates to return to the art of search.

Mr. Crist was profiled in the 1995 and 1992 editions of Career Makers and the 1998 edition of The Global 200. He is Chairman of the Compensation Committee, as well as a member of the Executive Committee and the Corporate Governance Committee of the Board of Directors of Wintrust Financial Corporation (NASDAQ:WTFC). He is also a member of the Board of Directors of Northwestern Memorial Corporation, where he serves as Vice Chairman of the Nominating Committee. Mr. Crist is also a Board Member of Hinsdale Bank & Trust and a Member of Baird Capital Partners' Advisory Board. He received an A.B. degree from Brown University in 1974.