HR & People

Partner & Practice Leader

Tom Wilson

Tom Wilson is a Partner and Practice Leader, where he collaborates closely with CEOs and Boards of prominent biotechnology, high-tech, and Fortune 500 companies to identify HR needs and conduct essential HR leadership searches. His notable clients include Alphabet, Intel, Northwestern Mutual, StockX, Qualtrics, Interactive Brokers, Mozilla, ServiceNow, Kraken, Ford, Samsung, Mars, Rakuten, and Health Equity, among others.

As an internationally recognized thought leader in human resources (HR) management and retained executive search, Tom contributes to various industry publications. He is celebrated for his strategic leadership, global expertise across diverse industries, ability to forge strong partnerships, comprehensive planning, and precise execution.

A Fulbright Scholar, Tom holds an M.A. from the University of Toronto and a B.A. from Penn State. He began his professional journey in retained executive search with Sullivan & Company, now part of Heidrick & Struggles. He has previously held senior executive positions in global talent acquisition and human resources at leading firms in the financial services sector. Tom is married to Barbara, a consultant in the pharmaceutical industry.

Partner

Beth Ann Namey

Beth Ann Namey is a Partner and a highly skilled executive search consultant specializing in HR and People functions. She has a proven track record of success in collaborating with innovative startups and established enterprises across diverse sectors. Her keen ability to understand the unique needs of organizations, identify top-tier talent, and deliver exceptional results makes her an invaluable partner for clients aiming to build high-performing teams. Beth Ann has successfully conducted numerous HR leadership searches for both U.S. and global companies, focusing on roles such as Chief Human Resource Officers, Chief People Officers, and Heads of People. She has also been instrumental in developing verticals in Talent, Total Rewards, and HR Business Partner functions, demonstrating her expertise in these critical areas.

Her impressive client roster includes notable companies like Workday, NuBank, Northwestern Mutual, Waymo, New Relic, X the moonshot factory, Western Digital, Rakuten USA, Profisee, Datavant, SeekOut, GRAIL, Clover Health, Peak Design, and Vuori. These organizations have relied on Beth Ann to deliver results, and her deep insights, assessment skills, and commitment to client satisfaction have established her as an indispensable asset in their talent acquisition strategies. Moreover, her unique combination of discipline and grace, cultivated during her early career as a professional ballet dancer and coach, distinguishes her in the executive search industry. This background has equipped Beth Ann with a sharp eye for detail and a profound understanding of the importance of adaptability and performance under pressure.

Beth Ann graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Saint Mary’s College of California and is currently based in Nashville, TN.

Partner

Ken Carrick

Ken has managed numerous search engagements throughout his almost 40 years as a search consultant while cultivating a diverse roster of clients in the education, retail, nonprofit, manufacturing, healthcare, and government sectors. Ken was a student-athlete and graduated summa cum laude with a BA degree in accounting and business administration from Catawba College and earned an MBA from Wake Forest University.

Ken began his career as an accountant with Duke Energy and later worked for a national insurance company before entering the executive search profession. Prior to joining Buffkin / Baker, he served as president of a national retained search firm with dual headquarters in New York and Charlotte.

Ken currently serves on the Board of Directors of the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame and Museum where he holds the position of Treasurer and is a member of the Executive Committee. He recently completed a seven-year term as a director on the Mecklenburg County ABC Board where he chaired the Audit Committee and served as a member of the North Carolina Association of ABC Boards’ legislative committee. He previously served two terms as a member of the Association of Executive Search Consultants (AESC)’s Council of the Americas board. Ken has been the President of the Catawba College Alumni Board, and on the boards of the Greenwood Genetic Center Foundation, Greater Carolina’s Chapter of the American Red Cross, and Covenant Day School.

He has also been involved with numerous volunteer service groups, including in the special needs community, and youth sports associations in the Charlotte area. He and his wife have three grown children.

Partner

Jim May

Jim May is a Partner at the firm, with an impressive career in executive recruiting that spans over a decade. He has established himself as a trusted advisor and a go-to resource for top-tier organizations seeking exceptional leadership talent.

A passionate advocate for human resources (HR) and organizational success, Jim possesses expertise in HR, Finance, Go-To-Market (GTM) strategies, Operations, and other critical leadership roles. This diverse skill set allows him to provide a unique blend of talent acquisition and strategic consulting in every search he undertakes.

Earlier in his career, Jim held various talent acquisition positions, further enhancing his capabilities. He has successfully conducted searches for both U.S. and global companies across a wide range of industries, including notable names such as lululemon, Grail, Quantcast, Bluberi Gaming, Kyverna Therapeutics, Synaptics, Sirona Medical, Datavant, Clover Health, Academy of Art University, Schneider Electric, and Total Quality Logistics.

Jim earned a bachelor’s degree in advertising with a specialization in Communication Sales from Michigan State University and is a certified Professional Resume Writer. He currently resides in the Cleveland area with his wife, Kaitlyn, their son, Hudson, and their dog, Winnie. In his leisure time, Jim enjoys hiking in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park with his family or spending a day on the golf course.

Associate Partner, Higher Education

Janny DeLoache

Janny DeLoache, CDR, serves as an Associate Partner in the Higher Education Practice. For over 20 years, she has provided research, sourcing, and candidate development on numerous search engagements, with a particular focus in the areas of education, nonprofit, and governmental entities as well as sales and marketing. She also is active in client relations, consultations, and assisting clients with neutral site interviews. Additionally, she is an AIRS Certified Diversity and Inclusion Recruiter (CDR). Utilizing the AIRS search techniques enables our recruiters to locate diverse candidate pools using a variety of resources, including the internet.​ Janny attended Converse College, where she earned a BFA degree with honors and an MEd degree. Early in her career, she served as an Admissions Counselor and as Assistant Dean of Students at Converse, and later as Assistant to the Vice President of Student Affairs at Georgia Institute of Technology. She also worked in account services as Vice President for Marketing Outreach, Inc. in Atlanta, and as a Southeast Regional Manager for New York-based, US Concepts, Inc. Both firms specialized in the execution of marketing campaigns, sales/retail promotions, and special events for Fortune 500 firms.

Janny is a member of the Mint Museum Auxiliary, the Junior League, as well as an ENCORE! Life Member at the Children’s Theater of Charlotte. She has served on the Converse Alumnae Board and the Wofford College’s Parent Advisory Council. A recipient of the Converse 100 Award, Janny and her husband have two grown children.

Principal

CJ Mione

Carolyn (CJ) Mione, SHRM-SCP is a Principal with over 20 years of experience in HR, leadership, and people development across various industries. She possesses an understanding in talent and organizational development, having successfully led executive searches for organizations such as Community Solutions, Profisee, InfoTrack, Kraken, Freedom Financial, Mozilla, Rakuten, Informatica, and NYC Health + Hospitals. Prior to her current role, CJ served as the HR Manager of Organizational Development and Training at Baptist Health South Florida. In this capacity, she and her team crafted the foundational elements for organizational excellence, developing and executing strategies, programs, and processes that encompassed mission, vision, values, performance management, succession planning, and a comprehensive diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) initiative.

CJ has also held positions focused on HR, talent development, and organizational development at BenefitMall (formerly CompuPay), World Fuel Services, American Express, and AT&T Wireless. She earned a B.S. in Business Management from the University of Phoenix, along with a Talent Management Certificate from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a Certification in Training and HR Development from Florida International University College of Business. She is certified by SHRM as a Senior Certified Professional and the AI + HI Specialty Credential.

Outside of her professional endeavors, CJ is an active member of SHRM, Transform and ATD. In her leisure time, she enjoys quality moments with family and friends, caring for her rescued Beauceron named Koda, as well as traveling, boating, and engaging in home improvement projects.

Principal

Evan Wescott

Evan Wescott serves as a Principal and member of the Consumer Practice where he works with clients across a variety of industries nationally.

Evan brings a passion for making human connections. As a recruiter, his goal is to build those connections with both clients and candidates. By partnering with consultants, coworkers, and clients, he identifies candidates’ career strengths and interests, matching them with clients’ business and leadership opportunities. Ultimately he strives to help organizations attract and sustain the right leaders in the right roles.

Evan earned a BA degree in theology and mathematics from Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. He moved to Nashville in 2019, where he married his wife Elizabeth. He enjoys a variety of interests including Ultimate Frisbee, reading, board games, and canning.