Consumer
We partner with leading consumer brands to identify executives who spark growth, inspire teams, and keep pace with an everchanging market.
Leaders who elevate consumer brands.
At Buffkin / Baker, we specialize in retained executive search for consumer brands, from digitally native disruptors to Fortune 500 leaders. Our partners bring deep industry expertise, connecting organizations with visionary C-suite talent capable of driving innovation, brand growth, and operational excellence. In a rapidly evolving marketplace, we help organizations find leaders who embrace change, inspire teams, and deliver lasting impact across operations, strategy, and consumer engagement.
Building leadership teams that shape the future of consumer industries.
Our Consumer Practice is organized around three key verticals, each supported by partners with hands-on experience and deep market knowledge. This focus ensures precise, thoughtful searches that connect your organization with visionary leaders.
Consumer Products & Goods
We recruit executives for global and regional CPG companies, helping identify leaders who drive innovation, streamline operations, and scale brand impact.
RETAIL & LIFESTYLE BRANDS
From emerging lifestyle brands to omnichannel retailers, we place leaders who enhance customer experiences, grow market share, and strengthen brand loyalty.
DIGITAL & DIRECT-TO-CONSUMER
We connect digitally native and ecommerce-
focused organizations with executives who accelerate growth, embrace technology, and deliver operational excellence.
Expert perspectives. Real world impact.
Our thought leadership and news updates provide insights on executive search, leadership trends, and industry developments. We share knowledge that helps organizations make informed decisions and prepare for what’s next in leadership.
- blog, featured
Invest in Success: Why Executive Search Firms Deliver Results
by Evan Wescott, Principal Executive recruitment is often misunderstood as simple “headhunting”. In reality, recruiters are responsible for actively engaging both passive and active candidates...
- blog, featured
How is the CFO role evolving?
Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) now play roles that extend beyond managing, tracking, and reporting financial data. Modern CFOs can be found contributing to company strategy,...
- featured, key placement
America’s Car-Mart Appoints New Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice President of Colonial Finance
America’s Car-Mart, one of the largest publicly held automotive retailers in the United States, has appointed Jonathan Collins as Chief Financial Officer and Marie Persichetti...
Our Team
Partner & Practice Leader
David Alexander
David Alexander is Partner in the firm and the Consumer Practice Leader. With more than 30 years of executive recruitment and talent management experience, David is passionate about helping organizations find people who will thrive in their unique business and operating culture.
He has served as a senior human resources executive for such world-class firms as SAP, AT&T, Washington Mutual, Allied Signal, Gateway and Compaq. Most recently, David served as the Chief People Officer for Raising Cane’s, which grew from 10,000 to 20,000 global employees under his leadership.
After working in public and private companies across multiple industries, David understands the challenges that both high growth and high turn around environments pose for organizations. That experience drives his mission to find, strengthen and grow transformational leaders for clients, both as an executive search consultant and executive coach.
David is a graduate of Texas A&M University and has served as an officer in the United States Air Force. He and his wife Meri live in New Braunfels, Texas, enjoying their children and 2 grandchildren. When not supporting clients and spending time with his family, David enjoys hunting, fishing and serving his church as a worship musician.
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.
Principal
Ian Turnbell
Ian Turnbell serves as a Principal in the firm, specializing in executive searches in the Consumer Practice and focuses on finding outstanding candidates for director level to c-suite level positions.
Ian enjoys working with a team to discover top-tier candidates, while assisting those candidates in discerning and pursuing new opportunities. He has experience recruiting within a variety of industries and functions, including accounting, construction, consumer packaged goods, financial services, higher education, healthcare, industrial/manufacturing, nonprofit, private equity, retail and restaurant/food & beverage.
A servant leader, Ian strives to help others achieve their professional goals. Colleagues and clients alike recognize Ian’s enthusiasm and willingness to help.
Originally from Bowling Green, Ohio, Ian moved to Nashville in 2006. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Miami University and earned a MBA from Belmont University. He and his wife live in Nashville with their daughter and two sons. In his free time, Ian and his family enjoy hiking, music, and travel.
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.
Senior Associate
Jennifer Conkle
Jennifer Conkle serves as a Senior Associate where she is a strategic team member focused on leading search execution in the Consumer Practice.
Jennifer previously served as a Search Consultant for Leapfrog Executive Search where she focused on leading search execution and developing market relationships. Leapfrog specializes in HR leadership roles for a variety of industries and clients across the US, and her projects included placing HR leaders in consumer goods, restaurant/retail, hospitality, banking, technology, industrial, and healthcare industries. Jennifer began her career in executive search with Ray & Berndtson, a global retained search firm. In this role, sher focused on placing technology executives across industries.
Jennifer graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington with a Master of Science in Social Work and from Northwestern State University with a Bachelor of Arts. Jennifer resides in Texas with her husband, Troy, and their three children, Caroline, William and Matthew.
Our Clients
