biography
With global perspective. Chris brings to the table a diverse and accomplished background in international business. As proprietor of two entrepreneurial start-ups, and with strong skills in business development and project management, Chris has contributed greatly to the Tower team since joining in 1999.
Growing up in England, Chris had an early interest in education and pursued her career aspirations by graduating from Ilkley College at the University of Leeds with a B.Ed. degree. Chris taught high school for eight years before leaving to start her own very successful catering and event planning business.
In 1987, when Chris’s husband was given the opportunity to lead a start-up operation in Florida, she gave up her business and the family moved to the U.S. Chris immersed herself in learning about the U.S. culture and participated in numerous volunteer activities. Partnering with a colleague, she started a business exporting American products to the UK. With her knowledge of the British market, she identified products that would be well accepted and expand mass market opportunities with major UK retailers. Drawing on her established entrepreneurial skills, Chris effectively demonstrated her business development, negotiating and closing capabilities with senior management in carriage name manufacturers.
Martin Memorial Health System offered Chris a unique opportunity to participate in a start-up operation within a healthcare system that incorporates Martin Memorial Hospital in Stuart, Florida, which consistently ranks as one of the top 100 hospitals in the nation. Chris played an integral role in establishing the Martin Memorial Volunteers in Medicine Clinic in Stuart. This facility serves to address the healthcare needs of the indigent population in Martin County by utilizing the services of retired physicians. Chris was hired to recruit and credential volunteer physicians, nurses, technicians and administrative staff. She established and managed the licensing process, and procured grant funds to expand the clinic to offer dental services. It is a tribute to the start-up team that the clinic continues to expand and prosper.
Since joining Tower, Chris was quick to master the art of Human Resource recruiting. With this knowledge, she has become quite proficient in the assessment of generalists, compensation, benefits, management/organizational development and staffing professionals. She has brought in and successfully completed challenging searches for major domestic and international clients, and has become an integral part of the Tower Consultants, Ltd. management team. Chris became a Tower Partner in 2004.