RICK BINGHAM

Rick Bingham is Principal and founder of Briant Associates, Inc. Since establishing this boutique executive search firm in 1992, Rick has been a driving force in maintaining that the firm serve its clients with a unique combination of industry-specialized skills, energy, and strategic intelligence, as well as dedication to client relationships of the highest quality.

A 23-year veteran of the executive search industry, Rick has personally specialized in searches for many segments of the food industry (including baking, snack food, meat/poultry processors, food ingredient, processing and foodservice equipment, dairy and frozen food businesses). He applies his industry expertise and consultative approach to conduct searches for general management, sales and marketing, manufacturing, engineering/R&D, quality, and logistics executives.

Prior to starting Briant Associates, Rick was a Senior Group Manager in the Food Division of a leading national executive search firm, where he spent nearly eight years conducting search assignments and managing other search consultants in the food industry. Before entering the executive search field, Rick served in sales management for Gorman Publishing, the leading publisher of trade magazines in the baking, snack food, dairy, and prepared foods industries. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Marquette University.

LARISSA R. KLAVINS

Larissa Klavins is Principal and co-owner of Briant Associates, Inc., specializing in searches for a select group of industries and clients. Her clients include global manufacturers in both consumer products and industrial markets, encompassing a variety of businesses -- building products, packaged goods, electronics, telecommunications, hardware and housewares, as well as textiles, home furnishings, and office furniture.

During her 20 years as a recruiting consultant, Larissa has conducted a wide variety of senior-level assignments in the sales, marketing, product development, industrial design, manufacturing, engineering, finance, and human resources functions. Larissa brings a unique expertise and personalized service in working with consumer products companies that enables her to build cohesive management teams and enjoy long-term client relationships.

Larissa’s experience prior to joining Briant Associates included directing the consumer products practice for Dieckmann & Associates, a Chicago-based retained executive search firm, and leading the home furnishings and hardware practices for another national search firm.

Preceding her search career, Larissa marketed incentive and meeting travel services to corporations and associations, and served as Assistant to the Vice Chancellor for Administration at the University of Illinois at Chicago where she managed projects that ranged from leading the executive search committee for the university’s athletic director, to coordinating international diplomatic conferences. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication Studies from Northwestern University.