Amy McGeorge is the founder and managing partner of Peoplr, a global firm of human resources experts who deliver excellent consulting services that drive business results. McGeorge has more than a decade of experience in executive search and 25+ years’ experience leading HR consulting engagements for large companies like Best Buy, AT&T, CSX, Sears Holdings, Kraft, and Time Warner, as well as more than 50 early-stage and growth companies across North America and Europe. During her nearly 20 years collectively as an executive at Citigroup, Hewitt and a global software company, Amy McGeorge oversaw the hiring of more than 10,000 people.
‘Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.’
This quote by Confucius was true back then, and it still is today,” says McGeorge.
“I grew up in Grand Rapids and East Lansing, Michigan. I graduated from Alma College with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Business; I also earned the Diplome de Langue from the Alliance Française in Paris, France. I started my career in Management Consulting at Hewitt in Chicago. Early on, I learned how to build relationships with people. My father was an attorney and Managing Partner of a small law firm and we regularly hosted parties and dinners at our house. My mother was an English teacher early in her career and later became a licensed psychologist. So I learned a lot about how to talk to people and build rapport from watching both of my parents engage with clients and colleagues.”
She began her consulting work at Hewitt, where she led large projects and served as Managing Consultant for one of the firm’s largest clients. In addition to HR expertise, Amy brings significant executive experience to her consulting engagements: she served as a C-level executive at Citigroup, where she was chief operating officer (COO) of the bank’s $100-million employee benefits business unit, and as COO of Vurv Technology, where she directed all aspects of the software company’s global operations prior to its sale to Taleo (NASDAQ:TLEO).
Her specialty is proprietary technology that helps employers get clear on what they want in a new employee. “It’s about asking the right questions,” McGeorge says, adding that her corporate background has helped. “I couldn’t do it if I didn’t have that background. It helps me understand where a CEO is in that lifecycle and what kind of person they need. The great thing about doing business in Jacksonville is that, conceptually, it’s small enough that you can know people and be known, but big enough that you can still discover new people and new things every day. It’s a great time to come to Jacksonville and be part of the growth story. It’s also pretty easy to break into the local entrepreneurial scene—we’re all supportive of each other in so many ways. My authentic Jacksonville is with water all around—the ocean, a tributary behind my home, and our amazing river; it allows me to recharge and find perspective.
