Marie is founder of the Allen Group, Executive Search; a retained search firm. Marie focuses on senior level searches, crossing numerous industries and functions. Some of her typical searches include: Managing Director, Investment Banking Firm, CFO’s, Controllers, VP of Finance, SVP of Operations, VP of Customer Service, VP of Human Resources and CIO.

During her career, Marie spent nearly three years as a Partner with Came|Sweeney. This Chicago based, retained, Executive Search firm specialized in manufacturing and healthcare. Marie also served as the SVP of Human Resources for Focal Communications Corporation, a publicly traded, $500M, B to B telecom provider with offices in 24 cities. During her tenure she helped to grow the company by 150% year over year and reported to the CEO. Prior to her experience at Focal, Marie was the SVP of Human Resources for Technology Solutions Company, a publicly traded, $400M, global, IT consulting firm, reporting to the CEO.

She began her corporate career as VP of Human Resources for Novamed Eyecare Management, where she was one of three key operational executives. She was instrumental in the start-up phase of the company and helped to take Novamed public. Novamed acquires, develops and manages ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) in partnership with physicians. Marie also held an interim position as VP of HR at APAC Customer Services, a $400M outsourced customer services provider.

Prior to her career as a Human Resources executive, Marie founded and served for ten years as President of The Allen Group, a Chicago-based human resources and organization development firm serving Fortune 500 companies. This Allen Group was the predecessor to her current company. Her roster of well-known and well-regarded clients includes: The American Medical Association, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Equity Group Investments, McDonalds, Rand McNally, Foote Cone and Belding, Manpower, Crate and Barrel, Molex, Avon, Trans Union Credit Corporation, Motorola, and R.R. Donnelly, among others.

Marie uses her strong business acumen and results orientation at The Allen Group, Executive Search to focus on identifying and sourcing the best candidates for her clients’ needs. She has experience as a key member at the management team table and at the board of director’s level; weighing in on critical strategic and operational decisions. This has given her a full understanding of all corporate functions and responsibilities. Her strong background in assessing corporate culture, and her extensive network of senior executives results in finding exactly the right talent needed for each search.

She has a track record of building both domestic and international recruiting functions for dynamic growth companies resulting in high productivity and retention rates. She has managed direct reports in England, Germany, France, Brazil, Canada and the Philippines and has overseen the human resources and recruiting of employees in over thirty states.

Marie has lived in the Chicago area for over 30-years. She is a member of the Chicago Executives’ Club, the Human Resource Management Association of Chicago. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Cancer Treatment Centers of America, Midwest Regional Center and on the Board of Northern Illinois University’s Business School. Formerly, she served on the Board of the Museum of Science and Industry and the YWCA of Metropolitan Chicago. Marie graduated from the University of South Florida and continued her graduate education at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio.