Key Executives

Jeff Furst is the founder, president, and CEO of Chicago-based FurstPerson, Inc., a provider of job candidate assessment tests, web-based hiring systems and recruitment process outsourcing services for the contact center industry. Using his academic credentials as well as practical knowledge of the staffing industry, Jeff has envisioned, guided and grown FurstPerson to its unique position of offering clients the benefit of its prime focus on helping contact centers find, hire, and keep better employees.

Jeff has extensive experience with analyzing client needs and designing customized, integrated hiring solutions that sharpen recruitment strategies and tactics, streamline screening and selection, and improve agent retention. Jeff's goal is that hiring, training, staffing, and development all be linked through an integrated model that serves to build a profit-driven employment process. This vision is actualized in the web-based job candidate assessment solutions designed for the call center industry that FurstPerson has to offer.

Jeff has written numerous articles and been featured in several publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Call Center Magazine, Call Center Management Review, Business Week online, Chicago Tribune, and the Chicago Sun-Times. In addition, Jeff often speaks on contact center hiring practices at events such as Frost & Sullivan's Contact Center West 2005, Contact Center East 2008, and Contact Center West 2008, Contact Center Strategy Forum, American Banker Association, ICMI Knowledge Exchange, American Teleservices Association, and Continental Airlines' Call Center Excellence conference, and the 2008 Istanbul Call Center Conference.

Prior to starting FurstPerson, Jeff had careers with JP Morgan Chase and AT&T, where he was involved in product marketing and strategy. Jeff holds a B.A. in Economics from Northwestern University and an M.B.A. from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

Michelle Cline is FurstPerson's Vice President, Operations. In this role, Michelle holds executive responsibility for the delivery of the FurstPerson Assessment Solutions and Recruitment Process Outsourcing. Michelle drives and oversees all aspects of operations within FurstPerson client services, including development and implementation of assessment products and technology as well as coordination and allocation of human and technical resources. Michelle is a vital force behind FurstPerson's client relations and the prime communicator and problem solver who defines specific goals within the operations realm and ensures that those goals are met. Applying her call center expertise, Michelle has helped numerous companies streamline processes and increase efficiencies while implementing hiring solutions that drive positive ROI to the business by decreasing turnover and increasing agent performance.

Michelle joined FurstPerson 10 years ago when the company was founded. She had been working as a consultant for CallCenter Services, taking on multiple projects focusing on improving internal call center business processes and implementing new call center methodology. Prior to her role with CallCenter Services, Michelle worked for EDS in a General Motors call center where she was a member of the call center operations team.

Michelle is a member of the Society of Consumer Affairs Professionals (SOCAP), where she has served in a variety of leadership roles. Most recently, she served two terms as President of the Chicago SOCAP chapter. She has authored white papers on recruiting, selection and hiring, and has written articles published in Call Center Management Review and the Chicago Tribune. Michelle has additionally had the privilege of speaking to a variety of contact center-focused organizations.

Michelle graduated from Purdue University in their Call Center program with a Bachelors of Science in Consumer Affairs. While at Purdue, she worked at the Center for Customer Driven Quality, assisting with research and working on projects that focused on quantitative call center measurements. It was during this time that Michelle had the opportunity to work with Dr. Jon Anton, the renowned call center expert and international speaker.

As the Vice President, Research and Consulting at FurstPerson, Brent's team provides consulting services to FurstPerson's clients, conducts industry leading research on contact center hiring practices, and leads the development of FurstPerson's assessment solutions.

Prior to joining FurstPerson, Brent was the Executive Director of Talent Management at TeleTech leading their selection and assessment practice. Brent's team designed and validated a broad range of assessments to meet the unique business needs of the Company and its clients. These assessments operate in 60 delivery centers across more than 16 countries.

Prior to joining TeleTech, Brent led the talent management practice at CITGO Petroleum. In this role, he implemented succession management process to identify and strategically place high potential leaders, launched an internal coaching practice to facilitate executive growth, and created competency models to more closely align human capital functions (selection, training, compensation, etc.) with the broader business strategy.

Prior to CITGO, Brent served as the Director of Research Services at Hogan Assessment Systems, a psychological test publishing and organizational consulting firm. In this role, he led more than 200 consulting, test development, and selection validation projects for global 1,000 companies. He also worked closely with managers and executives to provide individualized assessment and coaching services.

Brent received a Ph.D. from the University of Tulsa and a B.A. from Harding University. He applies his experiences and education to help organizations solve complex problems in a practical and legally defensible manner. He is a member of the American Psychological Association, Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Society for Human Resources Management, and the Southwest Psychological Association. His research has appeared in numerous published articles and professional conferences.

Prior to joining FurstPerson, Joan was the General Accounting Manager at a division of Newell-Rubbermaid. Joan also served in as Financial Planning and Analysis manager and Marketing Controller at Newell-Rubbermaid gaining experience in corporate reporting, forecasting, and Sarbanes-Oxley compliance. Prior to Newell-Rubbermaid, Joan was Corporate Controller for Ingersoll International. Prior to joining Ingersoll, Joan was with KPMG in their information and communications industry practice. Joan is a graduate from the University of Illinois with a BS in Accountancy with honors. She is a CPA.

Michael Butler is FurstPerson's Vice President, Sales.  In this role, he manages the direct sales and marketing.  He has an extensive background in sales and operations management in human resources services.  Prior to FurstPerson he was Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Valtera and Chief Operating Officer of ePredix, which in now part of SHL Previsor.  He is also a Captain in the US Army Reserve and has been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan.  He is a recipient of the Bronze Star and Army Commendation Medals.

Michael holds a BA in Political Science from Saint Xavier University and an MBA in Marketing and Finance from Northwestern University.

Mandar Shirke is FurstPerson’s Vice President of Software Development. In this role, Mandar holds executive responsibility for the internal sophistication around software development, creation of the FurstPerson technology roadmap, and defining product needs.

Prior to joining FurstPerson, Mandar was the Global Vice President of Software Development at Commercespeed leading the development of their flagship software. He led the global development teams in developing off-the-shelf as well as customized solutions for clients. Mandar also actively led the new product development and was instrumental in implementing a project management office. Prior to Commercespeed, Mandar held leadership positions with Artemis, Time Link, MatrixOne, and Horizon Companies.

Mandar holds a M.B.A from the University of Phoenix and received a Bachelor of Engineering Degree from the University of Mumbai.

Besides Career and Academics, Mandar  is a Charter Member of the 9/11 Memorial as well as a Charter Member of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.