Rodney Whitmore

Founder & Principal

Whitmore Strategic Solutions LLC

Jun 2026 - Current (3 months)

After several leadership roles at Fortune 50 companies and PE-backed growth organizations, I launched Whitmore Strategic Solutions to bring that experience more directly to CEOs, boards, investors, and growth-stage companies. Every engagement is guided by The Adaptive Enterprise™ Framework, a practical approach for strengthening the four organizational capabilities that determine long-term performance: Adaptive Leadership, Adaptive Organization, Adaptive Talent, and Adaptive Culture. • Advise CEOs on organizational complexity, executive effectiveness, leadership team design, and the people decisions that drive enterprise performance. • Consult with boards and investors on CEO succession, human capital strategy, executive compensation phi

Chief Human Resources Officer

Great Minds

Nov 2020 - Jun 2026 (5 years 8 months)

Great Minds is a mission-driven instructional design organization providing K–12 curricula to schools and districts nationwide. I joined as the company entered a period of rapid, largely unstructured growth and served on the executive leadership team through a pivotal chapter that included a PE investment and CEO succession. • Advised the Board of Directors on CEO succession strategy, executive compensation, and human capital management; partnered with the Board to attract private equity investment and led the revision of the compensation philosophy post-close. • Led reorganization of product development and customer-facing business units — 75% of the workforce — while simultaneously upgrading C-Suite talent. • Conducted enterprise-wide

Adjunct Professor

American University

Mar 2020 - Jun 2021 (1 year 4 months)

Brought extensive human resources experience and thoughtful discussion to students in the School of Professional & Extended Studies. Courses taught included: * "Evaluating Hiring, Performance, and Employee Metrics" - Spring 2020 * "Decision Making and Change Management" - Fall 2020

Member, Career Readiness Advisory Board

k

Oct 2019 - Dec 2021 (2 years 3 months)

Brought school-to-work strategies to bear on the development of high school curricula development.

Chief Human Resources Officer

The GW Medical Faculty Associates

Dec 2014 - Jul 2020 (5 years 8 months)

GW Medical Faculty Associates is the premier academic healthcare organization in Metro DC, operating within a complex, highly matrixed structure. The work required navigating the competing priorities of the university, the hospital, and the faculty practice plan simultaneously. • Partnered with the Chairman of the Board of Trustees to select, hire, and onboard a new CEO; revamped business strategy in response to declining federal reimbursement rates. • Designed and implemented a comprehensive governance structure: fiduciary training for trustees, chartering of the Compensation Committee, executive compensation philosophy, Change of Control Agreements, and a measurable annual incentive plan. • Drove 67% year-over-year improvement in net pr

Senior Vice President Human Resources/Chief HR Officer - The Economist Businesses Worldwide

The Economist

Oct 2013 - Dec 2014 (1 year 3 months)

Over six years, I held three progressively expanding roles — beginning with CQ Roll Call through its merger, then adding the Economist’s North American branded business, and ultimately leading the human capital agenda across all four Economist Group business units simultaneously. International scope included Europe, Asia, South America, and the US. • Served on the management committee of four business units simultaneously, supporting heads with distinct strategic needs, financial targets, and operating styles during a period of significant industry disruption. • Introduced a leadership competency model that drove improvements in talent acquisition, leadership development, and employee engagement across the organization. • Rationalized he

Senior Vice President/Chief HR Officer - Americas Region, Economist Digital and CQ Roll Call

CQ

Nov 2011 - Sep 2013 (1 year 11 months)

Promoted to lead Human Resources for Economist Americas region, in addition to the CQ Roll Call in November 2011. Assumed HR leadership for the Economist Digital business unit in November 2012. Served on the Management Committee of the Economist Americas Region, Economist Digital and CQ Roll Call with responsibility for designing and directing the human capital strategies for three distinct businesses. • Introduced leadership competency model in support of the digital evolution of the media publishing industry, resulting in significant improvements in talent acquisition, leadership development, and employee engagement. • Rationalized and synchronized healthcare benefit offerings for all Economist employees in the US, reducing company health

Senior Vice President/Chief HR Officer - CQ Roll Call

CQ

Sep 2009 - Oct 2011 (2 years 2 months)

Created a centralized HR department to bring consistency to the executive selection, staffing, employee on-boarding, performance management, total rewards and internal communications processes within the first 12 months in role. • Successfully led and executed the redesign of all three businesses resulting in 15% reduction in labor costs while increasing productivity and role clarity for staff. • Introduced a competency model that integrates talent acquisition, leadership development and total rewards strategies in support of new market realities.

President

Whitmore Strategic Solutions LLC

Sep 2008 - Sep 2009 (1 year 1 month)

Whitmore Strategic Solutions (WSS) offered an alternative to the traditional internal human resource department by providing human capital strategic expertise, the key to value creation in the 21st century. WSS presented a range of services that include augmenting existing staff resources or the completion of project-based contractual assignments. Key areas of focus: • Organizational Design & Effectiveness • Talent Acquisition Strategy • Succession Planning • Executive Development • Labor Relations • Change Management • Employee Engagement

Senior Vice President, Human Resources

Cardinal Health

Sep 2005 - Sep 2008 (3 years 1 month)

Served as the senior HR business partner for Healthcare Supply Chain Services – Pharmaceutical, Cardinal Health’s largest business segment with revenues exceeding $76 billion and a workforce of 15,000. Also directed the company’s HR centers of expertise to develop broader corporate HR strategies. • Led talent assessment, culture scan, and post-acquisition integration across multiple domestic and international acquisitions. • Reduced fixed costs by $50M through the design and implementation of a streamlined sector structure. • Led the business unit to the highest employee engagement results in the corporation, achieving the target two years ahead of schedule. • Results included 31% revenue growth and 13% EBITDA growth over three years.

Senior Vice President, Human Resources - The Americas

NetJets

Mar 2003 - Sep 2005 (2 years 7 months)

Accountable for the full human resources strategy across NetJets’ Americas operation. Promoted to Senior Vice President after one year. Led a cultural transformation toward becoming a premier learning organization. Oversaw C-Suite talent acquisition, leadership development, change management, compensation and benefits, and performance management.

Vice President, Human Resources

KornFerry International

Nov 2000 - Sep 2002 (1 year 11 months)

Responsible for the strategic design and creation of the HR function for the North and South American regions of the world’s largest executive search firm. Built the people infrastructure from the ground up: change management, employee relations, professional development, compensation, and performance management.

F

Vice President, Human Resources

Federated Systems Group

Mar 1999 - Oct 2000 (1 year 8 months)

Provided strategic HR leadership for the technology division of Federated Department Stores, leading a team of 35 HR professionals. Scope included people development, succession planning, employee relations, compensation, staffing, and internal communications.

Corporate Director of Human Resources

PepsiCo

Jul 1998 - Feb 1999 (8 months)

Seven years across three roles of increasing scope. As Regional Director, led 40 HR professionals across 15 locations and more than 35,000 employees spanning ten states and Washington, DC. Earlier served as Division HR Director and Senior Employee Relations Representative at corporate headquarters. • Promoted to Regional Director after two years as Division HR Director, leading HR initiatives for 17,000 employees across four states. • Selected for a strategic task force to assess PepsiCo’s workforce development effectiveness, reporting findings directly to the CEO and CPO. • Helped guide the post-divestiture division through its transformation into what became Yum! Brands.

Regional Director of Human Resources

PepsiCo

Sep 1994 - Jul 1998 (3 years 11 months)

Developed greater employee capability and organizational effectiveness through strategic partnering, human resources, planning, and change management. Geographical span included the states of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Maryland, Virginia, North & South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida and Washington, D.C. with an excess of 35,000 employees. Successfully led a powerhouse team of 40 HR professionals in 15 locations. Promoted to Regional Director after serving two years as Division HR Director leading the execution of all HR initiatives for 17,000 employees in Georgia, Tennessee and North & South Carolina.

Senior Employee Relations Representative

PepsiCo

Mar 1992 - Sep 1994 (2 years 7 months)

Responsible for all aspects of human resources matters for over 400 exempt and non-exempt employees and 80 unionized employees in two locations. • Served as key consultant to corporate function heads on issues concerning employee relations and staffing. • Led successful staffing initiative resulting in filling more than 25 management positions per year in less than two months of each opening while limiting the cost per hire. • Selected to participate on strategic task force to assess PepsiCo’s effectiveness in workforce development leading to systematic improvements in policies and practices to the CEO and CPO.

Assistant HR Manager

Kroger

Nov 1985 - Mar 1992 (6 years 5 months)

Responsible for providing functional expertise as a human resources generalist with emphasis on labor relations. Key Accomplishments: • Planned and executed strategies that led to successful negotiation and ratification of labor agreements for over 9000 UFCW employees and 500 Teamsters while reducing employee healthcare costs by 10%. • Led the recruitment, selection and training of 35 to 40 management trainees each year for the Company’s Management Development Program.

Assistant Buyer

Procter Gamble

Jun 1984 - Oct 1985 (1 year 5 months)

Responsible for the procurement and distribution of promotional materials for all of the Company's consumer products brands.

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