Kurt Rakos is co-founder and Partner at SkyWater Search Partners, where he still actively engages in recruiting, representing companies from early growth stage to Fortune 500. As one of the Midwest’s most respected authorities in the recruiting industry, Kurt is quoted frequently by news organizations including Star Tribune, Minnesota Business, and numerous on-line publications. He is also featured every week on KFAN and NEWS-TALK AM 1130, where he and the SkyWater Search Partners team share their insights on recruiting trends, challenges, and winning strategies for 2015 and beyond. Prior to helping create SkyWater, Kurt was Co-Founder and Partner of McKinley Group, Minnesota’s largest search firm, as ranked by Mpls/St. Paul Business Journal. Before that, he held several sales, management, and executive positions at a multi-billion dollar Fortune 500 sales organization. He holds a B.S. degree from St. Cloud State University. Kurt lives in the Twin Cities with his wife and two children.