This is our monthly feature where we recap the biggest tech hires and promotions in Chicago over the past month. Want daily updates on personnel moves, fundings and other Chicago tech news? Sign up for our daily newsletter The Beat.
AMP Americas
AMP Americas, a Chicago-based clean energy startup that turns cow manure into renewable natural gas, has hired Martin Gilkes to be its COO. Gilkes was previously the global head of strategic planning and VP of Investor Relations at Mattel.
Eved
Eved, a Chicago-based digital payment and spend management software company for the meetings and events industry, announced it has hired Josh Gray as its president and chief operating officer. Gray comes to Eved from Insight Venture Partners, and also previously served as a member of the management team at BigMachines, which sold to Oracle.
Anita Borg Institute
The Anita Borg Institute, a nonprofit organization that advocates for women technologists, announced that it has hired Brenda Darden Wilkerson as its president and CEO. Wilkerson joins Palo Alto-based ABI from the Chicago Public Schools, where she most recently served as Director of Computer Science and IT Education.
Shiftgig
Shiftgig, the Chicago-based startup that connects businesses with hourly workers, announced that it has hired Wade Burgess, LinkedIn’s former VP of talent solutions, as its chief executive. Current CEO and Co-Founder Eddie Lou will remain with the company, transitioning to the role of executive chairman.
NuCurrent
NuCurrent, a Chicago-based wireless charging startup, announced that it has hired Jim Crnkovic as its VP of engineering. Crnkovic previously worked at Motorola, having had a hand in projects such as the Droid RAZR, RAZR MAXX, and Droid 3.
LotLinx
LotLinx, a Chicago-based marketing tech company for the auto industry, announced that it has hired John Gottschalk as its senior VP of Client Relationships. He was previously the SVP of Dealer Relations & Business Development at FordDirect, a digital marketing solution for Ford.
Groupon
Groupon announced that it has named Jennifer Carr-Smith its senior VP, General Manager of North America Local. Carr-Smith was previously the president at Chicago online grocer Peapod, and before that was the COO of J. Crew’s online business.
InContext Solutions
InContext Solutions, a Chicago startup that makes virtual reality solutions for retailers, named David Rich as executive chairman. Rich previously held leadership roles in predictive analytics at Accenture and Microsoft’s Revolution Analytics. Revolution Analytics was acquired by Microsoft in 2015 and was integrated into its Cortana Intelligence Suit.
