Our Clients
We’ve been privileged to support some of Canada’s leading organizations.
Our
Services
Executive Recruitment
Selecting with Purpose. Your organization depends on good leadership, and it’s important you get the right person for the job. It’s not easy, but when you know where to look, you’ll find them.
Board Governance & Best Practices
Leading with Purpose. The success of your organization rests on good decisions and viability. Your board will get the support it needs to thoroughly execute those two main objectives.
Succession Planning
Progressing with Purpose. Change is inevitable. When it’s time, your organization will be prepared to navigate a seamless and easy transition while preserving your mission.
HR Services
HR Management with Purpose. We offer services including 360 performance reviews, compensation reviews, onboarding/offboarding assistance, policy development, and current legislation information.
Strategic Planning
Planning with Purpose. Effective strategies can be strong organizational tools when developed correctly. Your organization will get one uniquely designed based on present and future needs.
Leadership Assessment (Birkman Method Assessment)
Understanding with Purpose. Get the most out of your team by getting to know them better. When you do, it enables your organization to be more cohesive and efficient.
Executive Coaching
Training with Purpose. You’ve got the right leader now what? Set them up with the right tools and knowledge to take your organization to the next level.
Fair Haven Homes Society
“I cannot express how helpful Nelson/Kraft & Associates has been to the organization I represent and to me personally. In addition to making the process painless and efficient, Nelson/Kraft captured the culture of our organization and leadership team. I am more than pleased with the outcome and now have a strong, thriving leadership team because of their help.”
Joy Parsons
CEO
CCMBC Legacy Fund
“We have worked with Nelson/Kraft & Associates since 2020 and have utilized many of their professional services including executive coaching, Birkman Method assessments, and executive recruiting. N/K completed two successful executive recruitments for Legacy in a professional and timely manner. Mark and his team invest the time necessary to understand organization-specific challenges and opportunities, and team-specific dynamics – information that is critical for applicants and leads to a successful search.”
Jason Krueger
CEO
Ruth & Naomi’s Mission
“We needed to find a replacement for a long-term Executive Director, and having used Nelson/Kraft in the past for some HR matters, there was no hesitation in hiring them again. It was a particularly challenging position to fill given the job, but we found that Mark Kraft and the N/K staff worked tirelessly together with our Search Team to find the right fit! From the outset where they helped us clearly define and develop the position description, to the search for suitable candidates, to the interview process, and ultimately the hiring, we relied heavily on N/K. I can say without hesitation that they are my first recommendation when it comes to finding top talent for faith-based organizations.”
Ken Falk
Board Chair
Knox Presbyterian Church
“Knox recently faced the challenge of having to replace both members of our finance team in a short period of time after having run our own unsuccessful search for one of these positions. Mark Kraft of Nelson/Kraft quickly mobilized their team – led by Keith Knight – around the search, and the Nelson/Kraft team was able to fill both of our positions in the timeframe given. We are thrilled with the outcome! It was a real lift for us to partner with Keith and the team on these searches."
Kevin Pasma
Chief Administrative Officer & Treasurer
Wishbone Site Furnishings
"Earlier this year we contracted Nelson/Kraft to help us find a CEO for our company. The experience was awesome and the results exceeded our expectations! When deciding on a company to assist us in our search it was obvious that Nelson/Kraft had the people and resources to find the right individual. True to form, they came through and found us the right person. The process was amazing and thorough and as before exceeded our expectations."
John Jansen
President
Bramalea Baptist Church
“The members of the Bramalea Baptist Church’s Pastoral Search Team are united in saying how much they appreciated Nelson/Kraft’s tremendous support, effort and leadership in partnering with us to find our next Senior Pastor of God’s choosing. We cannot think of anyone else who we would rather work with. No one could have done the job better. Nelson/Kraft became part of our team, built relationships of trust and did humongous amounts of work for us. They went far beyond what was expected. We appreciated the spiritual basis that they worked from, trusting God each step of the way."
Wayne Matthews
Board Chair
Sanctus Church
“Nelson/Kraft are experts in leading and managing the executive search process. They followed a diligent timeline that was aggressive at the outset and stayed the course to see us through to successful completion. Their value lies in more than just the process as we reaped the benefits of their expertise and experience. They knew what our needs required and counseled accordingly throughout. I highly recommend Nelson/Kraft for executive search requirements.”
Peter Burns
Chair
Food for the Hungry Canada
“We recently worked with Mark Kraft to fill some executive level positions at our organization. Mark brought the perfect level of relationship and professionalism to the process. The candidates presented were A players and we were able to hire outstanding candidates. We have already secured Nelson/Kraft for our next search because of the confidence we have in their leadership and network.”
Andrea Stimpson
HR Business Partner
Opportunity International Canada
“Opportunity International Canada successfully engaged the services of Nelson/Kraft & Associates to help with the search for a new VP Philanthropy. Mark Kraft and the team worked hard and smart, and guided our hiring team every step of the way. In the end we hired a strong candidate who is an excellent fit to the team. The results speak for themselves and I am very happy with the service provided by Nelson/Kraft & Associates.”
Dan Murray
CEO
Christian Credit Union
"As an applicant, I had the most positive experience throughout the whole process with Nelson/Kraft & Associates from initial contact to contract negotiations. They were honest throughout the process and conducted the search with the best interest of all involved. I would be confident in using their services again."
Pete Peters
Director - Member Experience
Mission Services of London
“Using Nelson/Kraft allowed us to complete an executive search with a national scope that we simply would have been unable to achieve on our own. Beyond that Jeff was a great support through the assessment phase, providing guidance when asked but allowing our search committee the room to find and secure the right candidate for us. Many thanks to a great team and a great partner.”
Allen Page
President
Province University College & Theological Seminary
“Executive leadership hiring is too important a task for us to handle entirely on our own. At Providence, we depend upon Nelson/Kraft to help us find the best available leaders so we can flourish in our mission. At this point, we feel like the folks at Nelson/Kraft are a part of our team, bought into our vision, and helping us find new levels of opportunity.”
Kent Anderson
President
Amity Trust
“Working with Mark and the team was fantastic. Nothing is more important than finding the right key employees, and it adds so much confidence to the search process to have someone leading it that has been through it so many times. From start to finish, Mark was there to guide us with the process, the timing, the selection, and the terms, and it just made the journey so much easier.”
Cory Regier
CEO
Capstone Asset Management
“I recently had the privilege of working with Jeff, from Nelson/Kraft, when looking for a new CFO to join the leadership team at Capstone. Our criteria was strict but Jeff and his team did an excellent job of understanding our needs and matching candidates to them. The process was well defined, communication was excellent, and Jeff led throughout providing experience and counsel along the way. I won’t hesitate to call upon Nelson/Kraft for the future needs of Capstone.”
Glenn Murray
President and Chief Investment Officer
Ishtar Women’s Resource Society
“Nelson/Kraft & Associates were recommended to us and they didn’t disappoint! Mark Kraft shared his expertise, knowledge and professionalism with us at every stage of the process. Mark has a unique ability to read people and situations, often providing guidance and insight when needed. Mark and his team were a vital resource to Ishtar in recruiting our new Executive Director. We highly recommend their services for your next executive search.”
Lynn Downie
Board Chair
Meet Nelson / Kraft
Elevating your team to achieve its future potential
Our mission is to help faith-based not-for-profit organizations and for-profit businesses build high-performing teams that make a greater impact.
The journey always starts with finding the right leader, but we take it a few steps further. We guide organizations like yours toward excellence by extending support in those “hard to tackle” areas.
Our passion is to provide a holistic approach to your organization. We offer a variety of services such as board governance consulting, strategic planning, succession planning, executive recruitment and executive coaching.
The Team
Mark Kraft
President
Mark is a trusted and sought-after executive search leader and consultant, with over 20 years’ experience in the public and private sectors. Bringing a deep level of care and commitment to his clients, Mark considers a search successful only when the client and final candidate are satisfied. In Mark you find a supportive and relational advisor who will empower your organization not only during the search, but after we’ve found your next leader.
Jeff Pitchford
Senior Associate
Jeff is an accomplished consultant and senior executive, with over 25 years of leadership experience across the chemical manufacturing and food processing industries. He offers in-depth consulting to businesses and non-profits, and is passionate about building high performance teams. Having been both a for-profit leader and a non-profit board member, Jeff has sat in your seat, and understands the spectrum of challenges that come with making your organization the best it can be.
Jennifer Hill
HR Advisor
Jennifer is a Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP) and a member of Canada’s largest HR regulatory body, the HR Professionals Association. Jennifer holds a Master’s degree in Human Resources Management and the Certificate in Advanced Human Resources Law for Senior HR Executives from Osgoode Hall Law School. Jennifer has a passion for helping organizations thrive. In consultation with your organization, she will develop HR policies and practices and recommend initiatives that contribute to a motivated, committed and productive team.
Shawn Plummer
Senior Associate
Shawn is a senior executive who, after 22 years in international relief and development, most recently served as President & CEO of Food for the Hungry Canada. His career has led to deep relationships and respect within his broad network of non-profits and businesses globally and across Canada. With invaluable program and leadership experience, a history of managing large teams, as well serving as a board member himself, Shawn is well equipped to come alongside your organization to ensure you have the right leadership team in place to drive your future success.
Larry Nelson
Senior Advisor
Larry is a FCPA and consultant with both CEO and board chairman experience, making him well equipped to understand your organizational needs. Larry is gifted in board governance consulting and succession planning, as well as networking to find ideal candidates for your search. Having been in the search and consulting sector for over 15 years, Larry is specialized in serving the needs of both our clients and candidates.
Sharon Cymbaluk
Manager of Administrative Services
Sharon has worked closely with CEOs and leaders of national charities for over a decade, and has supported over 50 boards. Treating every step of the search with care and importance, Sharon offers high-touch support for our clients, and will help make the process as simple as possible. Sharon is an intentional listener and organizer who will smooth out the bumps and take care of the administration so you can focus on building your organization.
Alexa Kroeker
Communications and Marketing Coordinator
Alexa brings experience in executive and board assistance, and will take care of all your marketing and advertising needs. Beginning with the kickoff meeting, Alexa will listen for the nuances of your ideal leader to incorporate in our promotional material designed to attract the best candidates. After adding visual interest to your job description, Alexa will advertise your search broadly, targeting the best and most efficient markets for your particular search.
Ryan Fernandes
Associate
Ryan brings over 15 years of leadership experience across a broad spectrum of Fortune 500, private equity and private businesses. Having been both a candidate and a hiring manager, Ryan has the perspective to help a client clearly articulate their needs and wants, as well as identify a leader who will excel in the role. Being an intentional and high-touch advisor, Ryan will provide you with endless support and motivation until we find your ideal candidate.
Matt Robberstad
Associate
Matt is an accomplished Talent Acquisition Manager with a strong background in the non-profit sector. With over a decade of leadership experience in recruitment and retention, he has a proven record of success. Matt has effectively managed end-to-end recruitment processes for a wide range of positions at Christian Horizons, a major faith-based developmental service organization in Canada. His extensive expertise in recruitment and selection enables him to identify the ideal candidates for various organizational roles. Additionally, Matt is well-versed in employee relations, engagement, and human resources, making him a valuable consultant. Through a ministry-minded focus, and commitment to responsiveness, he aims to serve his stakeholders with excellence as an Associate.
Keith Knight
Associate
Keith is an executive search leader who thrives on relationship-building and discerning organizational and individual needs. With his long career in leadership development, communications and marketing, Keith will effectively lead your search from kickoff to completion. Keith is passionate about building strong, cohesive leadership teams from the top down, and will help you find not only executive but middle management leaders to complement your existing team.
Tim Warkentin
Associate
Tim is a certified coach, strategic planning facilitator and Birkman consultant with over 30 years of leadership development experience. As an outside facilitator, Tim allows your leadership team to be fully engaged in the strategic planning process in order to yield the best results. Tim’s consistent contribution is successfully guiding a process uniquely adapted to your organization to help you practically reach your strategic, operational and financial goals, as well as bring a greater sense of clarity overall.
Nicole Kraft
Associate - Career Transition Lead
Nicole has an M.A. in Counselling and Psychology and is a natural motivator. As a certified Birkman consultant, her passion is to come alongside and help you realize your unique purpose and capacities. Nicole offers our clients insight and wisdom to create new perspective where you once felt stuck or helpless. Simply put, Nicole is an advisor who can help you navigate career transitions, and the ups and downs of your vocational journey.
Book a Consultation
Greater impact starts with unlocking purpose, optimum health, and capacity. Through a one-on-one consultation, we will work with you to identify the ideal next steps to move your organization into excellence.
Our Process
Tell us about yourself, your organization, and current needs or roadblocks.
We’ll schedule a time to connect and do a deep dive on your organization.
We’ll provide recommended next steps to take your organizations impact further.
Reach Out
