Bob’s Red Mill is an employee-owned company based in Portland, Ore. that markets high-quality baking flours, whole grains, oats, and other unprocessed foods.
Food & beverage
Chief Financial Officer, Senior Vice President of Marketing, Vice President of Marketing, Vice President of Sales
Noto Group’s thorough candidate intake interviews and clear, insightful summaries that provide a 360-degree view into the candidate
Bob’s Red Mill’s relationship with Noto Group took root when a new CEO embarked on an ambitious growth agenda for the company. After Trey Winthrop, a 19-year-veteran of the employee-owned company, was named CEO in 2021, he chose Noto Group to help fill out his senior leadership team based on the executive search firm’s recruiting expertise, shared values, and network of mission-driven leaders.
“Trey had a strong vision for growing the business right out of the gate, and we were honored that he trusted us with the hires he needed,” said Noto Group Principal Search Consultant Tami Bumiller.
The first priority was to replace himself as Chief Financial Officer, a position he held for more than six years. Simultaneously a second search mandate for a Senior Vice President of Marketing was initiated. After 15 months, the SVP of Marketing Noto Group placed was promoted to Chief Growth Officer, bringing together sales and marketing under a single umbrella. The third search assignment was for a Vice President of Marketing as the leadership team continued to evolve.
Amid this significant transition phase, company leaders also knew they would soon need to replace the company’s long-time Vice President of Sales, who was planning to retire. Noto Group successfully completed the fourth key hire—resulting in a dynamic and cohesive leadership team for Bob’s Red Mill as the company entered its next phase of growth.
For each of these positions, Noto Group helped Bob’s Red Mill at every step of the hiring process—from refining the job description to providing feedback on the offer package. At the outset, Noto Group met with Bob’s Red Mill executives on site to ask questions about its business needs and challenges, culture, and strategic direction.
--Trey Winthrop, Chief Executive Officer, Bob’s Red Mill
The Principal Search Consultant assigned to each search worked closely with the leadership team to develop and refine a success profile, outlining the key qualities and competencies needed. From there, the Noto Group team tapped into its talent network to bring forward a dynamic pool of qualified and interested candidates.
The Noto Group selection process included competency modeling and structured interviews designed to obtain a well-rounded perspective into each candidate’s experience and approach. Once those finalists were selected, Noto Group worked with the company to design and implement a comprehensive, insightful, and consensus-driven selection process.
Having worked with Noto Group for the past three years, Bob’s Red Mill has come to view the executive search firm as a long-term partner. “If you want to improve your success rate, I highly recommend Noto Group,” said Winthrop. “They have a long track record of success, and get us and our fit.”
Ally Borozan, Chief Growth Officer at Bob’s Red Mill, agrees. “We see Noto Group as an extension of our team,” she said. “They know the experiences, personalities, and nuances that go into building a strong team—and with each role that’s filled, the relationship grows.”
--Ally Borozan, Chief Growth Officer, Bob’s Red Mill
What stands out to Winthrop and Borozan is Noto Group’s honest, transparent approach and how deeply it assesses each candidate. Noto Group’s intake interviews are thorough and detailed, and go “far beyond the resume,” Borozan says. Candidate summaries provide impactful insights into each applicant’s personality as well as their approach to leadership, relationship building, conflict management, and other topics.
“They have a process that really gets under the surface of the candidate experience so you can see who each candidate really is and what they bring,” she says. “It’s almost like a 360-degree view into the person.”
As Bob’s Red Mill continues to partner with Noto Group on new hires, Borozan says she wouldn’t trust the company’s hires with anyone else. Her advice to other companies? “If you're looking for an executive search firm that’s vested in the success of your company, choose Noto Group.”
