Phil Menzel

Phil Menzel is a Partner at JM Search and Practice Leader for the Firm’s Consumer Practice. Since joining JM Search in 2015, Phil Menzel has been focused on recruiting executives across the food and beverage consumer industries. Based in Chicago, Phil has built a growing and vibrant national practice with clients including large public, private and private equity owned food companies including: Rich Products, Reyes Holdings, US Foods, Pepsico, Shore Capital and Tilia Holdings.

Phil brings more than 30 years of human capital leadership experience to JM Search. Having been the top human resources executive for several multi-billion-dollar companies, Phil leverages his decades of experience in a corporate field setting to help clients strategically evaluate their executive leadership needs and build high performance teams.

Prior to JM Search, Phil spent three decades in HR leadership roles for several “blue chip” CPG food companies including a combined 17 years with General Mills, Pillsbury, and Sara Lee. Phil also served as CHRO for more than six years with the global Chicago-based Reyes Holdings, a privately held multi-billion-dollar food and beverage distribution company serving significant iconic brand holdings, such as McDonalds, Miller Brewing and Coke.

Phil brings considerable depth of networks and experience in CPG, distribution, supply chain, business services, retail, general management, and corporate functions. In addition to recruiting, Phil draws on significant expertise in talent and organizational development, change management, culture optimization, M&A, succession planning, executive coaching, and executive compensation.

Apart from helping clients build and develop world-class leadership teams, Phil is actively involved in leading the firm’s Chicago office and serves on its Finance Committee and leads the JMS HR Center of Excellence. He is on the Bernie’s Book Bank Board of Directors Executive Committee, a Chicago-based non-profit organization, and is a member of the Economic Club of Chicago. His passions include spending time with family and friends, great food, Chicago sports, and golf. Phil resides with his wife in Cary, Il and they have two beautiful daughters.