Second Annual CFO Forum Preeminence Award presented to Leslie Kurtz of Jackson Healthcare
ATLANTA (Dec. 5, 2019) ---The CFO Forum, Atlanta’s premier professional organization for financial leaders, presented its annual Preeminence Award to Leslie Kurtz, Chief Financial Officer at Jackson Healthcare, at its quarterly meeting today at the Delta SKY360° Club at SunTrust Park. The award recognizes Atlanta’s most outstanding CFO for 2019.Kurtz was among about a dozen candidates who earned nominations from their peers. The selection process included reviews by the CFO Forum’s advisory board, as well as personal interviews conducted by the selection committee.
“It’s an honor to be recognized with this award,” says Kurtz. “I am humbled to have been considered with the other finalists, and I’m proud to represent Jackson Healthcare. Our core values of Others First, Wisdom and Growth closely align with the seven pillars of preeminence described in Glen Jackson’s book. Preeminence, and the competitive advantage it creates, is simply the outcome of living out our core values each and every day.” Kurtz joined Jackson Healthcare in 2018 upon retirement of its previous chief financial officer. In this role, she is responsible for leading the accounting, treasury, financial planning and analysis, and risk management operations of the enterprise. Notes Rick Jackson, CEO of Jackson Healthcare, “Leslie is an extremely talented CFO and has earned the respect of our entire organization in how she embodies the values that define our strong culture. We are delighted to see her recognized by the CFO Forum as 2019 chief financial officer of the year.” With more than 30 years of progressive financial and operations experience, Kurtz has deep expertise in creating systems and processes to support rapidly growing businesses and a proven track record of driving growth, operational excellence and sustained profitability.
Before joining Jackson Healthcare, she held executive leadership positions in the talent management and healthcare industries, most recently serving as CFO at MedQuest Associates. Prior to that, she worked with multiple companies in accounting and finance leadership roles, including Arthur Andersen, Coca-Cola Enterprises, Irwin & Browning and Right Management.“
We’re incredibly pleased to be able to give this award to Leslie,” says Chris White, cofounder of the CFO Forum and Vice Chairman of Savills. “When we envisioned this award, we created governance around the selection process, not usually seen in these types of awards, by forming a selection committee of CFOs. We utilized the seven pillars from Glen’s book to drive our decision. We’re thrilled that Leslie truly represents all of the preeminent characteristics identified, and we are proud to have her as our 2019 winner.”
Other contenders for this year’s CFO Forum Preeminence Award were Scott Meyerhoff, CFO of InComm, and Nicole Stokes, CFO of Ameris Bank.The Preeminence Award takes its name from a book by Glen Jackson, co-founder of Jackson Spalding, Georgia’s largest independent marketing communications agency. “Preeminence: What It Means and How to Sustain It” articulates seven key characteristics that Jackson observes in successful organizations: trust, relationship building, marketing communications, assessment, the cultural torch of servant leadership, fanatical focus and remarkable resiliency.
Media ContactPatrick Ward, (404) 946-6251, JWard@savills.us
About Jackson Healthcare
Jackson Healthcare®, the third-largest U.S. healthcare staffing firm by revenue, is a family of highly specialized healthcare staffing, search and technology companies. With a mission to improve the delivery of patient care and the lives of everyone it touches, it helps thousands of healthcare facilities serve more than seven million patients annually. Backed by more than 1,500 associates and with over $1 billion in annual revenue, Jackson Healthcare is recognized as an employer of choice, having appeared consecutive years on Fortune’s Best Workplaces in Health Care and Biopharma list, in 2019 on the Best Workplaces for Women list and in 2018 on the Best Workplaces for Millennials list, as well as being named a best place to work by the Atlanta Business Chronicle since 2005.
About CFO Forum
The CFO Forum was co-founded by Chris White of Savills alongside Emory’s Goizueta Business School in 2013. It creates a productive community for CFOs to connect with their colleagues, exchange best practices and gain access to the exclusive research and thought-leadership of expert business leaders. The CFO Forum is led by an advisory board of 14 Atlanta CFOs or former CFOs and offers quarterly programming by and for CFOs. Information is available at http://cfoforumatlanta.com/. The CFO Forum is generously supported by partners Emory University’s Goizueta Business School, Savills, Grant Thornton, Aon, Nelson Mullins and The Grant Partners.
