CEO Transition

Mike Frommelt is Founder and Co-owner of Strategic Talent Partners and has more than 30 years of experience guiding privately held and employee-owned companies through critical leadership transitions. 

In 2024, Mike combined his previous firm (KeyStone Search) with another firm (CorTalent) to create Strategic Talent Partners, who provide executive search and consulting across all leadership levels/roles.

Raised in a family-owned business, Mike learned early the power of hard work, customer service, and treating people with respect—principles that now underpin his approach to executive search and succession. He has led hundreds of C-suite and board-level searches, with a special focus on CEO succession and owner exits, ensuring leadership continuity that protects culture and shareholder value. 

A graduate of the University of St. Thomas (B.A., Psychology & Business Administration), Mike currently serves on the Board of Directors for the NCEO. 

In his spare time, Mike enjoys fishing Minnesota’s northern lakes, tackling home-improvement projects, and spending time with his wife, Brenda, and their three adult children

Rick Rittmaster is a leadership and talent development expert and leads the Leadership Solutions practice at Strategic Talent Partners. Rick has over a decade of experience partnering with CEOs and executives to increase the engagement and impact of talent to help companies grow. Working with leaders in large, mid, and small organizations, Rick helps identify a situation’s root cause and then develops practical, action-oriented solutions. Rick has consulted on leadership and organizational effectiveness, innovation strategy, change management, diversity and inclusion, and employee engagement and culture. He is also a member of the Forbes HR Council and has spoken at many conferences around leadership development including the 2024 EOS Conference. Rick is also the Co-Founder of Groveland Leadership, a program designed to help new and aspiring leaders successfully transition into leadership roles.

Rick’s passion is leadership and developing strong relationships. He is an avid consumer of leadership literature and research, and “gets out of bed” each day to coach and mentor leaders to help them accomplish their goals. Rick is most proud when a leader or team no longer needs his services because of the capacity they have built working together. 

Outside of work Rick loves spending time with his family and watching his three young children – Claire, Alice, and Charlie – grow and develop. Rick is also an avid runner and has completed 14 marathons.