Our Success Stories

  • "Renee Franklin provided executive and strategic Human Resources leadership for Sparboe Companies for over a year. Her legacy is the healthy partnership she built between HR and the rest of the company. The disciplines and compensation programs she developed were successful in attracting and retaining employees in multiple roles across three states. She preferred to be on site and with the team, always working as hard as everyone else. An excellent listener, she was capable of discerning what is most important to our managers and for overall success. She was decisive, yet in her decision making she understood the uniqueness of our business. Being dedicated, open minded, accessible and a straight shooter, she quickly built solid relationships at all levels of the organization and became a central member of our leadership team. As the owner and CEO, I trusted her judgement, valued her intuition, and relied on her knowledge and solid ethics. Our mutual commitment to confidentiality was essential to our trusted relationship. I enjoyed working with Renee and would strongly recommend her."

    – Beth Schnell, CEO/President, Sparboe Companies

  • "Abby Walker has been an invaluable partner in our recruitment efforts. Tasked with the significant challenge of scaling our team in a highly competitive market, we needed a partner not just with an understanding of HR processes, but with a deep insight into our specific industry. Abby exceeded these expectations at every turn. One of the most impressive aspects of working with Abby is her approach to understanding our company's ethos, vision, and the specific dynamics of the roles we needed to fill. She executed a highly targeted strategy that considered not just the skills but the character and potential fit of candidates within our company culture – and within the team they would be operating in. The communication from the team was exceptional, with transparent, insightful updates at every stage of the recruitment process. Abby’s responsiveness and open dialogue made it feel as though we had an in-house recruitment team, dedicated solely to our objectives. It was evident that the team at PeopleWise Consulting leverages a robust network and possesses a keen eye for identifying talent that not only meets but often exceeds the criteria. Their thorough vetting process ensured that my team spent our time interviewing only the most fitting candidates, making our hiring process much more efficient and effective. Abby operates as an extension of our team, seamlessly integrating across multiple departments and working closely with hiring leaders. Her expertise, professionalism, and dedication have made a tangible difference in our ability to attract and hire the right people."

    – Emily Vennerstrom, Chief Impact Officer, NorthRock Partners

  • “Few people have the ability to change an entire organization's culture like Renee Franklin. She helped create a fun, engaged, and motivating place to work. Renee had influence in all areas of the organization and created many positive changes through her initiatives. Renee was able to consistently attract top talent in large part due to the culture that she created over the years. I would highly recommend Renee to any organization looking for winning strategies for their employees and business."

    – Aaron Cole, Director of Enterprise Sales, Bluum

  • "I've worked with a lot of Human Resource professionals over my career and Abby is one of the best. She has a unique ability to solve complex problems, lean into difficult situations, and get the best out of people— besides that, she's just a delight to work with."

    – Michael Vedders, VP, Marketing & Brand, NorthRock Partners

  • "To put it simply, Renee is my number one recommendation for Human Resource knowledge and skills. Renee has a deep passion for employee engagement and organizational culture. In our time working together, she spearheaded several companywide initiatives always using strategic, measurable goals. Her personality and approach allow her to communicate and connect effectively with coworkers of all ages and backgrounds. She also goes above and beyond with her ability to not only start, but follow through, measure, and adjust purpose driven initiatives."

    – Derek Burns, President & Co-Founder of Dinkytown Athletes

  • "Abby Walker brings a refreshing approach to HR strategy and planning, making the journey towards both short- and long-term success not only manageable but enjoyable. During a period of rapid growth within our department, Abby's steady demeanor and innovative ideas reshaped our team dynamics for the better. Working directly with Abby was not only valuable but truly appreciated."

    – Sarah Rushford, Director, Tax Services, NorthRock Partners

  • "Renee is a collaborative partner who quickly assessed and identified resource needs and helped support the fast paced and changing needs of a growing organization. She is a strong advocate for inclusion and consistently provides employees with the opportunity to voice their thoughts and questions. She led town halls and individual meetings with each department to share our annual employee engagement results. Her approachability and authenticity promoted an inclusive environment where employees felt heard. I genuinely appreciated her support, feedback, and collaboration as we worked across several initiatives together and would highly recommend her as a trusted HR partner.”

    – Lynn Bemis, CFO, Smead

  • “Renee Franklin is an incredible Human Resource professional that not only understands the HR world but also understands employee needs, leadership development, and preserving risk within a thriving organization. In my tenure working along Renee, I was able to learn so much from her on a daily basis that allowed me to be a better leader in my role. Renee is the type of professional that always exceeds your expectations, her work comes back ten times better than you ever expected. She’s able to work with leaders in a way that brings their teams to new levels. She is truly the best in the business.”

    – Robert T. Gag, VP & Co-Founder of Dinkytown Athletes

  • “Renee was a great asset to our organization. She was very knowledgeable in helping our HR and Operations leaders work through updating our policies and gave guidance on navigating through difficult employee situations. Renee worked directly with our teams in a prompt, responsive, and efficient manner. Renee's depth of experience helped our organization identify and address the needs of the business. Renee was a great business partner, and always appreciated that she was able to target her advice to our unique needs and culture."

    – Mark Kellen, EVP, Daybreak Foods

  • “Renee brought new insight and support to our organization; she is professional, thorough, and knowledgeable. Having Renee as part of our HR and corporate structure eased stress, saved us time, and helped us better serve our organization. She has become a great mentor and I’m thankful for our time together."

    – Laina Legler, HR Manager, Sparboe Companies