Executive Team

Ken C. Schmitt, President and Founder

Ken has been placing mid and senior-level professionals for 12 years. A native of San Diego, Ken prides himself on approaching each engagement from a holistic perspective, taking into account his client’s tactical, strategic and cultural needs and customizing each project accordingly.

Having successfully placed over 175 professionals in positions such as CFO, COO, Controller, VP Operations, VP Sales & Marketing, Treasurer, Director of Human Resources, President, Board Member, Finance Director and Director of Internal Audit, Ken delivers a wide range of functional expertise to each engagement. By incorporating his 18 years of leadership experience, Ken successfully applies a unique process of in-person screening, business evaluation and cultural assessment to ensure that each executive placement is the ideal fit.

After spending 5 years in management positions with Enterprise Rent A Car, Ken joined Accountants Inc, a regional staffing firm focusing on placing accounting and financial professionals. Two years later, he was recruited to join the San Diego office of Heidrick & Struggles, a leading, global retained search firm, where he spent 3 ½ years supporting the firm’s former CEO on a variety of executive level searches. After rejoining Accountants Inc in 2003 to create and manage the Southern California AI Executive division, he left to spend 3 years with a local boutique firm, Judy Thompson & Associates. Then, in 2007, Ken ventured out on his own to launch TurningPoint Executive Search as a unique and comprehensive career management firm. In addition to providing customized recruiting, the firm also offers high impact Career Coaching and Employment Branding to numerous clients across multiple disciplines and industries.

Ken is a consummate networker who consistently attends nearly one dozen networking events each month, equipping him with the distinct ability to make relevant and targeted introductions to business professionals throughout the region.

Ken earned his BBA in Business Economics from the University of San Diego in 1992, and has been an active board member of USD’s School of Business Alumni Association since 2005. He has served as the key note speaker for USD’s MSEL program, Cal State University San Marcos, Vistage, the IMA, the IIA, SHRM, NHRA, The Controller’s Council, USD and UCSD, The Boardroom, InlandNet, the North County Personnel Association and the CFO Roundtable. Ken formerly served as a Board Committee Chair for Volunteers of America, Southwest California Affiliate.

Seann Dailey, Division Manager, Executive Search

Seann Dailey brings more than 10 years of experience placing Accounting and Finance Professionals at all levels in San Diego. Having spent several years in corporate accounting, she prides herself on taking a consultative approach with her clients and candidates. Seann considers each search from a “big picture” perspective that takes into account varying factors such as problem solving and succession planning for the company, in addition to focusing on long-term career objectives for each candidate and coaching client.

Prior to joining TurningPoint Executive Search, Seann spent several years with two nationwide staffing firms and nearly 6 years with Caron & Stanley, Inc., a boutique search firm based in San Diego. During her 10 years of recruiting, she has placed more than 200 professionals in roles such as Controller, Accounting Manager, Tax Manager, Financial Analyst, SEC Reporting Manager and Internal Auditor, among others.

Originally from Northwest Indiana, Seann worked as an intern in Accounting at US Steel Gary Works during college where she obtained a dual Bachelors in Accounting and Business Management from Pensacola Christian College. In addition to her recruiting experience, she possesses a solid background in accounting within the pharmaceutical, government contracting, and mortgage industries. She also completed two contract assignments with Blue Cross Blue Shield, assisting them with their annual budget preparation, and Mobil Oil, supporting them as they prepared for the merger with Exxon. This combined experience in recruiting and accounting allows Seann to closely relate to the challenges faced by Corporate Finance executives.

Seann has spent the past 5 years serving on the board of the Institute of Management Accountants, holding the position of Speaker Chief.