ABOUT OUR TEAM
Charlie Wilgus brings over 27 years of executive search experience to Legacy Executive Search, partnering with organizations across North America to recruit VP/SVP, President, and C-suite leaders. His areas of expertise include Supply Chain & Operations, Sales & Marketing, Human Resources, and Finance.
Before founding Legacy, he was a Senior Partner at Matteson Partners, a boutique retained search firm. He previously spent 19 years with Lucas Group as an award-winning search partner and senior executive, where he helped lead the company's turnaround and growth from $25M to $130M before its sale to Korn Ferry.
Passionate about solving complex hiring challenges and building lasting client relationships through a high-touch, consultative process, he grounds his approach in integrity, trust, authenticity, and work ethic—values that have earned him long-term partnerships as a trusted advisor for high-stakes executive searches. He excels at identifying leaders who can modernize supply chains, transform plant operations, elevate organizational culture, increase revenue, and drive EBITDA growth. In addition to family-owned and privately held companies, he has worked extensively with private equity firms to scale portfolio companies.
Charlie earned a B.A. in Sociology from Rhodes College. He has been an active supporter and fundraiser for Children's Healthcare of Atlanta for more than 15 years. He lives outside Atlanta, Georgia, with his wife and two children, both currently in college.
Erik Kessinger is the Co-Founder and Executive Partner of Legacy Executive Search, bringing more than 27 years of experience guiding organizations in manufacturing and distribution to build high-performing leadership teams. Over the course of his career, Erik has completed more than 400 executive searches, helping companies strengthen their leadership and accelerate growth.
His expertise spans the full spectrum of manufacturing and distribution, enabling him to identify, attract, and connect exceptional executives with opportunities that align with both organizational goals and cultural fit. Erik partners with a diverse client base, including private equity firms, family-owned businesses, and privately held companies across multiple sectors.
Known for his integrity, strong work ethic, and commitment to long-term relationships, Erik has built a reputation as a trusted advisor. His approach combines deep industry knowledge with a focus on impact—ensuring that every placement contributes meaningfully to the client's success.
Erik earned a B.A. in Risk Management and Insurance from the Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia. He and his wife of 25 years live in the Atlanta area, where they are raising their three children.
Jason Hudson is a Co-Founder and Executive Partner at Legacy Executive Search, bringing over 30 years of corporate experience to the firm. Throughout his career, he has served in various roles—from Business Development to Chief Financial Officer to Owner/Partner—working with clients across many industries with a focus on technology, distribution, and manufacturing.
His clients have ranged from small, privately held family businesses to mid-market companies and large public corporations. He is extensively involved with private equity and venture capital funds and has served on several company boards, acting as a trusted advisor to corporate executives and company founders.
A proud graduate of the University of Georgia, he earned both his undergraduate degree and MBA from the Terry College of Business. He currently serves on the University of Georgia Board of Visitors and the Parent Leadership Council for UGA. He previously served on the Terry College Alumni Board, where he is now an emeritus member.
Jason resides in Roswell, Georgia, with his wife of over 25 years. They have three grown children, whom they consider their greatest "Legacy." Outside of work, he enjoys playing top golf courses around the world, spending time with his family at the beach, and following the Georgia Bulldogs.
Austin Bristow brings over 18 years of executive search and corporate talent acquisition experience to Legacy Executive Search. Throughout his career, he has built diverse, high-performing teams across the United States, Canada, and Latin America, helping companies scale with confidence.
Specializing in recruiting senior sales, product, delivery, and leadership talent for high-growth companies and global enterprises, he most recently served as Lead Go-To-Market and Sales Recruiter for a leading SaaS software company, where he successfully hired an entire enterprise sales team—including a Regional VP and five Senior Account Executives—in under 12 months.
Austin works primarily with organizations in Energy, Manufacturing, Financial Services, and Technology, taking a consultative, high-touch approach to every engagement. Known for creating exceptional experiences for both clients and candidates, he ensures talent strategies align with long-term business outcomes.
Austin holds a degree in Economics and Spanish from Louisiana State University. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, he enjoys spending time outdoors with his wife, children, and dog, and actively supports Breakthrough T1D, The Honor Foundation, and youth sports programs.
Lisa leads the Legal Division at Legacy Executive Search, leveraging over 25 years of experience in legal talent solutions to help her clients build modern, high-performing in-house legal teams. Her deep understanding of the legal ecosystem spans law firms, corporate legal departments, attorneys, and legal professionals in various roles, practice areas, and industries, including manufacturing, energy, healthcare, hospitality, FinTech, retail, telecommunications, and higher education. She works with clients and candidates nationwide.
Lisa previously served as Executive Director of the Enterprise Legal Solutions division at Consilio, an end-to-end legal placement and technology solutions company. Before Consilio, Lisa spent 18 years at Legility (f/k/a Counsel On Call), gaining extensive recruiting, management, and business operations experience. As the National Director of Talent, she led a 10-person recruiting team and transformed the company’s hiring process by incorporating technological solutions that improved automation, accuracy, and recruiting efficiency. Her acumen in corporate legal operations, combined with her experience as a legal recruiter and outside attorney, uniquely equips her to help clients navigate the hiring process and manage their legal department's talent acquisition needs.
Throughout her career, clients have engaged Lisa for their most critical hiring needs, from general counsel and deputy general counsel to specialized associate and corporate counsel roles. Lisa prioritizes a high-touch, bespoke search process over a transactional selling and recruiting process.
Lisa earned a B.A., magna cum laude, from The University of Georgia Honors College with an English major, then earned her J.D., cum laude, from The University of Georgia School of Law. She practiced labor and employment law for several years at Jackson Lewis and Troutman Sanders before discovering her passion for working in legal talent acquisition and law department management, making it her permanent career.
Lisa resides in Atlanta with her husband and two children. Outside work, Lisa is an avid reader and tennis player who loves visiting her daughter at Auburn and watching her son play baseball. She is also a passionate volunteer for a non-profit, Impact 100 Atlanta, where she is a founding Board Member.
Kimberly Lerman is a seasoned legal professional with over 25 years of experience. She currently serves as a legal recruiter at Legacy Executive Search. Her career has spanned both law practice and legal recruitment, providing her with a unique perspective on the industry.
Kimberly has dedicated the past decade to attorney recruitment, specializing in placing legal professionals in various roles across multiple sectors. Her placements include roles such as general counsel, associate general counsel, division general counsel, and senior counsel in industries ranging from financial services to hospitality.
Before starting her recruiting career, Kimberly practiced law for fifteen years. Her legal career culminated in her role as Vice President & Associate General Counsel for a large company based in Atlanta. She also acquired valuable experience as a litigation associate at well-known law firms, including King & Spalding and Eversheds Sutherland.
Kimberly holds a J.D. from Duke University School of Law and a B.A. from Emory University, where she graduated magna cum laude. She remained actively involved with both institutions, co-chairing the Duke Atlanta Women's Forum and serving as a Duke Law Atlanta Board member. Kimberly also volunteers with Emory Connects, mentoring students interested in pursuing legal careers.
Outside of her professional life, Kimberly is an accomplished athlete and outdoor enthusiast. She has completed 21 Ironman® triathlons and enjoys various activities, including scuba diving, stand-up paddleboarding, hiking, and nature photography. Kimberly also dedicates time to mentoring busy professionals who strive to balance endurance sports with their careers and family commitments. She currently serves on the Board of Officers for the Southern Appalachian Bicycle Association, demonstrating her commitment to community engagement and passion for outdoor activities.
Brook Monticello has a long-standing track record of successful placements with a strong understanding that an ever-changing market, evolving trends, and a growing economy drive hiring needs. Using this knowledge, Brook views each search as a learning opportunity to deliver above expectations and consistently improve his recruiting practice.
Before joining Legacy Executive Search, Brook spent 18 years at Lucas Group in their Supply Chain & Operations Practice Group. As Executive Senior Partner, Brook worked with high-level supply chain talent and the industry's leading employers to form strategic partnerships, thus impacting operations and the bottom line.
Driven and curious, he understands his client's needs to source the best candidates for each position. Likewise, Brook works to uncover his candidates' motivations and passions to ensure he recommends positions highlighting their skills and strengths. By managing expectations and transparency, Brook forms strong connections with his clients and candidates built on mutual respect and trust, leading to long-term relationships throughout his career.
A graduate of Michigan State University with a B.A. in Communications, Brook continues to cheer for the Spartans and Detroit professional sports teams while giving an obligatory nod to the teams in his adopted hometown of Atlanta.
Emily Ritchey joined Legacy Executive Search following an extensive career as a Human Resources Business Leader specializing in talent acquisition and development. With over 25 years of HR experience across manufacturing, distribution, retail, and hospitality, she provides search services for business leadership, human resources, finance, engineering, supply chain, and commercial talent.
Her deep industry knowledge allows her to match executive talent strategically across diverse sectors. She takes the time to understand her client partners' needs and delivers results-driven, industry-leading recruitment services. Before joining Legacy, she spent ten years as Vice President of Human Resources for a privately held industrial manufacturing company. Emily also led HR for The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company's retail stores and supported consumer sales and marketing. Earlier in her career, she held progressive HR roles at Newell Brands and Wyndham Hotels.
Emily provides consultative excellence in all aspects of talent management, including executive search, onboarding, coaching, and development. She is also certified in a variety of leadership and organizational assessment and development tools.
Emily graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BBA in Human Resources from Kent State University and holds SPHR, SHRM-SCP, and Strategic HR Business Partner certifications. She resides in Dublin, Ohio, has two adult children, and enjoys road cycling, live music, and travel.