Randi Frank, Managing Member/CEO
Randi Frank Consulting, LLC
Randi Frank is an accomplished local government and small business consultant with over 35 years of municipal experience and 25 years as a consultant specializing in executive search, classification and compensation studies, and comprehensive human resources consulting. In addition to municipal consulting, Ms. Frank provides strategic human resources guidance for small businesses. As the owner of Randi Frank Consulting, LLC, a Louisville, Kentucky and Federally Certified Small Women Owned Business, Ms. Frank has successfully completed over 90 executive searches for municipal CEOs and department heads across the United States. As well as over 30 classification and compensation studies for municipalities in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Virginia, Kentucky, and Oklahoma. She is co-developer, along with Georgian Lussier, of the copyrighted Classification & Compensation Manual – Public Sector Version, a comprehensive job evaluation factor point system used to ensure internal equity and external competitiveness in municipal compensation. Her diverse background includes thirteen years as Assistant Town Manager in Connecticut municipalities (Rocky Hill and Cheshire), where she oversaw human resources, risk management, purchasing, grants, recycling, and project management. She holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Southern California and a Bachelor’s degree in Urban Affairs from the University of Rhode Island. She is certified as a Professional Risk Manager by the Insurance Institute of America. Her hands-on approach and extensive network within municipal government enable her to identify and recruit top-tier talent while providing personalized service to every client on strategic human resources.
Robert E. Slavin, Principal Consultant
Slavin Management Consultants (RFC partners with SMC on Executive Searches)
Robert E. Slavin stands as one of the most experienced recruiters of governmental managers in the nation, having conducted or assisted in over 850 successful public sector executive searches since beginning his executive search career in 1979. As principal and founder of Slavin Management Consultants, an independent management consulting firm established in 1991, Mr. Slavin specializes in the recruitment of chief executive officers and high-level department heads completing more than 850 executive searches which includes more than 375 Town/City/County Manager recruitments. Randi Frank Consulting and Slavin Management Consultants collaborate on executive searches to combine Ms. Frank’s extensive municipal knowledge with Mr. Slavin’s nationwide recruiting experience, providing clients with the best of both firms’ expertise. Operating nationwide from the firm’s headquarters near Atlanta, Georgia, Slavin Management Consultants provides exceptionally high-quality consulting services to state and local government, health care providers, transit authorities, utilities, and special districts. Mr. Slavin’s extensive experience spans work with major metropolitan areas and smaller communities across the country, establishing him as a trusted authority in public sector executive recruitment with an unwavering commitment to identifying leaders who will serve their communities with excellence. Mr. Slavin received his Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science from the University of Santa Clara, and has completed the graduate course work for a Master’s degree in Public Administration at California State University at Hayward
Georgian Lussier, Principal Consultant
Owner -G.F. Lussier & Associates
Georgian Lussier has been the owner of G.F. Lussier & Associates of Wallingford, Connecticut since 1994, bringing over 35 years of comprehensive human resources experience with specialized expertise in classification and compensation systems and performance management. She is co-developer, along with Randi Frank, of the copyrighted Classification & Compensation Manual – Public Sector Version, a sophisticated job evaluation factor point system that has been successfully implemented in numerous municipalities across various States. Her extensive background in HR management encompasses a wide range of human resources functions, including management development programs, high performance work systems and organizational studies. Ms. Lussier has provided services to over 20 municipalities and more than 40 non-profit and private sector organizations nationwide. Her deep expertise in classification and compensation studies, combined with her knowledge of performance management best practices, enables her to help organizations create internally equitable and externally competitive compensation structures while developing effective systems for evaluating and developing talent. Ms. Lussier’s professional approach and attention to detail contribute significantly to the success of HR projects, helping organizations build compensation systems that support their strategic goals and promote pay equity. She is a recognized expert in the field with multiple publications on human resources topics. Ms. Lussier holds a Masters in Organizational Behavior, University of Hartford, West Hartford, CT and a Bachelors in English, Teaching Certificate, Central Connecticut State University
Thomas Gates, Professional Consultant
Thomas Gates brings valuable firsthand experience as a former County and City Manager to his consulting work on executive searches and municipal management projects. His extensive background in municipal leadership including as Deputy Director of the Washington DC Metropolitan Council of Governments provides him with unique insights into the challenges and opportunities facing local government executives. He served County Manager in Roanoke County, VA; Deputy City Manager, Chief of Staff and Assistant City Manager for the City of Alexandria, VA; Assistant County Manager of Spartanburg County, SC; City Administrator of Garden City, GA; City Administrator of City of Loris, SC. Mr. Gates’ practical experience in municipal operations, combined with his understanding of the complexities of local government management, makes him an invaluable resource in executive search projects and other HR initiatives. His ability to assess candidates from the perspective of someone who has served in similar roles enables him to identify individuals with the right combination of technical expertise, leadership qualities, and cultural fit for each community. Mr. Gates assists with outreach, recruitment, reference checks, and provides consultation on human resources projects and municipal management services, bringing depth and credibility to the work through his established relationships within the municipal management community. He brings decades of practical municipal management experience to every engagement. Mr. Gates holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Clemson University and University of South Carolina. He has Bachelor’s degree from University of Maryland in Government and Politics with a minor in Journalism
Richard Brown, Professional Consultant
Richard Brown offers extensive municipal management experience spanning multiple states, having served as Town Manager and City Manager in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Virginia. His diverse career of 45 years across different regional contexts provides him with a comprehensive understanding of the varied challenges facing municipal executives in different governance structures and community settings. Mr. Brown’s firsthand knowledge of New England and Mid-Atlantic municipal operations makes him particularly effective in assessing candidates’ qualifications and cultural fit for communities in these regions, and he provides expert municipal operations advice based on his years of executive leadership. He is a member of the Massachusetts Managers Association with extensive contacts in Rhode Island municipal government. He is an ICMA Credentialed Manager. His practical experience enables him to conduct thorough evaluations of candidates, provide valuable insights throughout executive search processes, and offer strategic guidance on municipal operations and management challenges. Mr. Brown holds a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Tennessee and a Bachelors from the University of Virginia. He has a certificate from the University of Virginia Senior Executive Institute and Naval Postgraduate School Executive Leaders Program.
Diane M. Fitzpatrick, Professional Consultant
Diane M. Fitzpatrick offers over 35 years of distinguished service in municipal and state government human resources and management. Her career includes 22 years with the State of Connecticut, where she served as Chief Negotiator and Labor Relations Specialist, providing HR services to multiple state agencies representing thousands of employees. Ms. Fitzpatrick’s municipal experience includes serving as Assistant Town Manager for both Mansfield and Wethersfield, Connecticut, where she managed comprehensive HR functions including risk management, budgeting, and union negotiations. She holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Hartford and a Master’s degree in Social Work Administration from the University of Connecticut, along with a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from Southern Connecticut State University. Her expertise spans labor relations, compensation and classification studies, organizational analysis, budget development, and HR management systems. Ms. Fitzpatrick has received multiple Outstanding Managerial Performance Awards from the State of Connecticut (2001, 2006, 2007, 2009, and 2014) as well as the DAS Award for Innovation and Customer Service, recognizing her exceptional contributions to public sector human resources management. She assists with classification and compensation studies as a partner in the development and implementation process and provides general municipal management consulting services. Her comprehensive understanding of public sector HR and her proven track record in employee relations make her an invaluable asset in executive recruitment projects and organizational development initiatives.
John A. Elsesser, Management Consultant
John A. Elsesser brings over 35 years of distinguished municipal management experience to the consulting team, having served as Town Manager of Coventry, Connecticut for more than 30 years before his retirement in 2023. As Chief Executive Officer of a community with a $43 million operating budget and 67 employees, Mr. Elsesser demonstrated exceptional leadership in all aspects of municipal operations, including personnel management with collective bargaining for four unions, financial management and bonding, and serving as staff to the elected Town Council. His extensive tenure and proven success in municipal leadership provide him with unique insights into the qualities and competencies required for effective city and town management. Known for his extensive knowledge of municipal management and State & Regional agency laws and processes, Mr. Elsesser is a valuable resource for understanding the complex regulatory and intergovernmental environment in which municipal managers operate. He holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Hartford’s Barney School of Business & Public Administration and a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Bates College. He served as an ICMA Credentialed Manager from 2003 to 2021 and has received numerous awards including the ICMA 40 Years of Service Award, the CT Sustainability Gold Award, the CCM Achievement Award for Coventry Village revitalization, SolSmart Gold recognition, the CRCOG Inter-Town Cooperation Award, the COST Town Crier Award, and the Secretary of State’s Public Service Award. He currently serves on State E 911 commission as Chair and also Chair of the State Public Safety Data Network (CEN). His wealth of practical experience, comprehensive understanding of municipal operations, and deep knowledge of state and regional regulatory frameworks make him a valuable resource in identifying and evaluating candidates for leadership positions.
