Executive placements drive sustained, profitable growth for Williams AV

The challenge

Williams AV—a 40-year-old, PE-backed audio and video manufacturer—faced a critical leadership gap after its previous CEO departed. Two investors stepped in to run the business on an interim basis, but it was just a temporary solution given Williams AV’s aggressive growth and transformation goals. 

 
With business headwinds and opportunities for cultural improvements, the company needed a CEO who could deliver immediate results in a fast-paced, numbers-driven environment. This placement would lay the foundation for broader organizational change—but it was just the beginning. To sustain momentum, Williams AV also needed to fill key leadership roles across marketing, engineering, product management, and operations—creating an ongoing executive talent challenge. 

The solution

Highspring partnered with the PE firm from the start, leveraging its expertise in retained executive search to meticulously vet and present a slate of CEO candidates aligned with its performance expectations and company culture. That rigorous collaboration led to a successful placement—an executive who delivered immediate results and brought along a trusted CFO from a prior engagement. Complicating matters was that the placement occurred at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, when business conditions had deteriorated by more than 50% and the PE firm was considering a sale of Williams AV to cut losses. Instead, the CEO and his team led a successful turnaround, recapitalizing the company and bringing in 5 years of record-breaking growth in revenue and EBITDA. 
 
Following that early success, Highspring worked to deepen its partnership, earning trust through transparency, ongoing collaboration, and strong delivery. With a clear understanding of the business’s evolving needs, Highspring was engaged over the next four years to fill additional executive roles—placing a director of marketing, vice president of engineering, product management leader, and director of operations. Each placement helped build a leadership team capable of driving Williams AV’s continued transformation and long-term success. Highspring’s knowledge of the business was instrumental in the success of these engagements. 

Our impact

Highspring’s engagement went beyond filling seats—it became a strategic lever for growth. Quick, transparent communication and thorough candidate vetting provided leadership with confidence in each hire, reducing the time to hire and ensuring strong cultural alignment. With the right leaders in place, Williams AV scaled its EBITDA exponentially, paid off all debt, and the PE firm recapitalized its investment with an infusion of cash to Williams AV. That allowed them to self-fund a strategic acquisition and restructure the engineering and operations function, solidifying its position as a standout performer in the PE firm’s portfolio. 

All five executive hires remain in place today. Highspring is now viewed as the exclusive talent partner for the PE firm, trusted to engage in difficult conversations, deliver high-caliber candidates, and respond quickly to evolving needs. 

Key results highlight/call out boxes

Placed 5 key executives across functions 

• Achieved record year over year revenue records  

• Exponentially grew EBITDA  

• Eliminated company debt 

• Secured new PE funding 
• Self-funded an acquisition in 2024 

The Highspring team has been instrumental in bringing high-talent leaders into the business, allowing us to focus on transforming the company and our growth ambitions.

Brad KautzerWilliams AV President/CEO