John Olson

John Olson smiling while leaning against a wooden fence, with clouds floating in the blue skies above the Colorado mountains behind him.

John is a business and HR leader focused on the development of HR strategies in both global and regional businesses, with a sophisticated capacity for talent selection and team-building. He also has significant expertise in the M&A and greenfield growth spaces, leading separation, integration, synergy capture, and HR strategies in multiple transactions.

John spent the first 20 years of his career as an executive recruiter in the manufacturing and industrial technology space. He led the global manufacturing practice for a large boutique-retained search firm in Chicago, leading engagements and executing searches for C-level, divisional presidents, and VP’s of functional areas. Clients included multi-billion dollar public and private companies as well as private equity firms and their portfolio companies. He found that the partnership with the board and/or CEO to help define and strategize talent-driven solutions to critical business issues represented the most value-creating consulting he could imagine. In 2008, he formed his own successful retained executive search firm and, as CEO, led the firm to significant growth before selling the firm to his protégé. The firm continues to thrive to this day.

John, in turn, was recruited by the CEO of one of his largest clients, Ball Corporation, who asked him to join their HR leadership team in 2011. Highlights at Ball include:


  • As the first head of global talent management, John led a team that developed the company’s first globalized succession planning process, standardized the tools for performance management, and led the company’s first-ever global employee engagement survey

  • As VP-HR for Ball North and Central America, he was a key part of the executive leadership team for a $5 billion business with 5,000+ employees, led greenfield plant startups in Mexico and the US, and also led the process for the closure of multiple union and non-union facilities

  • Led the global HR integration for the company’s largest M&A transaction, including the coordination of all HR integration activities in the US, EMEA, and South America

  • Led the global HR separation activities for the company’s 2nd largest transaction, a $4 billion transaction to satisfy the regulatory bodies in the US, Brazil and Europe

  • As VP-HR for Global Support Functions, responsible for global HR activities to support 1,000+ employees in finance, shared services, human resources, legal, sustainability, technology, corporate development and communications

  • A direct report of the CHRO and member of the global HR leadership team

John received his BA from Michigan State University in East Lansing, MI. He is the proud father of two grown children who are already making their mark on the world. When not working, John can be found spending time with his wife skiing, golfing, cycling, and hiking. He and his wife reside in Boulder, Colorado.