Kristi Gage-Linderman

Kristi Gage-Linderman

Chief Executive Officer - Gage Talent & Business Solutions

For Kristi Gage-Linderman, recruiting and talent leadership are deeply personal. Her journey is rooted not only in business, but in family, community, and a belief that meaningful work begins with meaningful human connection.

As CEO of Gates Talent Business Solutions, Kristi leads a third-generation, woman-owned family business first started by her grandmother.

Her grandmother began the company at a time when she was expected to be retiring. Instead, she chose to build something new—an independent staffing firm designed to support both her family and the families in her community.

“She showed that it’s never too late to follow your dream, pursue your passion, or start something new,” Kristi says.

Although Kristi had built experience in HR, risk, safety, and insurance, she found herself drawn back to the family business because of what those other fields were missing: community impact and the ability to help people make life-changing connections.

Over time, she stepped into management, then ownership, and officially became CEO in 2025 after years of already acting in that capacity.

Growing a Family Legacy

Under Kristi’s leadership, Gates Talent Business Solutions has evolved far beyond its traditional staffing roots.

What began as a staffing firm has expanded into executive search, professional recruiting, fractional recruiting, RPO, and other customized talent solutions designed to meet clients exactly where they are.

Today, the company has been recognized as a Forbes Top 200 firm in executive search, professional recruiting, and staffing. It has also been named to Business Insider’s list of America’s Best Recruiting Firms.

For Kristi, those recognitions are meaningful not only because of what they say about the company, but because Gates remains a small, locally owned and operated business.

“We’re still a small business,” she says. “We’re still locally owned and operated.”

That growth has been driven by a simple but powerful philosophy: listen to what clients need, then figure out how to help.

“A client asks us to do something, and we never say no,” Kristi says. “We say, absolutely—let us figure that out with you or for you.”

Keeping People at the Center

Even as the business has grown, Kristi has worked to preserve the human-centered approach that has defined Gates for generations.

Her team meets and speaks with every person they place. They do not rely solely on a click of a button or an automated match.

Instead, they focus on understanding the full person behind the resume.

“We keep that human touch,” she says.

That philosophy extends beyond clients and candidates. Gates has also partnered with local school districts to create career programs that help students transition into the workforce more quickly.

Through one of the region’s largest high schools, the company helped co-found a program designed to give students defined career pathways and stronger connections to real employment opportunities.

For Kristi, that work reflects the broader mission of the business: connecting people and empowering businesses.

Lessons From Family and Team

When reflecting on the people who shaped her career, Kristi first points to her grandmother, who founded the company and created the original vision.

She also credits her mother, who stepped into the business without formal training when Kristi’s grandmother became ill.

“My mom built our business into what it is now,” Kristi says. “She brought the people-first aspect into everything we do.”

Those values continue to guide Kristi today.

She also credits the longtime team members who have helped her grow as a leader. Some have been with the company for 20 years, supporting the business through change, growth, and reinvention.

“We help each other grow,” she says. “I’ve learned from them.”

For Kristi, earning the respect of the team while stepping into leadership of a family business has been one of the most meaningful parts of her journey.

“I’m proud to say we’ve done it the right way.”

Technology, AI, and the Human Element

As AI continues to reshape recruiting, Kristi sees both opportunity and risk.

She believes AI can help move the recruiting process forward faster, especially when it comes to searching databases and identifying possible matches.

Her team is currently exploring how to incorporate more AI into their existing systems and has even discussed the possibility of building something tailored specifically to their business.

But Kristi is cautious about relying on AI too heavily.

“I caution everybody not to rely on it,” she says. “You’re going to miss out on that human connection.”

For Kristi, resumes rarely tell the whole story.

The details that truly matter often come through conversation—the follow-up question, the deeper explanation, the personal context that may not appear on paper.

“It’s the details that we get out of people that really help paint the broader picture of who they are.”

That human insight is especially valuable when clients are not well-versed in interviewing or evaluating resumes on their own.

Her team helps clients see what they may have missed, connecting the dots between a candidate’s experience and a company’s real needs.

Advice for Talent Leaders Heading into 2026

As recruiting continues to evolve, Kristi encourages talent leaders to keep exploring new tools without abandoning what has already proven valuable.

Her advice is to be curious, but thoughtful.

“Don’t make the next jump to something just because you’ve heard it’s the best from somebody else,” she says.

Instead, talent leaders should dedicate time to fully understand new platforms, evaluate their reach, study their data, and determine what actually works for their business.

For Kristi, success in talent acquisition will continue to require a mix of tools, platforms, relationships, and human judgment.

AI matching can be powerful, but recruiters still need to use their own eyes, instincts, and expertise to double-check the details.

“You could miss out on a really great person,” she says.

The future of work may continue to change, but businesses still rely on people to get work done.

By combining family legacy, community impact, entrepreneurial creativity, and a people-first approach to technology, Kristi Gage-Linderman represents the kind of talent leader helping recruiting evolve without losing sight of what matters most: people.