In 2010, Peter Crist entered his 33rd year of executive recruiting. Beginning in 1977 with Russell Reynolds Associates in Chicago, he helped build and run one of the most successful senior level recruiting offices in the country, becoming Co-Head of North America and a member of the Executive Committee for the Firm by the time he was in his late 30s. While at RRA, he also helped launch the Board Practice.

In 1995, after 18 years with Russell Reynolds, Peter launched Crist Partners in Chicago. Focusing on CFO searches, Crist Partners quickly became a national boutique with clients such as Eastman Kodak Company, CVS Corporation, Ecolab Inc., Whirlpool Corporation, The St. Paul Companies, and Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company.

Korn/Ferry acquired Crist Partners in 1999, and Peter was named Vice Chairman of the Firm and Chairman of the Global Board Services Practice while focusing on C-level searches. After building the Board Practice and completing all obligations to Korn/Ferry, in January, 2003 Peter launched Crist Associates. The Firm handles a small number of public company searches at the CEO, COO, and CFO level. In 2008, the Firm became Crist|Kolder Associates.

Peter was named to the "50 Most Influential Search Consultants in the World" list produced by BusinessWeek in January, 2008. He was also profiled in the 1995 and 1992 editions of Career Makers and the 1998 edition of The Global 200. Mr. Crist is Chairman of the Board of Wintrust Financial Corporation (NASDAQ:WTFC), where he was Chairman of the Compensation Committee for many years; he is also a Board Member of Hinsdale Bank & Trust Company. Peter is a member of the Board of Directors of Northwestern Memorial HealthCare, where he serves as Chairman of the Executive Compensation Committee and Vice Chairman of the Nominating Committee. He also serves as a member of Baird Capital Partners' Advisory Board. Peter received an A.B. degree from Brown University in 1974.