Introducing Greg Henrichon, Executive Vice President at CoreMedical Group. This feature branches off from our Friday's Finest, where we previously showcased our exceptional recruiters. Now, we're shifting gears to shine a light on our executive team. With a tenure of 23 years at CMG, Greg offers valuable insights on his path into the field and his journey to becoming Executive VP.
Pictured here is Greg , his wife Ashley, and their 4 children.
About you: Previous roles to achieve the role you’re currently at, Tenure, Awards/Achievements, Hobbies?
I entered the recruiting industry straight out of college, diving into a 100% commission perm recruiting role in Portland, Oregon, with Fortune. I vividly recall my excitement when I called my father to share the news of my first job, only to receive a humorous yet motivating response: "That sounds great, maybe you can find yourself a real job while doing it." This comment fueled me, driving me to approach my work with everything I had.
Three months into the job, I received my first commission check—it felt like money raining down from the sky. This moment solidified my commitment to a career in recruiting. Over the course of five years with Fortune, I climbed the ranks, honed my craft, and began to contemplate my next chapter.
Seeking new challenges, I embarked on a series of interviews with various recruiting companies. After an exhaustive search, my wife, Ashley, and I had decided to make Charleston, SC our home… or so we thought. I spontaneously decided to take a quick trip to New Hampshire to visit my family and interview with CMG. Over dinner with the previous owners, I found myself drawn to CMG's vision and culture, leading me to accept a position with them that night.
My journey with CMG spans 23 years, during which I witnessed its growth from a small startup company to a thriving organization. Starting as the Director of Permanent Placement, I progressed to take on additional responsibilities in the organization and now serve as Executive Vice President. I'm most proud of the numerous awards we have received for growth and being placed in the Hall of Fame for "Best Companies to Work for" by BusinessNH. It’s been an amazing ride and I have much gratitude to Armand and Monique, our former owners, who gave me the opportunity back in 2001.
Outside of work, I find solace in golfing, traveling and cherish moments spent with my family at our lake house on Great East Lake. My family is my greatest priority—I am blessed with an incredible wife and four children, two of whom are in college, one who will be next year, and my youngest who is 10 years old. We also have a new addition to our family, Janey, a puppy who we rescued just a few weeks ago.
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What inspired you to work in healthcare staffing, and how has it influenced your leadership style in this field?
My initial inspiration to work in healthcare staffing stemmed from the opportunity to be part of CMG during its pilot stages. I decided to fully commit for the first six months, intending to assess its potential success. If it did not pan out, our fallback plan was to relocate to Charleston, SC. Alongside the thrill of making sales, what fascinated me about healthcare staffing was the impact—placing individuals in roles that contribute to saving lives. Over the years, I witnessed the growing necessity and realized that this market was here to stay.
My leadership style has always been guided by a simple question: “How would I want to be led?” To me, effective leadership involves providing a framework for success, the necessary tools to achieve it, and offering support without micromanaging every detail. We hire talented individuals with unique and innovative ideas, and I encourage them to trust their instincts.
What qualities do you think make a healthcare staffing team successful, and how do you encourage a positive team environment?
A successful team starts with people enjoying their work environment, feeling supported by leadership and unafraid of mistakes. They need to feel part of something greater, connected with their teammates and the company’s vision. One of the most rewarding experiences is witnessing friendships blossom within CMG, seeing individuals forge lifelong connections.
Can you tell us about a specific challenge your team faced in the industry and how it was overcame?
The most prominent challenge has been the COVID pandemic. Throughout my tenure at CMG, we have faced numerous hurdles, which is typical for any startup. I was here during the Great Recession in 2008-2009, a time when we even debated the future of various divisions due to job scarcity in the markets we serve. However, nothing prepared us for the impact of COVID. Within a week, we transitioned all employees to remote work, established new communication channels, provided tailored training, and set up home offices for success. Sadly, we experienced significant losses in our Allied division and Permanent Placement team due to market conditions. Thankfully, after navigating through this immense global change, we rebuilt our Allied group, now achieving record-breaking success at CMG. Our Permanent Placement team has restructured and is on its way back to prominence. Our largest division, Travel Nursing, saw unprecedented growth during the pandemic and continues to thrive and expand. We even added a new service line, Interim Leadership.
What type of experience do you look to provide for healthcare professionals who work with CMG?
We have always strived to foster a strong relationship between our recruiters and healthcare professionals. This personalized 1-on-1 connection is a key differentiator for us and has remained true throughout my time at CMG. Despite the significant infusion of technology in this industry, we have embraced certain aspects while believing in the importance of human intervention. Having someone to rely on for any issues during their contract is a significant advantage that sets us apart.
We also have the best operations team in the business. Their unwavering commitment to excellence sets us apart from the competition. Whether it is payroll, housing, credentialing, or benefits, we have an expert there to ensure the best experience possible for our clinicians in the field.
Additionally, we take pride in offering a Club CoreMed experience for our clinicians, which is unique in our industry. This annual all-inclusive tropical vacation allows us to connect on a deeper level, creating memorable experiences for both our corporate team and healthcare staff. It's truly a special experience that highlights our commitment to building meaningful relationships beyond just business transactions.
How do CMG’s company values impact the healthcare professionals that we work with and in return positively impact the number of patients the company is able to assist?
The company has always operated based on core principles, although they were not explicitly labeled as "Core Values". In 2018, we set out to formalize those values. This process required employee engagement from all levels to unearth and establish the meaning behind them. Our discussions emphasized that these core values should not only be embraced by our internal employees but extended to our clinical employees in the field.
Internally, we hold rallies where we discuss company milestones and events within the framework of our core values, highlighting how our employees embody these values daily. Alongside our core values, we have our mission statement, which underscores that our patients are our ultimate customers—a principle that holds true every day. This alignment between our mission and values becomes evident in the outcomes, where our clinicians' dedicated work directly contributes to saving lives, seamlessly integrating with our mission and values.
