Farmington technology and digital marketing firm The Walker Group says its lead executive is stepping down after founding the company more than 30 years ago.
The firm on Tuesday said CEO Kate Emery, who founded the firm in 1986, has stepped down from overseeing daily operations in part to focus on promoting the work of Hartford startup incubator reSET Social Enterprise Trust, which she created in 2007.
Emery will retain her ownership stake in Walker Group and oversee the firm’s strategic vision.
Two longtime staffers have taken over for Emery as co-managing partners: Jessica Rich, vice president of business operations and Todd Bailey, vice president of technology services. Combined, Rich and Bailey have spent more than 25 years at the firm.
“While the more typical next step as owner would be to sell Walker to the highest bidder, my ultimate goal is to see the company preserved as a social enterprise whose success is shared by the community in which it thrives,” Emery said.
In the newly created positions, Rich will provide strategic oversight of sales and marketing, finance, human resources and administrative operations. Bailey will oversee the work of its engineers delivering technical solutions to the firm’s clients.
