Best Companies Group

Meet Our Team

Our Best Companies Group is committed to helping our customers succeed. We want our customers to be well, do good, and be the best place to work for their people.

Mike Marini
Mike MariniResearch Manager
Karen Trigg
Karen TriggOperations Coordinator
Lara Cohen
Lara CohenResearch Manager
Kristen Eckert
Kristen EckertSurvey Insights Partner
Amy Clever
Amy CleverCustomer Specialist
Heidi Aikens
Heidi AikensSurvey Insights Partner
Jackie Miller
Jackie MillerOperations Coordinator
Susan White
Susan WhiteSurvey Insights Partner
David Tamburello
David TamburelloResearch Manager
Jay Gerber
Jay GerberResearch Manager
Madelyne Barroso
Madelyne BarrosoSurvey Insights Partner
Gabriela Marushak
Gabriela MarushakManager, Program Operations
Kevin Mahler
Kevin MahlerDirector, Employee Survey & Insights
Kevin Mahler is the Director, Employee Surveys Insights. He has an extensive background in market research and has earned the Professional Researcher Certification from the Insights Association. He also has experience in organizational leadership, training, and mentoring.

Kevin’s skills in these areas have been developed as a manager and leadership team member at Schmidt Market Research, as an instructor at the University of Pittsburgh Katz School of Business, and through service as a School District Board President.

James Delaney
James DelaneyManager, Sales
James is the Sales Manager for Best Companies Group where he is responsible for the sales and growth of custom employee engagement surveys. James also leads sales efforts for event sponsorships for several Best Places to Work Programs.

Prior to Best Companies Group James held sales leadership roles within media companies including Comcast and Advanced Digital.

Jamie Linkous
Jamie LinkousVice President, Sales
Jamie Linkous is a graduate of Eastern Kentucky University where he majored in Business Management with an emphasis in Human Resources Management.

He has over 20 years in the field of Human Resources where his primary focus has been on leading organizations in improving the following areas: recruiting, compensation strategy implementation, organizational & safety culture implementation and training and development.

Jamie lost his spouse due to Pulmonary Hypertension and Scleroderma in 2018. He is an advocate of bringing awareness to these 2 diseases as they often go undiagnosed. Currently, there is no cure for them.

He obtained his SPHR certification in 2002, SHRM-SCP in 2015 and his OSHA 501 certification in 2001. Jamie has served on the BGSHRM Board in various roles such as Professional Development Director, President-Elect, Chapter President and Past-President. In addition to his BGSHRM Board roles, he has served as Technology Director on the KYSHRM Board as well as Treasurer and President of the Bluegrass Compensation Association. 

Jaime Raul Zepeda
Jaime Raul ZepedaExecutive Vice President & Principal Consultant
Jaime serves as EVP of Best Companies Group and Color Magazine. Prior to BridgeTower, he served as Senior Vice President of Customer & People Success at HIVE Diversity, a virtual recruiting platform that connects companies with employees of diverse backgrounds and experiences.

Before that, he was a Regional Leader of LinkedIn’s customer success team, helping to manage the company’s relationships with large global enterprises. He began his career in HR Tech at Great Place to Work, and served in several leadership roles, including Vice President of Partnership Programs.

Jaime earned his Bachelor’s of Arts degree from St. Mary’s College of California, and his MBA from The Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley. He lives with his wife and son in the Bay Area.