Qwick Names Company’s First Chief People Officer as Rapid Growth Continues

Qwick, the leading staffing-as-a-service platform for hospitality businesses and professionals, has appointed Derek Johnson as its first Chief People Officer. Johnson joins at a time when Qwick is expanding employee headcount faster than ever. He will lead the company’s key human resources functions including Qwick’s diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging program. Additionally, Johnson is instrumental in building upon the company’s momentum in growth to attract and retain top talent and help Qwick become an even more people-focused and employee-admired company.

Headquartered in Phoenix and with hub offices in Chicago and Denver, Qwick’s employee count has grown tenfold since January 2021. Qwick continues its accelerated rate of hiring with plans to double headcount through the end of 2022.

“We couldn’t be more excited to welcome Derek to our people-centric company and executive team as we enter our next phase of Qwick’s growth,” says Jamie Baxter, Co-Founder and CEO of Qwick. “Being an organization that champions the future of work for the hospitality professionals and businesses who rely  on us, we also aim to create an enriching experience for our own employees. This is where Derek’s leadership is key – his relevant experience and important perspectives are optimal as we strive to become more widely known as a top employer and truly the best place to work.”

Johnson comes to Qwick with over 15 years of experience in People Talent and Operations where he has developed and scaled inclusive cultures for notable organizations. Recently, Johnson was the Senior Vice President of People and Culture at Athletic Greens where he implemented global employment-related policies and training and aligned HR and organizational strategies, among many other initiatives. Prior to this role, Johnson was the Head of Employee Experience for Better.com where he led the Employee Experience, Workplace Experience, Employee Relations, ERG, and Engagement teams. He also oversaw the refresh of all employment-related policies and training. Previously, Johnson spent time crafting his career at Google, Prologis, Return Path, Muve Health, and CH2M Hill.

“I’m thrilled to join a company that shares my own values for employee satisfaction and diversity at a pivotal moment when the company is placing such a heavy emphasis on growth,” says Derek Johnson. “Additionally, I have a personal passion for the hospitality industry and I’m impressed by Qwick’s impact in the space so far, which is rooted in the company’s inclusive culture. I’m excited to cultivate personal and professional growth among Qwick’s existing and incoming team members and to build upon our people processes toward objectives around Qwick’s talent, further business growth, and the continued success of our Business Partners and Professionals.”

Qwick’s rapid internal growth will support its planned external expansion to over 30 cities and metropolitan areas throughout the country by the end of 2022.