Denver, Colorado, United States, July 2025 – Kristin Thielking has been appointed as Chief People Officer at Guardian Restoration Partners, where she will oversee all critical people-related functions including talent acquisition, organizational design, succession planning, general manager recruitment, employee experience, people strategy and operations, total rewards, people systems, and internal communication. Her leadership will be instrumental in advancing Guardian’s mission to be the employer, contractor, and partner of choice in the restoration services sector.
Thielking most recently served as EVP, People at Evolve, where she partnered with senior leaders to drive workforce planning, talent acquisition, and performance management strategies that reduced regrettable turnover to under 10% annually. She led teams across total rewards, enterprise learning and leadership, talent engagement, people business partnerships, and talent acquisition. Her initiatives boosted employee engagement by 40%, improved eNPS from 0 to +7, increased DEI favorability by 13 points, launched a company-wide OKR and goal cascade with 100% alignment, and overhauled the total rewards program to tie compensation to delivery and impact.
Previously, she was Chief People Officer at Vendavo, a global SaaS provider, where she transformed the HR function into a strategic business partner, led a 10+ member global people team, and introduced talent review and succession planning programs that achieved over 90% retention for high performers. She spearheaded a DEI taskforce that increased underrepresented minority representation in the US by over 75% in three years, earning the company recognition as a Top Diversity Employer in 2023.
Earlier in her career, Thielking was SVP, Human Resources at RLH Corporation and SVP, HR, Organizational Development and Administration at SquareTwo Financial, where she drove strategic human capital initiatives, developed award-winning corporate cultures, implemented retention strategies, and redesigned total rewards programs. At SquareTwo, she reduced corporate voluntary turnover by over 10% and maintained call center turnover below 25% annually.
Thielking spent over 15 years with Orbitz Worldwide, Travelport, Cheaptickets, Navigant International, and Cendant Corporation in progressively senior HR roles across global, multi-platform organizations. She led human resources for the Americas, directed global organizational design initiatives, integrated multiple acquired companies, and managed large international HR teams supporting thousands of employees across 22 countries.
About Guardian Restoration Partners
Guardian Restoration Partners partners with and builds exceptional restoration service providers to ensure every property owner can access emergency help when needed. Supporting firms specializing in water damage, fire damage, mold, lead, asbestos, and biohazard restoration, Guardian focuses on preserving business owners’ legacies while enabling growth through talent development, technology investments, and operational support. With a commitment to being the employer, contractor, and partner of choice, Guardian invests in its people, prioritizes customer care, and maintains a values-driven approach to partnership.
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