Three company leaders contribute to industry conversations on talent acquisition, teammate experience, and the future of work.
SMITHFIELD, R.I. (October 2026) – Three leaders from Esler Companies’ Talent & Culture team were recently invited to share their expertise at national industry conferences, reflecting the company’s growing recognition for its work in talent acquisition, workplace culture, and teammate experience.
Throughout September and October, the leaders joined HR and talent acquisition professionals to share practical approaches to attracting and retaining talent, strengthening workplace experiences, and using artificial intelligence without losing the human connections that matter most.
Katie Kleyla, Director of Teammate Experience, participated in Recognition Works 2026, a virtual conference hosted by Bucketlist Rewards on September 17. Kleyla joined fellow HR leader Nicole Tenneyuque of Storable for the moderated conversation, Recognition Works for Retention: Turn Signals Into Action Before People Leave, exploring how organizations can better understand their workplace culture, recognize early signs of disengagement, and take action before those challenges lead to turnover.
Drawing on Esler Companies’ approach to teammate experience, Kleyla discussed how organizations can use engagement surveys, turnover trends, teammate feedback, and recognition activity to better understand where employees may need more support. She emphasized the importance of looking beyond the data, listening to teammates, and helping leaders recognize and respond to opportunities to strengthen their teams.
“Creating an exceptional teammate experience starts with intentional leadership,” said Kleyla. “We have to listen to our people, understand what matters to them, and follow through on what we learn. Talent & Culture teams can build the programs and provide the resources, but it’s our leaders who bring our culture to life every day. Helping them understand that responsibility and equipping them to do it well makes all the difference.”
On September 23 and 24, Gianna Ruggiero, Senior Talent Acquisition Manager, represented Esler Companies at RecFest USA in Nashville, Tennessee, a two-day event bringing together talent acquisition professionals and industry leaders.
Ruggiero joined a panel discussion on If Everyone Has the Same Tech, What Actually Differentiates Your Hiring?, alongside recruiting leaders from organizations including HackerOne, Caliber Collision, Grand Living, and Gap Inc.
The discussion examined how employer branding, candidate experience, recruiter capabilities, and human interaction continue to differentiate organizations as recruiting technology becomes increasingly accessible.
Ruggiero also presented Don’t Automate the Human Out of Hiring, sharing how Esler Companies uses AI to make high-volume recruiting more efficient without losing the human connection. With a team of 18 recruiters handling more than 200,000 applicants and conducting over 70,000 phone screens in a single year, Esler Companies uses technology to streamline communication, scheduling, and candidate prioritization while maintaining its commitment to personally contacting every applicant.
“There’s a lot of excitement around AI, but there’s also real anxiety about what it means for candidates and recruiters,” said Ruggiero. “Technology can help us move faster, but it can’t replace a conversation, recognize someone’s potential, or make a candidate feel heard. Those are the things that make our hiring experience different, and we’re not willing to give them up.”
Most recently, Christina Schmit, Vice President of Talent & Culture, was a featured speaker at ICIMS NEXT, a virtual talent acquisition conference held October 8. Schmit participated in Talent Attraction Strategies Worth Stealing, part of the event’s Modern Recruitment Marketing track.
The session brought together talent acquisition professionals to exchange practical approaches to attracting candidates and strengthening recruitment marketing. Esler Companies was among several organizations featured throughout the conference, alongside companies including PepsiCo, Acadia Healthcare, and Wrench Group. Christina’s message was centered on a people-first approach to recruitment, demonstrating how thoughtful use of technology and automation can create a more authentic, engaging, and personalized candidate experience.
Christina encourages her team to grow their expertise, speak at industry events, and share best practices with others, believing that knowledge creates the most value when it is passed on. By empowering her team to learn, teach, and lead conversations in the industry, she expands the impact of both her people and the organization.
“It’s an honor to see our team recognized for the work we’re doing and invited to share our experiences on a national level,” said Schmit. “We’re proud to contribute to these conversations alongside leaders we respect and have learned so much from. Being part of a community that openly exchanges ideas and challenges makes all of us better at what we do.”
Together, these speaking engagements reflect Esler Companies’ growing reputation as a leader in talent acquisition and workplace culture. The ideas shared by its Talent & Culture team are grounded in real experience, with practices developed, tested, and put into action across the organization. By sharing what’s working, Esler Companies is contributing to broader industry conversations about the future of hiring and teammate experience.
To learn more about Talent & Culture at Esler Companies, visit jobs.esler.com.
About Esler Companies
Esler Companies is the holding company for Renewal by Andersen of Greater Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, Oklahoma, North Texas, Central Texas, Greater Philadelphia, Southern New England and Southern Maine & New Hampshire, with communication and marketing engines in Northborough, Massachusetts & Austin, Texas.
About Renewal by Andersen
Renewal by Andersen is the full-service window and door replacement division of Andersen Corporation, a company with more than 120 years of history in the window and door industry. Founded in 1995, Renewal by Andersen set out to redefine the industry by offering homeowners a different—and better—window-replacement experience. Renewal by Andersen serves more than 100 markets across the United States and Canada.
