Kara Hertzog
As the President of Innovative Employee Solutions, Kara Hertzog leads the global provider of contingent workforce solutions, specializing in Payrolling and Independent Contractor Compliance services. Founded in 1974 by Karla Hertzog in San Diego, California, IES has grown into one of the city’s largest women-owned businesses and been named one of its “Best Places to Work” 12 times.
Kara is a third-generation member of the IES team, she has been closely connected to the company for many years, but officially joined the family business in 2006 as a Client Services Representative and in 2009, promoted to Business Development Manager, and later achieved success in a role as the National Business Development Manager and contributed to a 13% growth.
In 2013, Kara scaled back her role at IES to endeavor a long-held passion for early childhood development and pursued an entrepreneurial venture launching NEST Chestnut Hill, a creative play space and upscale child enrichment center in the Philadelphia area. Kara continued to contribute to IES in a consultative capacity, lending her expertise to the sales, operations, and marketing departments. She was instrumental in implementing new marketing technology which resulted in a 361% increase in lead generation.
In July of 2018, Kara returned to IES and assumed the role as COO. She oversees the operations of a multi-million-dollar organization and spearheads major strategic shifts for transforming the company from a functional focus to an enabler of innovation for the business so that it supports the company globally. Kara takes a vision and makes it reality through sound strategy development. She intuitively sees the threads of opportunity that wind through an organization and brings them together into a coherent whole.
In September of 2019, Kara was promoted to President. In this role, she sets and implements the day-to-day and long-term business strategies in addition to driving profitable revenue growth through alternate sales channels and building strategic partnerships that enhance the position of the company as an industry leader.
Prior to her leadership at IES and NEST, Kara developed her business and management skills and account service experience working in both the financial and nonprofit sectors in a variety of roles, including Senior Project Manager at Fleet Financial in Boston, and Director of Development for Angels Foster Family Network in San Diego.
Kara received her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration – Management from Villanova University in Pennsylvania, and her Masters in Education from Chestnut Hill College. A San Diego native, she has also played an active role in numerous local nonprofits and community leadership programs, including LEAD San Diego, and board membership for the YMCA’s Youth and Family Services division.
Kara’s colleagues describe her as genuine, with an abundance of curiosity and a contagious laughter that can be heard down the hallways at IES. Kara is known for her fondness for flip flops and was celebrated when she announced Flip Flop Fridays at IES. Kara loves to travel with her family and friends, and she enjoys gardening and cooking with fresh farmed ingredients. She also loves the Chargers…still.
As the President of Innovative Employee Solutions, Kara Hertzog leads the global provider of contingent workforce solutions, specializing in Payrolling and Independent Contractor Compliance services. Founded in 1974 by Karla Hertzog in San Diego, California, IES has grown into one of the city’s largest women-owned businesses and been named one of its “Best Places to Work” 12 times.
Kara is a third-generation member of the IES team, she has been closely connected to the company for many years, but officially joined the family business in 2006 as a Client Services Representative and in 2009, promoted to Business Development Manager, and later achieved success in a role as the National Business Development Manager and contributed to a 13% growth.
In 2013, Kara scaled back her role at IES to endeavor a long-held passion for early childhood development and pursued an entrepreneurial venture launching NEST Chestnut Hill, a creative play space and upscale child enrichment center in the Philadelphia area. Kara continued to contribute to IES in a consultative capacity, lending her expertise to the sales, operations, and marketing departments. She was instrumental in implementing new marketing technology which resulted in a 361% increase in lead generation.
In July of 2018, Kara returned to IES and assumed the role as COO. She oversees the operations of a multi-million-dollar organization and spearheads major strategic shifts for transforming the company from a functional focus to an enabler of innovation for the business so that it supports the company globally. Kara takes a vision and makes it reality through sound strategy development. She intuitively sees the threads of opportunity that wind through an organization and brings them together into a coherent whole.
In September of 2019, Kara was promoted to President. In this role, she sets and implements the day-to-day and long-term business strategies in addition to driving profitable revenue growth through alternate sales channels and building strategic partnerships that enhance the position of the company as an industry leader.
Prior to her leadership at IES and NEST, Kara developed her business and management skills and account service experience working in both the financial and nonprofit sectors in a variety of roles, including Senior Project Manager at Fleet Financial in Boston, and Director of Development for Angels Foster Family Network in San Diego.
Kara received her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration – Management from Villanova University in Pennsylvania, and her Masters in Education from Chestnut Hill College. A San Diego native, she has also played an active role in numerous local nonprofits and community leadership programs, including LEAD San Diego, and board membership for the YMCA’s Youth and Family Services division.
Kara’s colleagues describe her as genuine, with an abundance of curiosity and a contagious laughter that can be heard down the hallways at IES. Kara is known for her fondness for flip flops and was celebrated when she announced Flip Flop Fridays at IES. Kara loves to travel with her family and friends, and she enjoys gardening and cooking with fresh farmed ingredients. She also loves the Chargers…still.
