R.J. O’Brien & Associates (RJO) announced the promotion of two senior executives. The Chicago-based futures brokerage and clearing firm revealed that Terry Gilhooly has moved to Global Chief Operating Officer (COO) from COO, North America and Heather Rucci assumes the role of Chief Human Resources Officer, from Managing Director, Human Resources. In their new positions Gilhooly and Rucci will continue to report to RJO Chairman and CEO Gerald Corcoran.
Gilhooly and Rucci have been working together since early 2020 as co-heads of the firm’s Coronavirus Response Task Force to facilitate the successful mobilization of all aspects of the firm’s business and work-from-home capabilities.
Gilhooly has three decades of experience and knowledge in the futures industry. He launched his career at RJO and became COO, North America in May 2019. Prior to that, since 2016, he served as Senior Director in the Commercial Agricultural division, running its Operations functions, including the support of Asian activities. Gilhooly worked in the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) in 2014, helped launch the futures commission merchant at State Street, ran the futures division’s U.S. Client Services Merrill Lynch in 2000 and 11 years later left as Director and Head of Global Client Services and Global Documentation.
In 1991, Gilhooly began his career as a trading floor runner at RJO, and he remained at the firm for nine years, ultimately managing RJO’s agricultural trading desks on the trading floor of the Chicago Board of Trade.
Gerald Corcoran commented:
I’m delighted to recognize the outstanding contributions of Terry and Heather, who have both demonstrated extraordinary capabilities and sage counsel in their areas of expertise. RJO has been the beneficiary of Terry’s skills and extensive experience in the futures industry – including in key roles at major banks – along with his calm, cool and collected approach. Now he will assume responsibility for our entire global operations and technology teams and infrastructure. He will continue to lead our critical and massive project to transform our back-office platform and processes.
Rucci has a 22-year career in human resources. She joined RJO in 2019 after 3 years as a Senior Managing Director, Human Resources Business Partner at Nuveen. Rucci started there in 2008 as a Assistant Vice President, Human Resources and served in several roles of growing responsibility during her time there. The first 10 years of her career in HR, Rucci spent at Mercer Human Resources Consulting and later at Capital H Group.
Gerald Corcoran added:
Heather is truly a talented executive who ensures that we achieve our strategic goals from a human resources perspective and successfully navigate the people challenges presented by global expansion, acquisitions and most recently the coronavirus pandemic. She’s been a tremendous resource to the organization, integrating and aligning our efforts around the world. Her new position reflects the importance and global nature of the role, as well as the prioritization of efforts to promote continued learning and development at all levels of the company. Our culture is a vital part of who we are as a firm, and Heather ensures that our strategic priorities, goals and people programs remain true to that culture.
This announcement follows the promotion of Daniel Staniford to President last month and Christopher Bove as Chief Compliance Officer earlier in April.
