Management Team

Derek Dewan

Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board

Derek E. Dewan was appointed Chairman and CEO of General Employment Enterprises, Inc. (k/k/a GEE Group Inc. (NYSE American: JOB) in 2015, following its merger with Scribe Solutions, Inc.. He is a highly accomplished executive with a proven track record of success and outstanding leadership accomplishments. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated exceptional abilities in driving organic growth, executing strategic acquisitions, and delivering outstanding financial performance. With extensive experience in the staffing services industry, Mr. Dewan has consistently achieved remarkable results and established himself as a respected figure in the industry.

Since 2015, Mr. Dewan has successfully led JOB through 5 strategic acquisitions, significant post-acquisition integration, the COVID-19 pandemic, significant deleveraging of JOB resulting in the elimination of approximately $120 million in debt, and a $57.5 million follow-on public equity offering. The results of these activities have been transformational, including transitioning JOB away from industrial staffing towards professional staffing led by information technology (“IT”), revenue growth of 4 times, significantly higher gross profit and earnings margins, consistent profitability and positive cash flow.

Prior to this, Mr. Dewan served as Chairman and CEO of MPS Group, Inc., a publicly-traded staffing company. His tenure at MPS Group began in January 1994 when he joined AccuStaff Incorporated, MPS Group's predecessor, as President and Chief Executive Officer and led the IPO in August of that year. Notably, under Mr. Dewan's leadership, the company underwent significant organic growth and successfully executed over 100 strategic acquisitions, transforming it into a Fortune 1000 world-class, global multi-billion-dollar staffing services provider.

MPS Group's expansion under Mr. Dewan's guidance extended its reach to include a vast network of offices across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Continental Europe, Asia, and Australia. The company consistently achieved remarkable success during his tenure, marked by completed secondary stock offerings of $110 million and $370 million, inclusion in the Standard and Poor's (S&P) Mid-Cap 400, and recognition on the Wall Street Journal's "top performing stock list" for three consecutive years. In 2010, having led the company’s growth from a microcap to one of the largest U.S. professional staffing firms with verticals in IT, accounting, legal, healthcare and engineering. Under his leadership, the premier software vendor management system (“VMS”), Beeline, and managed services provider (“MSP”) Pontoon, were developed. Mr. Dewan’s final pivotal leadership achievement was the sale of MPS Group to Adecco Group, the largest staffing company in the world, for an impressive $1.3 billion. To our knowledge, this was the largest and most successful shareholder return story within the staffing industry at the time. This transaction exemplified Mr. Dewan’s ability to navigate complex negotiations and deliver exceptional value to stakeholders.

Before his tenure at MPS Group, Mr. Dewan held the position of CPA, Tax Partner in Charge and Managing Partner at the international accounting firm Coopers & Lybrand, now PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (”PwC”). This role provided him with a strong foundation in organizational leadership and excellence, operational and financial management, and expertise in tax and accounting practices, further enhancing his abilities as a strategic and effective business leader.

Mr. Dewan's extensive experience, demonstrated success, and exceptional leadership skills make him a valuable asset to any organization. With a proven ability to drive growth, execute strategic initiatives, and achieve outstanding financial results, he is well-positioned to contribute to the continued success of GEE Group’s future endeavors. He is a recipient of the “Ellis Island Medal of Honor”, the ATFL “Joseph J. Jacobs Distinguished Achievement Award”, the RMF “Distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award” and the “USF Alumni Award for Entrepreneurship”. He has served on the “NYSE Listed Company Advisory Committee”, the “SMU Cox School of Business Executive Board” and the USF School of Accountancy Advisory Council”. Mr. Dewan has a B.A. in Accounting with a minor in finance from the University of South Florida.

Kim Thorpe

Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Kim Thorpe joined the Company on May 1, 2018, as the Vice President of Finance, and was appointed Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer on June 15, 2018. He is an accomplished financial executive with a wealth of experience spanning various industries over four decades. As the newest member of GEE Group’s executive team, Mr. Thorpe already has played instrumental roles in the Company’s successful restructuring and integration initiatives following the SNI acquisition, navigation through the COVID-19 pandemic, deleveraging initiatives resulting in the elimination of approximately $120 million in debt, and completion of JOB’s follow-on equity offering, all which have led to the Company’s return to profitable growth and generation of free cash flow.

Mr. Thorpe also serves as the Managing Principal of FRUS Capital LLC (“FRUS”), which he formed in February 2013, as a platform for providing consulting services to clients. At FRUS, he has been able to leverage his strong leadership skills and financial acumen, helping clients overcome obstacles toward achieving their goals and success. From November 2013 to May 2017, Mr. Thorpe accepted appointment as the Chief Financial Officer of one of his clients, Delta Company of Insurance Services, Inc., and became an investor, member and director, and was appointed CFO of NeuLife Neurological Services LLC, an affiliate, where he made significant contributions to the financial operations, capital formation, growth, and leadership of both organizations.

Prior to forming FRUS, Mr. Thorpe held senior executive positions in a privately-owned insurance organization and a specialty real estate lender from May 2006 to February 2013. In the case of the private insurance organization, Mr. Thorpe was instrumental in negotiations leading to its successful acquisition by its successor insurance organization. Leveraging his outstanding industry knowledge and M&A skills, in combination with his good reputation and relationships with decision makers at both buyer and seller, Mr. Thorpe remained a key figure in the transaction through its closing and post-acquisition integration stages.

From November 1999 to March 2006, Mr. Thorpe served as the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of FPIC Insurance Group, Inc., a prominent public company formerly listed on Nasdaq Global Select Market (NASDAQ: FPIC). His exceptional financial stewardship, strategic decision-making and leadership played a pivotal role in the successful turnaround of FPIC, following a period of accelerated growth through acquisitions accompanied by manifestations of significant post- acquisition integration and operational risks.

Mr. Thorpe also served as the Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of a very large insurance and financial services business unit of GE Capital with assets of over $30 billion and annual revenues of nearly $2 billion. Although his time at GE Capital was relative brief (March 1998 to November 1999), he honed his leadership skills and demonstrated his ability to manage large, complex financial organizations, build and manage outstanding teams, and help drive sustainable results. He also played a very important role, and one for which he specifically was recruited, in helping achieve improvements in the cultural assimilation of his business unit with GE Capital. For his many accomplishments in a short time, Mr. Thorpe achieved “Green Belt” status as a Six SigmaTM professional, had one of his Six SigmaTM projects nominated for annual global Six SigmaTM award, one of GE’s most coveted business awards, attended GE’s invitation-only Advance Finance Council, and was invited to attend GE’s prestigious, Global Business Management Course.

Earlier in his career, from October 1993 to February 1998, Mr. Thorpe was a partner at the international accounting firm Coopers & Lybrand, a predecessor firm to PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. As a partner with one of the largest global public accounting firms, he honed his technical expertise in accounting, auditing, financial reporting, and SEC compliance, as well as financial management and organizational leadership, solidifying the foundation for his many successes since. During his tenure, Mr. Thorpe served as the engagement partner in charge of audits of some of the Firm’s largest insurance clients and was considered one of his former Firm’s subject matter experts in insurance industry accounting, auditing, SEC and other regulatory matters.

Mr. Thorpe earned his BSBA, with honors, in Accounting from the University of Florida, and is a Certified Public Accountant. His educational background, coupled with his extensive professional experience, equips him with a comprehensive understanding of business and financial strategies, and best practices.

Alex Stuckey

Chief Operating Officer

Alex P. Stuckey joined GEE Group when it merged with Scribe Solutions in 2015, and currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer. At the time of the merger, Mr. Stuckey held the position of President and Chief Operating Officer at Scribe Solutions, Inc., where he played a pivotal role in the company's achievements. His exceptional leadership skills and strategic insights contributed to Scribe Solutions' success, ultimately leading to his association with Derek Dewan, our Chairman and CEO, its merger with General Employment Enterprises, Inc., and the beginnings of today’s GEE Group Inc.

Mr. Stuckey is an accomplished business executive with a proven track record of success in various leadership roles and brings extensive experience and expertise to his position. Prior to his tenure at Scribe, Mr. Stuckey served as the Chief Executive Officer of Fire Fighters Equipment Co., where he successfully transformed a startup into a successful multi-million-dollar enterprise. Through his visionary approach, innovation and hard work, Mr. Stuckey implemented groundbreaking marketing strategies that revolutionized the fire safety industry and resulted in substantial net profits for his former company. His exemplary leadership attracted the attention of industry giant Cintas, which acquired Fire Fighters through a successful stock purchase.

In addition to his accomplishments in the business world, Mr. Stuckey possesses a wealth of experience in banking and finance. As a special assets officer at Barnett Bank, not only did Mr. Stuckey develop his keen understanding of financial management and risk assessment, He honed his skills in dispute resolution, negotiation and litigation management, skills that he brings to his current position as GEE Group’s COO and valued member of the executive management team.

Mr. Stuckey served as Education Chairman and Forum Moderator, as a member of Y.P.O., Government Affairs & Legislative Chairman for eight years for BOMA, Board of Director of Sila Heating & Air Conditioning, Super Home Services and Castleworks Home Services Company, all private equity backed, providers of residential home services. His involvement in these roles showcases his commitment to contributing his expertise and leadership to multiple industries.

Mr. Stuckey earned his bachelor's degree in Entrepreneurship and Business Enterprises from Florida State University, establishing his educational foundation, that has and continues to serve him and his organizations well. This, coupled with his extensive professional experience, equips him with a comprehensive understanding of business operations and the skills necessary to drive growth and success.

Overall, Mr. Stuckey's remarkable career journey, marked by transformative achievements and valuable expertise, positions him as an invaluable asset of GEE Group. His ability to lead teams, implement innovative strategies, and drive sustainable growth makes him a respected and sought- after business executive.