Sports Group International, an executive search firm serving the sports industry, has appointed Julie Yochim as president following the retirement of Joe White.

Yochim, who joined SGI five years ago as an executive search consultant, has also acquired SGI Executive Search. She will focus on providing leadership and a technical expertise that will serve SGI’s clients in an ever-changing environment.

The firm will continue to focus on marketing, sales, product design, development and management within SGI’s sporting goods specialty client base. SGI headquarters will shift to Portland, OR. Dave Reinhart, SVP and executive search consultant, and Keith Liley, executive search consultant, will continue with SGI.

“I feel very fortunate to have proven to Joe (White) that our SGI team will remain professional, competitive and most importantly of the highest integrity. I will be leading a great team comprised of successful executive search consultants; Dave Reinhart, a 17 year veteran of SGI, and Keith Liley, a former TSA buyer, who give SGI an added competitive edge in our market. Joe will remain as an emeritus member of the firm,” Yochim said.

“Julie Yochim was a great addition to the SGI team 2013,” White said. “She had spent 20 years in the sporting goods industry before joining SGI. Julie’s pedigree was similar to the successful members of our group, plus she had great experience in building an innovative and unmatched candidate tracking system to our business. Prior to joining SGI, she spent nine years as the research manager for Search Synergy Inc., an executive search firm in Portland, OR, serving the footwear industry. Julie has been a tireless and professional teammate and leader. In addition to working for our clients, Julie dedicated herself to the business and what it means as professional executive search consultant. As with all SGI personnel, she earned NAPS certification as Certified Professional Search Consultant. I am very happy and confident that Julie will take SGI forward in a very competitive market.”

Sports Group International is an executive search firm that has specialized in recruiting sales, marketing, product design and development and general management professionals in the sports industry since 1989.