Eric Gilpin

Eric Gilpin, “like many people, tripped and fell into recruiting.” Starting with Jobs.com, his career evolved into a 16-year stint with Careerbuilder, where he ultimately oversaw more than 250 employees and $200 million-plus in global revenue. He joined global freelancing website Upwork in 2016 as senior VP, enterprise.

The two years since have been momentous. His team comprised 28 people and he was the sole Chicago employee when he started. This July, the sales team marked its 100th hire, and Upwork has a Chicago office for the 90-some employees there. His team now boasts 28 percent of the Fortune 500 and hosted its second annual customer event, the “Work Without Limits Executive Summit,” in August.

Looking ever forward, Gilpin’s mantra is to be “world class”: To be a customer-obsessed sales organization — giving the customer what they need to grow.

Gilpin earned his MBA from Southern Methodist University in Dallas and is passionate about HR technology, talent engagement and workforce hiring trends. He has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, CNBC and Forbes and has spoken at industry events for Staffing Industry Analysts and the American Staffing Association.