Cates Kijak

Associate

Cates joined Kimmel & Associates in 2026 as an Associate in the Mechanical & Electrical Division. Her professional background includes 15 years of experience in recruitment, office administration, and operations management.

Cates earned her BA in Public Relations from Flagler College and an Associate of Applied Arts in Mass Media Communication from Pennsylvania College of Technology.

Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends.

We sat down with Cates and asked him the following:

• What do you like most about working at Kimmel & Associates?
  The team truly operates as a “WE.” With more than 45 years of industry recruiting experience, the focus is always on making the right placement and not just filling a role. Also, being part of an organization where people genuinely value your success as much as their own is something I haven’t seen anywhere else in recruiting.
• What is one thing you learned early in your career that has made you successful?
  Assume positive intent. In this business, it’s easy to take things personally: a hung-up call, a non-response, or someone passing on a role you think is perfect for them. It’s rarely about us. If you can move past the “no” and try to understand the why, you’ll become better at what you do and serve your clients.
• What is your greatest strength in your role?
  I genuinely enjoy talking with people and working alongside them to find the right next role or team addition. Recruiting is a people business, and I love being able to help companies solve critical needs while also helping individuals grow their careers and build their professional toolkit.
• Describe the most rewarding experience of your career.
  Building the recruiting function at Nabis. I stepped into a tech-enabled distribution startup that needed to quickly hire 50+ drivers, warehouse associates, and operations leaders to support existing hubs, all without an established recruiting process. Creating structure, partnering closely with leadership, and helping the business scale the right way was the most rewarding work of my career.
• Favorite quote?
  “All I can do is be me, whoever that is.” - Bob Dylan
• What causes are you passionate about?
  Wags & Walks is especially close to my heart. They do incredible work rescuing dogs from kill shelters and taking on challenging cases to give pups a chance at a happy life. Our mountain cur mix, Charlie, was adopted from their Nashville hub, and he truly is my whole heart.
  I also strongly support St. Jude’s and The Trevor Project. Organizations that protect childhood, provide care, and create safe, supportive paths into adulthood deserve our full support.
• Personal interests?
  I’m an avid CrossFitter and love weightlifting. My husband, Taylor, and I moved to the area so we could hike as much as possible with Charlie. We also love family beach trips (usually Florida or Charleston so we can drive with Charlie). I’m a big food lover, enjoy documentaries on just about anything, and typically have a biography or autobiography on my reading list.