James Reddick, a director at ScottMadden, joined the firm in 2023 after working at a global media and entertainment company and various other consulting firms. Today, James advises senior HR clients on their most pressing challenges across HR transformations and digital HR technology. He holds a B.S. in computer science from Morehouse College and a master’s in human resources from Purdue University’s Daniels School of Business.
Buckling Up
James grew up in the Bay Area in San Jose with his brother, sister, and parents. His upbringing was uniquely shaped by his parents’ careers and the proximity to large tech companies in the Bay Area. At an early age, his life was enriched with opportunities to learn. Raised by a father who worked in the tech industry and a mother who worked in professional sales, James had exposure to different facets of the professional world. His hour-long commute to school was filled with his father asking him scientific questions, while his afternoons returning home were spent absorbing the art of negotiation and client interactions alongside his mother.
During the summers growing up, while other kids were attending sports camps, James attended math camps and was encouraged by his mother to participate in public speaking. A supportive community surrounded him—every friend and every family member cheered him on. This “village” of family and friends fostered an environment of excellence. He didn’t know it then; however, these little moments and people laid the groundwork for his future.
Frequent Flier
When it came time for college, James knew he wanted to go to Morehouse and continue his education where so many of his black superheroes had attended. James learned quickly that his own superpower, connecting with people, was transcendent. It helped him realize that what he loved most about his computer science major wasn’t coding but rather gathering requirements, working with people, and finding solutions. Morehouse also introduced James to his future wife (but we’ll get to that later).
After graduating, James worked as a contractor for the Department of Defense, traveling to military bases across the country to certify computer systems. Over time, he established trust with his clients by helping them easily understand how systems interacted with each other. In only four years, James had traveled to 44 states and acquired a unique set of skills that he used to take his next big step—business school.
James sought out Purdue University and discovered that with a functional and technical background in HR, HRIT became the perfect blend of his social and technical interests. When he graduated and moved back to Atlanta, he took more consulting jobs, first at IBM and then at E&Y, where he was challenged to begin working in payroll. Yet again, James realized that his understanding of systems and his knack for bonding and communicating with senior executives translated beautifully. Finally, after a few years at PWC (and reaching lifetime Diamond Hilton status!), James slowed down and moved to Indiana to be near his family before and during COVID.
Touching Down
In 2022, James married the love of his life, Kaila, the woman he’d had a conversation with after seeing her across the Morehouse quad years before. He threw a blow-out wedding and used his Hilton points and frequent flier miles to fly vendors to New York. James, Kaila, and his two kids now live in Western New York, where Kaila received a prestigious job at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center.
When James isn’t work-traveling, he’s making home-cooked meals for his family. Spending so much time on the road and eating out meant that James had access to top-of-the-line food and, more importantly, had a passion for recreating those experiences at home. He is also a huge fan of Bay Area sports teams—the Golden State Warriors and the San Francisco 49ers—and loves to keep tabs on their games.
At ScottMadden, James supports his clients and loves fostering a team to work hard and “own the relationship with the clients.” Discipline and culture have always been key to his success, and he hopes to continue using his superpowers to help clients and consultants succeed!