About Jim Zuehlke
Your Retirement Strategist.
For more than 30 years, Jim Zuehlke helped some of the most successful companies in the world find the right people — the executives and board members who would shape their future. He built Cardinal Mark from the ground up in 1995, grew it into a respected executive search firm, and went on to found Cardinal Board Services, helping companies build stronger, more diverse boards through thoughtful strategy and deep relationships.
Along the way, Jim worked with start ups to mid-sized as well as Fortune 5oo companies. He earned a reputation, in the words of one long-time client, for integrity, a strategic approach, and getting things done. He knows what it looks like to build something intentionally. And he knows what it feels like when it works.
Silver Cardinal
After three decades of helping others navigate their most important transitions, Jim turned his attention to one of the most significant transitions of all: retirement. Not the financial checklist version, but the real thing. The identity shift. The vision, and the decisions that shape the next chapter.
With Silver Cardinal, Jim brings the same strategic discipline he applied in his career; including clarity of purpose, structured thinking, and a commitment to getting it right; to the work of retirement planning. He helps high-achieving professionals move from a career that defined them into a retirement that fulfills them.
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Jim with family (Minneapolis, Minnesota)
Retirement isn't just a financial decision. It's a purpose-driven one. Jim understands firsthand that the life you're building in retirement includes the people who matter most.
Background & Credentials
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Founder, Cardinal Mark Executive Search (1995)
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Founder, Cardinal Board Services (2010)
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Founder, Private Directors' Association — MN Chapter
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Creator, New Quorum: Advancing women in corporate board leadership
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30+ years working with Fortune 500 and private company leadership
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Served on multiple corporate boards and two university boards
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Graduate, Winona State University — Currently serves on the Board of Trustees
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Certified NSSA (National Social Security Advisor)
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Licensed health producer in MN
