Tampa, St. Petersburg leadership development firms to merge

One Tampa Bay leadership development firm is acquiring another in a deal aimed at developing women leaders around the world.

The McGuckin Group, based in St. Petersburg, has acquired Key Associates Inc., a longtime executive talent development firm based in Tampa. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Under the acquisition, Key Associates, which specializes in executive coaching and development for women, will join the McGuckin Group’s Women On Their Way organization, focusing on leadership inequality and diversity. Key Associates founder and president Mary Key will remain an advisor to Women on the Way. The combined company will have 21 employees and retain offices on both sides of the bay.

In a statement, McGuckin Group founder and CEO Audrey McGuckin said the two firms are already working to merge their services, seminars and programming under one umbrella.

“Dr. Mary Key and I share the vision of helping organizations transform their leadership approach, especially when it comes to women,” McGuckin said. “We are thrilled to welcome the Key Associates team into our family and we look forward to moving the needle forward for women leaders everywhere.

Between them, the McGuckin Group and Key Associates have worked with an array of multinational and Fortune 500 companies, including Amazon, Intel, Nissan, Citi and Nissan. Local clients have included BayCare Health System, Vology and Tech Data, now known as TD Synnex.

“Audrey’s systems approach to developing women leaders empowers all women to uncover, unlock and unleash our innate leadership skills and talent,” Key said in a statement. “We share a commitment to peer-based learning and the Women On Their Way approach brings next-level skills to my community.”

Key’s Women’s Leadership Forum and its associated events will remain intact as the merger unfolds. The two companies will join publicly at Key’s annual Women’s Leadership Forum Summit on Aug. 25 at the Tampa JCC, 522 N Howard Ave., in Tampa.