Blue Rock Search Seeks Provost for Linfield University
April 17, 2023 – Blue Rock Search has been selected by Linfield University to lead its search for a new provost. The provost serves as the chief academic officer for the university, including its three colleges, and provides academic leadership, guidance, resources, and bridges between the academic and student affairs units on campus to create an integrated student experience.
As a strategic leader, the provost guides the academic direction of the university and fosters a cohesive leadership team across all academic units, admission, enrollment management, and administrative support units that reflect Linfield University’s mission to “connect learning, life, and community.” Blue Rock notes that the provost reports to the president, the university’s chief executive officer, and serves as acting president in his/her absence. The provost is also a major spokesperson and advocate for the University’s commitments to academic excellence and for those key humanistic principles that comprise the foundation of a Linfield University education. They will provide overall academic vision and direction to the university and serves as the chief advocate and leader for the university’s academic mission.
Linfield is actively engaged in promoting, advancing, and confirming its commitment to diversity and inclusion. “The university believes that a diverse and vibrant Linfield contributes to academic excellence and critical thinking and welcomes candidates who bring a diversity of identity, culture, experience, perspective and thought,” the university said. “All candidates are encouraged to address how their professional and lived experience, scholarship, teaching, research, mentorship, and/or service will build on our diversity and inclusion efforts.”
Blue Rock is looking for candidates with a minimum of five years in the C-suite, as a dean, or comparable experience. They should have a significant record of administrative and academic leadership in higher education. Candidates must have a demonstrated commitment to scholarship through publications and conference presentations. Blue Rock notes that candidates must have a demonstrated experience with institutional and/or academic program accreditation. They should have experience with budget and revenue or growth generation.
Candidates must have current knowledge of American higher education in both traditional and nontraditional delivery formats, including virtual learning and other innovative learning models. They should have a commitment to the new American college and university mission of higher education, including values of the liberal arts and theoretical and applied education for all students. Experience with strategic planning, academic program development, and accreditation is essential.
Linfield University is an independent, non-profit university with campuses in McMinnville and Portland, OR. Since 1858, Linfield has connected a traditional liberal arts experience with practical education through 56 majors, including wine studies, sport management, and nursing. Linfield has been recognized four years running for having the best ethnic diversity in the Pacific Northwest by U.S. News & World Report. Thirty-two percent of Linfield students are first-generation college students, and more than one-third are U.S. students of color.
Blue Rock Search is a 100 percent minority/female-owned executive search firm. As a member of the SRA Network, the firm is also a Hunt Scanlon HR/Diversity Recruiting Power 65 recruiter. The firm’s consultants specialize in the targeted identification, assessment, and placement of executives across four distinct practice areas: human resources, franchising, customer experience, and operational excellence. Blue Rock’s processes, technology, tools, and search methodology are designed to flex to the needs of its clients.
Experienced Consultants
Ruben Moreno leads the Blue Rock HR executive search practice specializing in the identification, assessment, recruitment, and onboarding of chief HR officers and their teams. As a subject matter expert and specialized executive recruiter, he has been dedicated to partnering with his clients to identify, assess, and recruit the best human resources leadership talent available for over 12 years.
Blue Rock Search Recruits VP of Global Talent Acquisition for LiveRamp
Recently, Blue Rock Search assisted in the recruitment of Akeem Joseph as the new vice president of global talent acquisition for LiveRamp in Sarasota, FL. Director Brian Cox led the assignment. “Blue Rock was pleased to assist LiveRamp with this search to identify their next vice president of global talent acquisition,” said Mr. Cox. “Building an effective team and a people-first strategy is critical to the growth of any organization, and it takes transformative leadership to achieve remarkable results. Akeem Joseph brings decades of experience to the intersection of technology and recruiting, and we are excited to see him make a difference at LiveRamp.”
Mr. Joseph joins LiveRamp after spending the last few years at ServiceNow, where he was the director of talent acquisition, leading the company’s first technical recruiting function for engineering, product, and design. Prior to that, he served as director of talent acquisition at Johnson & Johnson, building and leading the company’s first technical recruiting function for Supply Chain Digital.
Nancy Estep-Critchett is founder and executive search practice leader franchise and RPO with oversight of the franchise practice. She has 30 years of successful working experience as a business advisor and executive recruiter in the franchising space. Ms. Estep-Critchett has built solid relationships which have spanned decades with industry professionals and internationally brands.
Related: Evolving the Conversation Around Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
