Diversified Search Group Appoints First Chief People Officer

April 29, 2022 – Diversified Search Group (DSG), a leading search firm backed by private equity firm ShoreView Industries, has named Linda A. Sanchez as its first chief people officer. “Our exceptional people and mission-driven culture are a hallmark of Diversified Search Group’s success, and we are fortunate to have Linda joining us in this new role, which we’ve created to support our accelerated growth and momentum in recent years,” said Aileen Alexander, CEO of Diversified Search Group. “Linda’s experience with cultural transformation, mergers and acquisitions, and commitment to purpose and impact, will help us to further strengthen our focus on being a dynamic and inclusive employer of choice.”
Ms. Sanchez brings over 25 years of experience to the role and has been a human resources leader through mergers, acquisitions, and integrations at global companies. Previously, she was EVP and CHRO of Bryn Mawr Trust (now part of WSFS Bank). In this role, she reorganized the human resources function to enhance employee experience and led several initiatives to increase employee engagement and performance. Ms. Sanchez also served in various HR roles with Berkadia Commercial Mortgage and its predecessor companies, a global integrated commercial mortgage banking, investment sales and commercial real estate finance firm. She has also served on many non-profit boards including Baker Industries, the Bryn Mawr Hospital Foundation, and the Montgomery County Community College Foundation, and is on the global advisory board of the CFO/CHRO Alliance.
In her new role with Diversified, Ms. Sanchez will have responsibility for all aspects of the HR function including strategy, learning and development, organizational effectiveness, and colleague support and engagement. She will work in partnership with the firm’s SVP, talent, diversity, and equity, Maureen Alphonse-Charles, who will also continue in her role as a managing director. She will report directly to Ms. Alexander.
“Diversified Search Group’s notable reputation for innovation, financial performance, and social impact in the industry inspires me, and I am excited for the opportunity to partner with the team to support their work, and help propel the organization forward,” said Ms. Sanchez.
Related: Diversified Search Group Names Managing Directors
Diversified Search Group is a family of recruiting firms serving specialized sectors. The firm was founded almost five decades ago by Judith M. von Seldeneck for the express purpose of placing diverse candidates in client organizations. It is today the largest U.S. female-owned and founded firm in the executive recruitment industry. The firm is comprised of a combination of specialty practices with deep industry expertise: Diversified Search, Alta Associates, BioQuest, Koya Partners, Grant Cooper, and Storbeck Search.
Newly Appointed CEO
In December, Diversified Search Group appointed Ms. Alexander to chief executive officer, reporting to Ms. von Seldeneck. “Aileen Alexander is an innovator,” said Ms. von Seldeneck. “Her exceptional experience and industry insights will contribute significantly not only to our rapidly growing firm, but also to our clients as we cultivate new leadership for a changing world.”
Diversified Search Group Acquires Alta Associates
Increasingly, organizations of all sizes are awakening to the perils posed by cyberattacks. In the latest deal facilitated by Hunt Scanlon Ventures, Diversified Search Group has acquired Alta Associates, a search firm specializing in cybersecurity, IT risk management, and data privacy and Executive Women’s Forum, a professional membership organization for women in cybersecurity, risk management, and privacy.
“Cybersecurity is the biggest threat facing companies today,” said Scott A. Scanlon, CEO of Hunt Scanlon Ventures. “But the biggest risk these organizations are now confronting is finding enough talent to put on their front lines of defense. This transaction will help them close that talent gap.”
Ms. Alexander is known as a values-driven, innovative, and people-first leader. She has had a distinct mix of clients spanning large, multinational, and mid-cap corporations, as well as high-growth start-ups across a wide range of industries.
Before joining DSG, Ms. Alexander was a managing partner with Korn Ferry and held positions in the Defense Department and on the Armed Services Committee in the U.S. House of Representatives. With a background in international security and defense policy, Ms. Alexander is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University, and earned a master’s degree from the Harvard Kennedy School. She is a military veteran, having served as a captain in the U.S. Army.
Related: Diversified Search Group Names Vice Chair and Leader of Global Corporate Practice Group
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media