Funk Associates

ABOUT US

Funk Associates is the premier search and consulting firm in higher education. Headquartered in Dallas, the firm and its consultants are known as the leading recruiters of Presidents, Chancellors, Provosts, Vice Presidents and Deans to colleges and universities around the country. The firm’s consultants have conducted approximately 450 searches for college and university Presidents and Chancellors alone. It has been the recipient of many accolades, including selection as one of the “Best Executive Search Firms” by Forbes Magazine (for the fourth consecutive year) and as a “Top Recruiting Firm in America 2025” by Business Insider magazine.

Achievements

Funk Associates

Find a Recruiter

Krisha Creal

Chief of Staff

Robert William Funk

Founder

Willie Funk

President

If you’re looking for a partner to help identify impactful leadership for your institution, please reach out; we stand ready to serve your unique needs.

Funk Associates

Solutions and Expertise

Our firm has long enjoyed the reputation as the firm of first choice’ when colleges and universities have been faced with the challenge of recruiting new senior leadership. We are proud of this legacy and are pleased that so many institutions have placed their trust in us to assist in the attraction of the very best leaders for their campuses and systems.

We believe that our deep experience recruiting very successful leaders is the greatest advantage we contribute to our clients’ searches. We have had the privilege of utilizing our accumulated knowledge in recruiting Presidents, Provosts, Vice Presidents, and Deans for colleges and universities across the nation.

Solutions

Advisory Services
Assessment
Board Development
Executive Search
Flex RPO
Mgmt. Consulting
On-Demand Recruiting
Succession Planning

Industries

Colleges/Universities
Education
Intercollegiate Athletics

Functions

Board/Governance
Executive Appraisals

Funk Associates

News Briefings

Global Pandemic Endows Universities With Big Challenges in the Hunt for New Leaders in 2021

Leadership roles in today’s colleges and universities have become increasingly demanding and complex. Senior academic leaders must balance the needs of numerous constituents—needs that require a cross-section of skills far beyond the traditional set of scholarly and research accomplishments. Interviews with a host of recruiters for the sector reveal the special challenges of their work.

R. William Funk & Associates Assists Texas A&M in Selecting Sole Finalist for President Post

R. William Funk & Associates, which specializes in recruitment for roles in higher education, has assisted the Texas A&M University System board of regents in the selection of Katherine Banks as the sole finalist for the position of president of Texas A&M University. Dr. Banks is currently vice chancellor of engineering and national laboratories and

R. William Funk & Associates Assists Central Washington University in President Search

R. William Funk & Associates, which specializes in recruitment for roles in higher education, has assisted the Central Washington University in the recruitment of A. James Wohlpart as its 15th president. James L. Gaudino, who has served in that role since 2009, announced last year that he would step down from his post on July 31.

Hunt Scanlon’s Top 10 Search Assignments for 2020

In 2020 the pandemic resulted in one of the most challenging years on record for executive search firms. But the need for talent continued unimpeded for most companies across dozens of disciplines. Despite fears that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) would get pushed to the backburner by the demands of the COVID-19 crisis, recruitment in

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Funk Associates

Press Releases

Funk Associates

MULTIMEDIA

Funk Associates announce the premier of its podcast series, “Voices of Leadership”. The podcasts are intended to showcase important leaders in higher education discussing contemporary topics. Dr. Gordon Gee, President of West Virginia University, will kick-off the series, with Dr. Michael Crow, President of Arizona State University, and Dr. Mung Chiang, President of Purdue University following consecutively at two week intervals. Additional thought-leaders will be scheduled going forward.

Some of our more recent episodes are below, and Listeners are invited to tune into the series on the firm’s new website or on the Spotify and Apple podcast platforms!

In addition to the podcast series, the firm is announcing its new offering in the recruitment of intercollegiate coaches and athletic directors, and introducing a new website format.

PODCASTS