Funk & Associates

ABOUT US

At Funk Associates, excellence in academic leadership recruitment is more than a service—it’s our legacy. For decades, we’ve been the trusted partner for leading colleges and universities across the country, dedicated to identifying and securing the most visionary Presidents, Chancellors, Provosts, Vice Presidents, and Deans to steer institutions towards increasing success.

Our journey began with a simple mission: to match exceptional talent with institutions poised for transformative growth. Over the years, we’ve honed our craft, refining our approach to meet the evolving needs of higher education. Through dedication, diligence, and a deep understanding of the academic landscape, we’ve earned a reputation for delivering unparalleled results.

At Funk Associates, our success is built on relationships. We take the time to truly understand the unique culture, values, and aspirations of each institution we serve. Whether it’s a prestigious Ivy League university or a burgeoning liberal arts college, we approach every search with the same level of care and commitment.

What sets us apart is our unwavering focus on quality over quantity. We eschew the one-size-fits-all approach in favor of tailored solutions that prioritize long-term success. Our extensive network of academic leaders spans the globe, allowing us to cast a wide net while maintaining a keen eye for the perfect fit.

But perhaps what truly distinguishes Funk Associates is our passion for higher education. We believe in the transformative power of academia to shape minds, inspire innovation, and drive societal progress. That’s why we’re proud to play a part in ensuring that the leaders of tomorrow have the guidance and support they need to succeed.

As we look towards the future, our commitment remains steadfast. We will continue to uphold the values of integrity, excellence, and inclusivity that have defined us for generations.

Together with our partners in academia, we will forge new paths, break down barriers, and empower institutions to reach new heights of success.

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.

Key Funk & Associates Highlights:

  • The firm has accumulated numerous honors and accolades. Bill Funk, our founder, has been called the “guru of higher education recruiting” by The Chronicle of Higher Education. The American Council on Education (ACE) recognized our team’s work in recruiting women to senior-level positions in higher education by awarding us its Women’s Network Annual ‘Network Leadership Award’ several years ago. Hunt-Scanlon annually ranks us among the top search firms operating in the higher education arena and recently recognized us for conducting the “most important” searches in the industry in 2020.
  • The firm and its consultants have recruited more than 430 Presidents and Chancellors over the past several decades… and a similar number of Provosts, Vice Presidents and Deans. We work with large research institutions as well as small liberal arts colleges throughout the nation. Over the years, we have recruited Presidents to more than half of all AAU institutions as well as to leading regional and comprehensive schools and small liberal arts colleges.
  • Our firm has an unparalleled record of recruiting women and minority candidates to top positions in higher education. We have assisted in breaking the gender and/or color line in the President position at approximately 60 universities located throughout the country. During the past five years, approximately fifty-percent of all of our placements have been women or minority candidates.
  • We are a proud member of the American Council on Education’s ‘Executive Search Roundtable.’ Our consultants are proven and experienced. They do not take on competing or conflicting assignments and are available to you 24/7. Your search is important to us.
  • A majority of our dozen core employees worked together for 10 years or longer and share high standards of teamwork and performance and work only in the higher education arena. All of our recruiters are experienced consultants who are “hands on” and we do not turn over searches to junior support staff to contact potential candidates. The consultant you hire will be committed to your search for its duration and will be available to you 24/7.
  • Our firm offers our clients the longest/best guarantee in the industry… if the person we place leaves the university within the first two years – for whatever reason – we will re-do the search for no additional fee, charging only for administrative and out of pocket expenses.

Achievements

Funk & Associates

Find a Recruiter

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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

Funk Associates Recruits Athletic Director for the University of South Carolina

After an exhaustive process, Funk Associates’ sports recruiting division recently assisted in the recruitment of Jeremiah Donati as the new athletic director for the University of South Carolina. “I am thrilled to welcome Jeremiah Donati to Gamecock Nation,” said Michael Amiridis, president of the University of South Carolina. “Jeremiah’s accomplishments at TCU—across athletics, NIL, and facilities—speak for

Funk Associates Recruits Dean for the University of South Alabama College of Engineering

Funk Associates recently assisted in the recruitment of Darryl James as dean of the University of South Alabama College of Engineering. He takes over the deanship from John Usher, who will remain on faculty. “Dr. James brings a wealth of experience to South, both as a faculty member, and as a highly effective leader,” said Andi Kent,

Funk Associates Leading Searches for College of Charleston and University of Houston

Funk Associates has been retained by College of Charleston to lead in its search for a founding dean of the School of Engineering, Computing, and Mathematics. Willie Funk is leading the assignment. Separately, Funk Associates was selected by University of Houston to lead in its search for new dean of its prestigious C. T. Bauer College of

Funk Associates Assists Purdue for Life Foundation with CEO Search

Funk Associates has assisted in the recruitment of Julie Dussliere, a Purdue alumna and longtime executive with the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC), as president and chief executive officer of the Purdue for Life Foundation. She was selected following a national search that included the assistance of Funk Associates and resulted in a large and

Funk & Associates

Press Releases

The University of Houston Invites Applications and Nominations for the Position of Dean of the C.T. Bauer College of Business.

The University of Houston (UH) seeks a proven academic leader who can serve as the new Dean of its prestigious C. T. Bauer College of Business. As lead administrator of Bauer College, the Dean will partner with university leadership and engage students, faculty, staff, alums, and other key constituents to continue the college’s trajectory of

Inaugural Dean of the School of Engineering, Computing, and Mathematics

The College of Charleston invites nominations and applications for the founding Dean of the School of Engineering, Computing, and Mathematics. Founded in 1770 and located in the heart of historic Charleston, South Carolina, the College of Charleston is one of the oldest universities in the nation and among the nation’s top universities for the high

PRESIDENT AND CEO

Purdue for Life Foundation (PFLF) seeks an outstanding leader as its next President and Chief Executive Officer to lead and coordinate all engagement, development, and advancement efforts on behalf of Purdue University. About Purdue University Purdue University is a public research institution demonstrating excellence at scale. Ranked among top 10 public universities and with two

Funk Associates Initiates Podcast Series “Voices of Leadership”

Funk Associates announced 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

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.

Listeners are invited to tune into the series on the firm’s new website (funkassociates.com/podcasts) 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

Episode 2: INTERVIEW WITH MICHAEL CROW
Episode 1: INTERVIEW WITH GORDON GEE