R. William Funk & Associates is the premier firm dedicated to higher education search consulting. Our firm is recognized for its unparalleled record in recruiting many of the nation’s most esteemed college and university leaders. RWFA was founded on the belief that we are partners with our clients, working towards a mutual goal of advancing the universities and colleges we serve.

Drawing on our team’s decades of experience, RWFA has conducted successful searches for every major academic leadership position at universities across the country. Since our inception, RWFA has focused on our one major goal: delivering incomparable service to clients while recruiting world-class talent on their behalf. We accomplish this goal through personal, consultative attention and strong commitment to our clients.

Key R. William 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.
• RWFA 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.