Executive Recruiters Continue Their Expansion Into the Sports Industry
September 16, 2015 – Futurestep, a Korn Ferry company that provides talent acquisition solutions, has launched a sports practice focusing on mid-level and emerging talent. Bret M. Fishkind will lead the new group as a managing consultant.
Mr. Fishkind has been a senior associate at Korn Ferry, where he has served as a member of the firm’s global sports practice, led by industry pioneer Jed Hughes, and its board & CEO services practice for the past seven years. He has worked on C-suite and board level placements at Amgen, Molson Coors Brewing, Phillips 66, and Sprint, among others. He has completed numerous assignments with major sports leagues, teams, conferences, and leading colleges and universities.
Prior to joining Korn Ferry, Mr. Fishkind was director of corporate partnerships for the NHL’s Phoenix Coyotes. He was responsible for generating revenue with local, regional and national companies through media partnerships, promotions, ticket sales, suites and hospitality. Prior to that, he worked with the NBA’s Phoenix Suns, where he was responsible for corporate suite inventory and premium seating locations.
“Bret Fishkind is an outstanding professional and has been an integral part of our global team’s ability to generate winning results for our sports clients,” said Mr. Hughes, vice chair and leader of Korn Ferry’s global sports practice. “His experience in sports and entertainment will help build the emerging leaders practice for Futurestep’s new sports practice, where he will focus on assignments for organizations looking to the next generation of sports and entertainment leaders. I’m sure his efforts will meet with success in this new role.”
The sports industry continues to be a growth area for executive search businesses. Many C-suite focused recruiting firms are now active in the sector and some specialize only in the sports field itself; these include Turnkey Search, Sports Recruitment International and Collegiate Sports Associates — all dedicated to providing sports-related executive search and leadership advisory services.
Alden & Associates, based in Florence, Mass., has developed a hugely successful recruiting practice around finding coaches, athletic directors and other related management for intercollegiate athletics. When a top college or university needs to fill an opening for these positions they often turn to Betsy Alden, the firm’s president and founder, and her team, which has found athletic directors at colleges like Nebraska or head football coaches at top-ranked schools like DePauw University.
Last month, Major League Baseball tapped Korn Ferry to provide league-wide talent support services, which includes assisting candidates who reach the interview process for baseball operations positions.
Contributed by Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor, Hunt Scanlon Media
