Funk Associates Tapped by the University of North Florida to Lead Search for Eighth President
May 19, 2026 – Funk Associates was recently retained by the University of North Florida (UNF) to lead a national search for its eighth president. Past president Moez Limayem stepped down from his position in early 2026. The presidential search committee, chaired by UNF board of trustees member Jack Boyle, plays a critical role in this process, focusing on identifying candidates of the highest caliber to lead the university. The committee will present to the board a strong slate of unranked, highly qualified candidates for consideration.
The University of North Florida seeks a president who brings the full range of qualities necessary to lead a complex, forward-facing public institution. Those applying must have executive-level experience leading organizations of meaningful scale and complexity, with accountability for institutional strategy, people, finances, and outcomes. Candidates should bring a record of building effective leadership teams, managing across multiple stakeholders, and delivering results. Experience in higher education, the public sector, or other mission-driven environments is valued, though exceptional candidates from adjacent fields will be considered.
UNF’s next president must be a leader whose word is trusted, whose actions are transparent, and whose conduct reflects the values of the institution at all times. This includes the emotional intelligence to build genuine relationships, the humility to listen and learn, the courage to make difficult decisions, and the resilience to lead through adversity with grace.
UNF’s identity is inseparable from the city of Jacksonville. The next president must be a visible, energetic civic presence who deepens the university’s roots in the region and expands mutually beneficial partnerships with business, civic, and non-profit communities.
The University of North Florida is a public university located in Jacksonville and is part of the State University System of Florida. Founded in 1965, the university offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs across fields including business, education, health sciences, engineering, computing, and liberal arts. UNF serves approximately 17,000 students and is known for its campus nature preserve, research initiatives, and NCAA Division I athletics program competing as the Ospreys.
Related: Funk Associates Recruits Provost for Clemson University
Funk Associates is an executive search firm specializing in higher education executive recruitment. The firm has recruited chancellors/presidents for two-thirds of all public AAU universities. The firm has also recruited presidents or chancellors to more than one-half of U.S. News & World Report’s recently published “Top 30 National Universities.” Over time, it has conducted more than 425 searches for college and university presidents and chancellors as well as an even greater number of provosts, deans, and various vice presidents.
Nationally Recognized
The firm has been recognized by the Women’s Network of the American Council on Education (ACE) for its work in recruiting women and minorities to senior levels of higher education. Notably, the search firm has broken the color and/or gender line in president searches at more than 40 institutions around the country, making it one of the most highly sought after search firms across the sector.
Funk Associates Retained by Clemson University for President Search
Funk Associates has been retained by Clemson University to lead in its search for its 16th president. The university is seeking candidates who possess extraordinary managerial skills, are adept at fund-raising, and are both innovative and visionary. James P. Clements announced his retirement, effective December 31, 2025. “We continue to make outstanding progress in our search with a goal to have Clemson’s next president in place within six months,” said Cheri Phyfer, search committee chair. “To date, we have engaged 18 different stakeholder groups including students, faculty, staff, affiliate organizations and local officials, and the dialogue has been thoughtful, insightful and constructive.” The search committee will provide an update to the full board of trustees at its winter quarterly meeting in February and again reiterated its commitment to keeping campus and the community updated through the process.
R. William “Bill” Funk, founder and CEO, is a widely respected search consultant serving higher education. He has been called the “guru of higher education recruiting” by The Chronicle of Higher Education and is listed as one of the 200 best executive recruiters in the world in The Global 200 Executive Recruiters: An Essential Guide to the Best Recruiters in the United States, Europe, Asia, and Latin America (Jossey-Bass, Inc.). Prior to founding his own firm 16 years ago, Mr. Funk was the national practice leader of the education practice and office managing director of the Dallas office for Korn Ferry International for more than a decade.
Willie Funk is president of the firm. He brings to the position both deep experience in executive recruitment and a thoughtful, client-centered approach that reflects the values of Funk Associates. Mr. Funk has been with the firm for a total of 13 years and has served as the firm’s managing vice president for the past five years.
Related: Funk Associates Recruits Dean for the University of South Alabama College of Engineering
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
