Greenwood Asher & Associates Adds Four Professionals to Senior Leadership Team
February 13, 2023 – Miramar Beach, FL-based executive recruitment firm Greenwood Asher & Associates (GA&A) has expanded with the additions of Robert Caret, Jeremy Duff, Jim Johnsen, and Tracey Weldon as new vice presidents. These experienced higher education and executive search professionals become senior members of its leadership team, alongside vice president and managing director Susanne Griffin who leads the firm. Jan Greenwood and Betty Asher will continue to serve the firm and clients as strategic advisors and the firm’s most senior counselors.
“The expanded leadership team – which adds additional talent with experience as university presidents; deans; public university system heads; senior diversity, equity, and inclusion practitioners; and internal search consultants – will equip GA&A to build on existing domain expertise and expand its capacity to serve an increasingly diverse portfolio of higher education clients,” the firm said.
“Grounded in our identity as a trusted, women-founded business and collaborative partner to our clients across higher education, we’re expanding to meet the growing demand we see from the institutions we serve,” said Ms. Griffin. “The increasing complexity of the higher education ecosystem requires, more than ever, leaders that are well-matched to the institutions they lead. For decades under the leadership of co-founders Jan Greenwood and Betty Asher, the firm has exemplified a commitment to elevating transformative leaders in higher education. With these incredible additions to our team, we’re positioned to double down on the foundation of service and excellence established by our founders.”
Mr. Caret is the chancellor emeritus of the University System of Maryland and served as the former president of the University of Massachusetts. He also recently served as chair of the National Association of System Heads and the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities board of directors.
Mr. Duff previously served as managing director for the University of Virginia’s executive search group within the office of the president. In this role, he conducted senior leadership searches for the university and executive searches for university foundations. He also led the creation of the University of Virginia’s talent recruitment operation and served as a principal with DHR Global.
Mr. Johnsen most recently served as a senior fellow at the National Association of System Heads and president of the University of Alaska system. He serves on advisory boards at the University of Wisconsin, Madison and the University of Pennsylvania and continues to publish on a variety of higher education topics.
Related: Greenwood /Asher & Associates Seeks Provost for Louisiana State University
Ms. Weldon is former dean of the Graduate School and vice provost for graduate education at the University of South Carolina (USC). She also served as the inaugural diversity officer in the College of Arts and Sciences and was one of the original members and co-chairs of USC’s Council of Academic Diversity Officers.
Vast Network and Experience
“For decades, our strength has rested not only in our vast network and experience as leaders within higher education, but in the thorough process and collaborative approach that guides our work with each client,” said Ms. Greenwood. “Our expanded team re-affirms and expands these strengths.”
Kelly Acquires Greenwood/Asher & Associates
Troy, MI-based Kelly, a publicly-held, global leader in workforce management solutions offering staffing services to top companies, has acquired Greenwood/Asher & Associates, an executive search firm specializing in finding leaders across the academic and higher education sector. The search firm will continue to operate under its own brand. “Across the education landscape, the need for talent has never been greater, and Kelly has been diligently identifying adjacencies and growth opportunities to meet the increased demand for experienced education professionals,” said Peter Quigley, Kelly president and CEO. “With the acquisition of Greenwood/Asher, we are formally expanding our solutions beyond K-12 and into the higher education space.”
“I cannot imagine a firm with a staff – both our new colleagues and our long-standing peers – that is better equipped to serve institutions within the current higher education landscape,” said Ms. Asher. “Under the leadership of this team and in collaboration with Susanne, this firm is positioned to continue to elevate the executive search process and provide critical services.”
Greenwood / Asher & Associates is a women-owned executive search firm with a diverse consulting team and extensive experience in executive search, consulting, and training for education markets including elementary, secondary, higher education, university systems, campuses and non-profit organizations including associations, service, and cultural institutions. The firm was acquired in 2020 by Kelly Education, a global leader in workforce management solutions offering staffing services to top companies.
Related: Greenwood / Asher & Associates Assists Clemson University with CHRO Search
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
