DAILY NEWSWIRE - TOP STORIES
Daily Newswire
Isaacson, Miller Tapped By Texas A&M to Lead Search for New President
Boston-based Isaacson, Miller has been retained by Texas A&M to lead in its search for its next president. Andy Lee and Julie Filizetti, are leading this search with Raul Bernal and Luciano Zuniga, and Madeline Fitzpatrick. “Choosing the next president of Texas A&M is one of the most important decisions we will make,” said Robert L. Albritton, Board of
Lindauer Recruits President and CEO for Walker Therapeutic & Educational Programs
Lindauer has assisted in the recruitment of Patrick Tutwiler as president and CEO of Walker Therapeutic & Educational Programs in Needham, MA. The search was led by Lindauer senior vice president Bob Giannino and vice president Maureen Huminik. He becomes only the fifth CEO in Walker’s 65-year history of serving children, youth, and families across Massachusetts. “At Walker, our mission is
Executive Recruiters Pull Off Another Remarkable Year, Remain Bullish for 2023
Hunt Scanlon Media has released its annual rankings of leading executive recruiters. In the U.S. and globally, billions of dollars poured into the high-end recruiting sector in 2022, a result of continued pentup demand for senior-level leaders and their key reports.
Anthem Executive Assists the University of Montevallo With President Search
Anthem Executive has assisted in the recruitment of Michelle R. Johnston as the first female president of the University of Montevallo (UM). Michael Ballew, Scott Watson, Mike “JR” Wheless, and Florene Stawowy led the assignment. Dr. Johnston has served as the president of Georgia Southwestern State University since 2024. Prior to her current presidency, she served as president of three other higher education
GDPR – The Perfect Time to Refresh Your Database
As executive search firms grapple with the complexities of GDPR, many are concerned that the new regulation will mean deleting thousands of records built up over many years. Surely there must be an alternative?
Mercuri Urval Appoints Non-Executive Director
Stockholm, Sweden-based executive search firm Mercuri Urval (MU) has announced that Jan Sasse, partner at AlterInvest, was named as non-executive director to the MU group board. He will join the current board members Cecilia Strand, Mieke Weijenberg, Cecilia Beer, Richard Moore, and chairman Roger Hagafors. “We are pleased to welcome Jan Sasse as non-executive director of the MU
M&A Becomes a Capability-Driven Acquisition Strategy
EY-Parthenon is forecasting an eight percent increase in U.S. deal volume for transactions exceeding $100 million in 2026, underscoring how central M&A remains to corporate strategy. Yet beneath the headline numbers sits a more important story. The role of acquisitions is evolving. Companies are no longer pursuing deals primarily for scale or market share. Increasingly,
The Hidden Challenges Every First-Time CEO Faces
The corner office has never been more accessible—or more demanding. As boards increasingly turn to a new generation of leaders to navigate disruption, growth, and transformation, first-time CEOs are stepping into roles that require a fundamentally different set of skills than those that propelled them to the top. While many arrive with impressive track records,
Myers McRae Assists Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology with Provost Search
Following a nationwide search, Macon, GA-based Myers McRae Executive Search and Consulting has assisted in the recruitment of Richie Roberts as provost of Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology. Kenny Daugherty and Brianna Douglas led the assignment. Dr. Roberts’ selection was guided by a search committee of OSUIT administrators, faculty, staff and students, which was assisted by national search firm Myers McRae. “The entire
Lancer Group Recruits Chief Technology Officer for Minitab
La Jolla, CA-headquartered search firm Lancer Group has recruited Kevin Gordon as chief technology officer of Minitab. “We’re excited to welcome Kevin Gordon as chief technology officer at Minitab,” the company said. “This is an exciting step forward in the evolution of our technology strategy and will help accelerate innovation across our organization and solutions platform.” “Kevin brings
Friisberg & Partners International Names Managing Partner of its Copenhagen Office
Fribourg, Switzerland-headquartered Friisberg & Partners International has expanded with the addition of Birgitte Olrik as managing partner of its Copenhagen office, strengthening the firm’s presence in the Nordic region and supporting the continued execution of our international growth strategy. “The future of executive search belongs to firms that combine exceptional local expertise with international reach,” said Zoltán Pethő,
Attracting the Right CHRO Starts with the Right Job Description
Hiring a head of HR is one of the most consequential leadership decisions an organization can make, yet many companies struggle to define the role in a way that reflects their actual needs. The most effective job descriptions go beyond qualifications and responsibilities, offering candidates a clear picture of the challenges, priorities, and business objectives
Coulter Partners Recruits Chief Medical Officer for Neumirna Therapeutics
Life sciences recruiting specialist Coulter Partners has placed Ferenc Tracik as chief medical officer of Neumirna Therapeutics. “Neumirna has reached an inflection point: the question is no longer whether the science works, but how quickly we can translate it into an option for patients with urgent unmet need. Ferenc has the experience to get us there,” said Ellen
McCormack + Kristel Seeking CEO for Central New York ON RAMP
McCormack + Kristel is currently seeking a CEO for Central New York ON RAMP. New York State Empire State Development (ESD) recently engaged CenterState Corporation for Economic Opportunity (CenterState CEO), an business leadership and economic development organization, to lead, incubate, and launch the Central New York One Network for Regional Advanced Manufacturing Projects (ON RAMP). The
Bespoke Partners Appoints Leader of People and HR Practice
San Diego, CA-headquartered Bespoke Partners recently named Dani Pfeiffer as a partner leading the people and human resources leader recruiting practice serving both software and industrials sector companies. She will lead dedicated recruiting teams on searches for talent executives for private equity portfolio companies for the software and SaaS clients served by Bespoke Partners and industrial clients served by Industra Talent Partners,
Wilson Forms New Alliance with Poetry to Advance AI capabilities
Global talent solutions provider Wilson has formed a new partnership with Poetry to strengthen its AI-enabled recruitment capabilities. The collaboration supports Wilson’s continued focus on embedding technology into its RPO delivery model through Wilson Workspace, its technology ecosystem. “We’re excited to announce our new partnership with Poetry,” said Charles Faigle, chief delivery officer at Wilson. This
What Executive Candidates Want From Employers Today
The executive talent market today has fundamentally shifted and senior leaders are evaluating employers through a far more demanding lens. They no longer weigh opportunities primarily on compensation or title; they assess the total leadership experience: governance, culture, organizational stability, purpose, autonomy, flexibility and long-term growth, according to a report from Kestria. “To attract and retain
WittKieffer Retained by Roosevelt University for President Search
Oak Brook, IL-based WittKieffer has been retained by Roosevelt University in Chicago to lead in its search for its seventh president. Ali Malekzadeh is retiring after being with the school since 2015. Senior partner Christine Pendleton, consultant Sandra Chu, senior associate Maya Holt-Brockenbrough, and senior advisor Ray Crossman. Roosevelt University seeks a student-centered president who is committed
Buffkin / Baker Acquires HR-Focused Benson Executive Search
Partner-led executive search firm Buffkin / Baker has acquired Boston, MA-based Benson Executive Search, a boutique firm focused on the human resources sector. Financial terms of deal were not disclosed. The acquisition strengthens Buffkin / Baker’s HR functional capabilities and gives the firm a stronger presence in the Northeast. “We’re thrilled to welcome Benson Executive Search to
SPMB Recruits Fills Senior Finance Position for Uber
Steven Popper of SPMB Executive Search has placed Wendy Drummond Craig as senior director, technical accounting, reporting, and M&A at Uber. In her new role, she will oversee teams responsible for technical accounting matters, SEC reporting, and accounting for mergers and acquisitions. “Wendy brings an extraordinary combination of technical accounting expertise, SEC reporting experience, and strategic advisory leadership
True Launches AI Capability Index for Executive Assessment
Global executive talent platform True has launched the True AI Capability Index, a proprietary framework that predicts executive performance in the AI-transformation age. “We are entering a phase where relationship depth and judgment matter more than ever,” said Brad Stadler, co-founder and CEO of True Platform. “The cost of finding names is decreasing. True’s advantage lies in our ability
AI-Native Talent Won’t Fix AI-Foreign Organizations
As artificial intelligence moves from experimentation to enterprise-wide adoption, organizations are grappling with a fundamental question: what does it actually mean to become AI-native? While the term has quickly entered the business lexicon, many leaders are still struggling to define the capabilities, operating models, and cultural shifts required to make that vision a reality. “Some
ZRG Partners Acquires Fortium
ZRG Partners has acquired Fortium, a Dallas-based search firm that provides fractional, interim, and project-based CIO, CTO, and CISO leadership. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. “Companies are making more nuanced decisions about leadership than they did even a few years ago, particularly in technology,” said Mark Viner, leader of interim solutions & project
Lochlin Partners Recruits SVP of HR for the National Association of Corporate Directors
Lochlin Partners has placed Marian Stevens as senior vice president, human resources of the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) in Washington, D.C. “Marian’s deep experience in talent development, organizational effectiveness, and culture will help NACD to continue building the internal capabilities needed to support our growth and deliver on our mission,” said Peter Gleason, president and CEO of
JDG Associates Tapped by Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute to Find New Leader
Rockville, MD-based executive search firm JDG Associates has been retained by the Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute (PCI) to lead its search for a new president and CEO. The Chicago-based institute, the leading technical institute and trade association for the precast, prestressed concrete industry in North America, seeks a visionary and collaborative executive to succeed its long-serving chief executive,
IIC Partners Adds New Member Firm in New Zealand
IIC Partners Executive Search Worldwide has added Auckland, New Zealand-based Infinitas as its newest member firm expanding its capabilities across the Asia-Pacific region. “I am thrilled to welcome Infinitas to IIC Partners,” said Christine Hayward, executive director of IIC Partners. Their people-first philosophy, tech-enabled search processes, and talent advisory capabilities deeply align with our mission to transform
Hiring for the Culture You Don’t Yet Have
For much of the past decade, organizations have invested heavily in strategy, technology and operational efficiency to navigate an increasingly complex business environment. Yet despite these investments, many transformation initiatives continue to fall short of expectations. The differentiator is rarely the strategy itself. More often, success depends on whether leadership teams have the right people
BoardWalk Consulting Leading CEO Search for Downtown Atlanta Inc.
BoardWalk Consulting has been tapped by Downtown Atlanta Inc. (DAI) to lead in its search for a CEO. The search is being led by Sam Pettway, Crystal Stephens, and Patti Kish. The organization is seeking a leader who can help define what the next generation of Downtown Atlanta will become. This is a leadership opportunity of unusual scale and
Peña Search Assists To Be Like Me with the Recruitment of Executive Director
Peña Search recently assisted in the recruitment of Lauren Rowe as the new executive for To Be Like Me (TBLM) in Dallas, TX. Travis Hillier, Carlos González Peña, and Thaise Pereira led the assignment. She replaces To Be Like Me founder Hollis Owens, who has served as executive director since 2018 and initiated the search for her replacement last
BroadView Talent Partners Tapped by Baltimore Community Lending for President/CEO Search
BroadView Talent Partners was recently retained by Baltimore Community Lending, Inc. (BCL) to lead in its search for a new president and CEO. Tracy McMillan, Robyn Quinn, and Donna Young are leading the assignment. The CEO is the strategic, operational, and external leader of Baltimore Community Lending, responsible for driving the organization’s next era of growth and
Korn Ferry Q1 Revenue Rises Five Percent to $708.6 Million as Executive Search and Interim Lead Gains
Korn Ferry (NYSE:KFY) has posted Q1 fiscal-year 2026 revenues of $708.6 million, an increase of five percent year-over-year at actual, and four percent at constant currency. Fee revenue grew year-over-year in each solution, led by professional search & interim (10 percent actual) and executive search (eight percent actual). “I am pleased with our company’s performance,” said
Frederickson Partners Recruits HR Leader for PE-Backed Klaviyo
With the coronavirus crisis disrupting the world economy, HR leaders are stepping up at businesses across the country, playing a vital role in helping organizations navigate what is looking to be an even greater challenge than the Great Recession. As a recent article in The Economist put it, chief people officers “keep employees healthy, maintain
McDermott + Bull Recruits CFO for Avellino
Irvine, CA-based search firm McDermott + Bull recently placed Cyril Allouche as treasurer and chief financial officer of Avellino in Menlo Park, CA. Managing director Jake Vander Zanden led the search along with senior executive recruiter Sara Pizarro. Mr. Allouche brings to Avellino over 20 years of experience in finance leadership in both public and pre-IPO companies, including diagnostics and biopharmaceutical.
Former Korn Ferry Diversity Chief Joins Executive Leadership Council as CEO
Black advancement organization the Executive Leadership Council has named Michael Hyter, the former chief diversity officer of Korn Ferry, as its new president and CEO. He succeeds Crystal Ashby, who served as interim president and CEO for the last 14 months. Mr. Hyter had won attention last June by being named Korn Ferry’s first-ever chief
Allen Austin Creates Executive Mentorship Service
Few executives would deny the powerful role that mentorship plays in providing opportunities for personal and professional development. Indeed, most have experienced these benefits firsthand. Yet when it comes to understanding how mentoring operates – let alone how it could be harnessed to support, develop and retain talented people – most of those same executives
Executive Search Firms Adapting to the New Normal
2020 was an unprecedented year in most respects, and a challenging year for many in the executive search industry. Senior executives across the sector, however, are generally optimistic in their outlook for the year ahead. According to two leading reports, one from Bullhorn and the other from Hunt Scanlon Media, optimism reigns supreme. According to
How Investors are Coping With Talent Demands During Uncertain Times
What is one of the top concerns keeping PE investors and executives up at night? Talent. Great executive talent is one of the most important factors driving company performance, and during an unprecedented era of uncertainty there is even more pressure and competition on PE firms and executives to staff their management teams with top-tier leaders.
Caldwell Recruits Chief Marketing Officer for Sisu
Mercedes Chatfield-Taylor, managing partner of the private equity and venture capital practice at Caldwell, recently placed Sun Lee as the new chief marketing officer of augmented intelligence solution company Sisu in San Francisco. In her role, Ms. Lee will report directly to founder and CEO Peter Bailis and lead all marketing functions. “Sun’s combination of creativity and pragmatic
LPGA Taps Spencer Stuart to Find New Commissioner
Spencer Stuart has been enlisted to find a new commissioner for the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA). Last month, Mike Whan announced that he would be leaving the tour this year after 11 years in the top job. He will stay with the association through the search. The LPGA board of directors is directing the
IIC Partners Adds New Member Firm in Russia
IIC Partners Executive Search Worldwide has added ZOOM Executive Search & Leadership Consulting in Russia as its newest member firm. ZOOM Executive Search & Leadership Consulting was founded in 2013 and provides professional services for the search and development of top managers and board members for Russian and international companies. The company has a team of 10
A Look at the Current State of Private Equity Recruiting
The past year has brought a degree of challenge to private equity that surpasses industry events that have confronted the very best fund and portfolio operators over the last several decades. The spreads between winning and losing decisions have increased dramatically and the variance across verticals and industries are both volatile and more difficult to
Bespoke Partners Recruits Operating Partner for Thoma Bravo
Executive search firms have been stepping up their efforts to assist private equity-backed firms and their portfolios across the nation find top-level talent, including chief executives, chief people officers, CFOs and other C-suite roles – all seen as key players as organizations grapple with the continued fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. Just recently, San Diego, CA-headquartered executive
Preng & Associates Assists Independent Oil and Gas with COO Search
Houston, TX-based executive search firm Preng & Associates recently placed David Gibson as the new chief operating officer of Independent Oil and Gas (IOG), an oil and gas company focused on the U.K. North Sea. “David has extensive relevant North Sea engineering and project management experience over a near 30-year energy industry career, culminating in a number
WittKieffer to Offer Bias Training as Part of Assessment Tools Package
WittKieffer has introduced a new implicit bias training package as part of its LeaderVerse suite of services. LeaderVerse, introduced in March of last year, combines executive assessment tools with enhanced leadership consulting capabilities to support the long-term success of executives and their organizations, through services including executive onboarding, coaching and succession planning. LeaderVerse helps organizations to tap
Kennedy Executive Search Appoints New President
Kennedy Executive Search, a network of independent executive search firms, has elected Pablo Perella-Berdun as its new president and Frank Knudsen as vice president. The election is a consequence of the network’s economic interest group (EIG) structure. In an EIG, all partners become equal stakeholders and together elect their leadership each year. “It’s been an
Diversity Hiring to Accelerate in Post-Pandemic Era
The Labor Department reported this morning that 793,000 more Americans filed new claims for state unemployment benefits. That was above the Dow Jones estimate for 760,000 but a slight decrease from the previous week’s upwardly revised total of 812,00. The feds have now reported about 77 million initial jobless claims over the course of the
The Bowdoin Group Recruits COO for PE-Backed PrimeRevenue
The Bowdoin Group recently placed Gavin Cicchinelli as the new chief operating officer at PrimeRevenue, a provider of working capital financial technology solutions and backed by private equity investors Battery Ventures and Brown Brothers Harriman. Jim Urquhart, managing director, fintech, and Paul Manning, managing director, software and technology, led the assignment. “Gavin is a strong and dynamic executive with a career
Anthem Executive Seeking CEO for Jewish Federation
Executive recruitment firm Anthem Executive has been enlisted to find the next president and chief executive officer for the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles (JFGLA). Leading the assignment are co-founders and consultants Michael Ballew, Mike J.R. Wheless, Scott Watson and senior client service partner Florene Stawowy. “The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles is
Recruiting and Hiring Trends Expected for 2021
Undoubtedly, companies will continue to feel the impact of COVID-19 and its effect on hiring strategies for the new year and beyond. Looking back on 2020 and forward to 2021, the International Executive Search Federation’s Victor Carulla outlines key forecasts in executive search and highlights top hiring trends to expect. “Because of COVID-19 projects were
Marquee Search Recruits President for Gateway Baseball
Portland, OR-based Marquee Search has assisted in the placement of Jeff Jurgella as president of Gateway Management Baseball and the Beloit Snappers. He will oversee Beloit Baseball and the new riverbend stadium in downtown Beloit, WI. “The response we received from interested candidates about the opening was even stronger than we expected,” said Jeff Yocom, president of Marquee Search. “We conducted
5 Workplace Trends to Watch in 2021
While executives have long recognized that well-being is important, the COVID-19 pandemic brought home how significant it really is. Work and life, health, safety and well-being became inseparable in 2020. Amid unprecedented workforce disruption from the COVID-19 pandemic, organizations are enacting radically new ways of working and operating – and the C-suite is taking action to
Hobbs & Towne Assists Smart Wires in CEO Search
Executive search firm Hobbs & Towne has recruited renewable energy and power industry veteran Peter Wells as the new CEO of Smart Wires in Union City, CA. The company is backed by 3×5 Partners and Lime Rock New Energy. Founding partner and CEO Andy Towne and vice president Tom Watchko led the assignment. “We are thrilled to
The Human Capital Group Recruits CEO for Wendy’s Quality Supply Chain Cooperative
Brentwood, TN-based executive search firm The Human Capital Group | a Gallagher Company has placed Pete Suerken as the new president and CEO for Wendy’s Quality Supply Chain Cooperative (QSCC) in Dublin, OH David Alexander, a managing director with The Human Capital Group, led the assignment. “We were honored to serve as Wendy’s partner for this search, and
Level 5 Partners Opens Doors
Thomas Aprill, a seasoned human capital executive, has launched Level 5 Partners, a Chicago-based consulting-driven executive search firm. “Level 5 Partners was formed to help our clients achieve their goals by delivering industry-leading executives across the globe who align with their culture, principles and values,” said Mr. Aprill. “We believe that the best executives are sourced
GoodJob Raises $3 Million in Funding to Expand Across the U.S.
Investors are pouring money into recruiting solutions businesses, especially those with a psychology and data science component. GoodJob, a platform that aims to use psychology and data science to match workers with jobs, recently raised $3 million to increase marketing and sales efforts in major markets across the U.S. “GoodJob’s solution is ideal for today’s market,” said Stephen
PE Executives and Portfolio CEOs Identify Vital Attributes for Success in Turbulent Times
The COVID-19 pandemic, along with the other social and economic issues that are top of mind for people in 2021, has created an environment of uncertainty for CEOs and their organizations. Effective leadership from CEOs, therefore, is more important than ever before. So, what are the keys to success for today’s business leaders, and how
PAC-12 Conference Taps TurnkeyZRG to Lead Commissioner Search
The PAC-12 Conference has selected TurnkeyZRG to support the conference in the search for its next commissioner. The PAC-12 announced on Jan. 20 that its governing executive committee, its presidents, and commissioner Larry Scott mutually agreed that the current commissioner would not seek a new contract following an 11-year tenure. Mr. Scott agreed to continue
Westmont Search Recruits COO for Chase Cancer Center
Executive search firm Westmont Search placed Joel Helmke as the new chief operating officer for Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia. Managing partner Peter Blau led the assignment. Mr. Helmke will be in charge of directing clinical and business operations for Fox Chase. “By bringing industry best practices and new perspectives, he will help us refine our
Sheffield Haworth Names New Head of Middle East and North Africa
Global leadership advisory and executive search firm Sheffield Haworth has promoted Abhishek Vats to the role of managing director and head of the Middle East and North Africa region. Mr. Vats has been with Sheffield Haworth for over five years. Based in Dubai, he focuses on senior executive searches in partnership with a range of clients
True Search Recruits CEO for Ancestry
Executive search firms have been stepping up their efforts to assist private equity-backed firms across the nation find top-level talent, including chief executives, chief people officers, CFOs and a plethora of C-suite roles – all seen as key players as organizations grapple with the continued fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. To that end, Haddonfield, NJ-based
Private Equity-Backed Park Place Technologies Picks Christopher Group for CHRO Search
Executive recruiters are in hot pursuit of chief human resource officers and other senior-level HR leaders across the nation. Why such pent-up demand for top flight HR experts? Corporate leaders want HR leaders who are sophisticated, proactive and strategic-minded, with strong business savvy to drive their people capabilities like they would a P&L, according to
FMG Leading Adds Talent Optimization Expert
To further support organizations across the U.S. looking to maximize the value and impact of their people, human capital advisory firm FMG Leading has added talent optimization expert Darryl Smith. “The events of 2020 awakened many to long-standing inequities that not only serve as barriers to achieving a more just society, but prevent organizations and the
