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Academic Search at Closing Stages of President Search for Valparaiso University
Education-focused executive recruiter Academic Search was recently selected by Valparaiso University to lead in its search for a new president. President José Padilla will retire on December 31, 2025, at the conclusion of his contract. Senior consultants Pamela Balch, Mike Maxey, and search manager Penny Gibbons are leading the assignment. “Over the past month, the presidential search committee
HARTZ Search Tapped by Geisinger to Help Recruit New CFO
Charlotte, NC-based HARTZ Search has been retained by Geisinger, in Danville, PA, to lead in its search for an executive vice president and CFO. “Our client is seeking a dynamic financial executive to collaborate with the CEO and the executive leadership team to set enterprise-wide strategy, define the financial and non-financial objectives of individual entities and
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.
Brettschneider Executive Search Seeking Inaugural SVP of Advancement for Wilmington University
New York City-based Brettschneider Executive Search has been retained by Wilmington University (WilmU) to lead in its search for an inaugural senior vice president of advancement to lead the University’s next phase of philanthropic growth. Reporting to WilmU president LaVerne Harmon, the SVP will partner closely with the president, board and University leaders to advance the University’s strategic
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?
August Leadership Expands in London
August Leadership has expanded with the addition of Honor Pollok as a partner in London. Ms. Pollok brings over 20 years of executive search and leadership experience. She has led numerous high-profile placements in chair, non-executive director, CEO and the full spectrum of C-suite roles. Her search expertise spans key commercial, financial, creative, human resource, functional,
Hunt Scanlon and HSiQ Spotlight New Approach to Recruiter Training
As the executive search industry faces mounting pressure to improve performance and consistency, firms are increasingly reevaluating how recruiters are trained and developed. Hunt Scanlon and its HSiQ talent intelligence advisory unit recently launched a new Recruiter Performance Training Program designed to bring greater structure, commercial rigor, and scalability to recruiter development in an industry long driven by
Building Team Alignment in an Era of Continuous Change
Ask any team to describe its top strategic priorities and you will often get as many answers as there are people in the room. The problem is not that the strategy hasn’t been communicated, according to recent report from AIIR Consulting. “The problem is that it was communicated into an environment that has since shifted
Isaacson, Miller Helps Recruit 28th President for Texas A&M
Boston-based Isaacson, Miller has assisted in the recruitment of Susan Ballabina as the 28th president of Texas A&M. Andy Lee and Julie Filizetti, led search with Raul Bernal and Luciano Zuniga, and Madeline Fitzpatrick. The members of the Board of Regents conducted a national search that produced a strong pool of candidates. Dr. Ballabina emerged through that process based on her experience, her understanding of
BarkerGilmore Recruits General Counsel for American Credit Acceptance
Boutique search firm BarkerGilmore, which specializes in building corporate legal and compliance teams, has placed Debra Noll as general counsel at American Credit Acceptance. The search was led by Stephen Bell and Alison Waters. “Deb is exceptionally well-positioned to support American Credit Acceptance as it continues to grow and adapt in a complex environment,” BarkerGilmore said in a LinkedIn
Kincannon & Reed Appoints VP of Marketing and Business Development
Kincannon & Reed (K&R), which exclusively focuses on food, agribusiness, and the related life sciences, has expanded with the addition of Dan Evans as vice president of marketing and business development. “Dan brings a strong background in building brands, driving growth, and connecting strategy to execution,” said Stephanie Liska, president of Kincannon & Reed. “Throughout his career,
Women Founders Gain Ground in Human Capital M&A
A meaningful shift has been unfolding across the executive search industry. Over the past decade, a growing number of highly specialized boutiques have been founded and led by women, many of whom built successful careers within larger firms before launching businesses of their own. What is becoming increasingly clear is that investors are paying attention.
Private Equity Recruiting – Return on Investment: Creating Value with Talent
Talent has become a defining driver of performance in private equity, shaping how firms manage risk, execute strategy, and deliver sustained returns. As deal cycles tighten and value creation depends increasingly on operational excellence, leadership quality and organizational design are no longer secondary considerations — they are central to how firms source, underwrite, and scale
AGB Search Seeking Chief Information Technology Officer for Slippery Rock University
Washington, D.C.-based recruitment firm AGB Search, which specializes in higher education leadership assignments, has been retained by Slippery Rock University to lead in its search for a chief information technology officer (CITO). Kimberly Templeton, Margaret Plympton, and Anne Hoffman are leading the assignment. This leader serves as the University’s senior technology executive, providing strategic vision, leadership, and executive
The Talent Studios Recruits Chief Marketing Officer for Pura Vida Miami
The Talent Studios has recruited Bruno Cardinali as chief marketing officer of Pura Vida Miami, the premium all-day café and lifestyle brand focused on health, wellness and community. The search was led by Katlyn Maloney and Jeremy Cohen. Mr. Cardinali brings more than two decades of marketing leadership across fast casual, foodservice, beverage, and global consumer brands. Most recently, as
JM Search Expands Technology and Financial Services Practices
JM Search, a senior-level talent provider serving private equity investors, portfolio companies, and Fortune 1000s, has expanded with the additions of Wes Chisholm as partner and Laura Bennstrom and Charles Telep as principals within its technology and financial services practices. Mr. Chisholm and Mr. Telep join the firm’s technology practice while Ms. Bennstrom joins both the financial
How The Tolan Group Navigated the Downturn and Remained Focused
For many executive search firms, 2024 and 2025 tested resilience in ways few could have predicted. At The Tolan Group (TTG), they experienced the same pressures felt across the industry. Slower decision cycles, delayed starts, and a noticeable dip in portfolio company hiring activity. Yet through that uncertainty, one thing remained constant: our commitment to
Korn Ferry Reports Seven Percent Q4 and Full-Year Revenue Growth, Led by Double-Digit Gains in Professional Search & Interim
Korn Ferry (NYSE:KFY) has posted Q4 fiscal-year revenues of $759.8 million, a year-over-year increase of seven percent and five percent at constant currency. This was led by Professional Search & Interim up 14 percent, followed by Executive Search and Consulting, both up seven percent and RPO up five percent. During the fourth quarter, revenues rose by
Lock Search Group Leading CEO Search for Atlas Sign & Awning
Toronto-headquartered executive recruitment firm Lock Search Group is currently seeking a new CEO for Atlas Sign & Awning. For over 30 years, Atlas Sign & Awning has helped businesses across Canada and the United States stand out through custom commercial signage, awnings, and branded architectural elements. Based in Langley, BC, they’ve built a strong reputation for quality
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
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,
7 Ways To Build A Stronger C-Suite Leadership Pipeline
Hiring from within can often manifest itself in stagnant, slow growth environments. What PE operating partners have figured out is that talent – especially at the top of an organization – is the critical value creation lever. In case after case, that talent is injected from the outside. “When you need fresh insights, new approaches and a clear-eyed
Chief HR Officer Impact on Bottom Line Grows
According to findings from a customer analysis by SuccessFactors, effective talent management is a key driver of business growth. The study, which highlights the importance of having Chief HR Officers (CHROs) on the executive board, identified companies with an HR executive in their C-suite as high performers. These companies are on average 105 percent more
Russell Reynolds Associates Leads CEO Search for Diamond Offshore Drilling
Global executive search and assessment firm Russell Reynolds Associates has been retained by Diamond Offshore Drilling, Inc. to lead in its search for a new chief executive officer. Lawrence R. Dickerson, current president and CEO, has decided to retire after more than 30 years of service. Diamond Offshore provides contract drilling services to the energy
HireRight Extends International Capabilities
HireRight, a global provider of on-demand employment screening solutions, has expanded its market-leading integrated global screening platform to include 15 new languages. The company has also expanded its talent management integrations. The HireRight global platform has supported English, French and Spanish for many years but now includes 15 additional languages such as simplified Chinese, German
Kincannon & Reed Strengthens South and Central America Operations
Kincannon & Reed has made several moves to strengthen the firm’s capabilities in South and Central America. David Turner, a managing director, has been appointed head of the firm’s Latin America business unit. Joseph Sherman has joined the firm as a managing director in Sao Paulo. Mr. Sherman comes to Kincannon & Reed following a
Ryan Search & Consulting Expands Board of Advisors
Executive recruiter Ryan Search & Consulting has added George Dunbar, an entrepreneur and management consultant in the life sciences arena, to its board of advisors. Mr. Dunbar heads Franklin, Tennessee-based Dunbar Group LLC and is also a partner with Arboretum Ventures, a venture capital firm headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan that specializes in the healthcare
Korn Ferry Retained by CommonWealth REIT
Korn/Ferry International has been retained by CommonWealth REIT (CWH) to help identify potential independent trustee candidates. CommonWealth REIT is a large, nationwide office real estate investment trust. Korn/Ferry International, based in Los Angeles and with a presence throughout the Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, is a global provider of talent management
Fairsail to Lead HR Processes for UAS
United Allergy Services (UAS) has selected Fairsail, a leader in global workforce collaboration, to streamline and manage its human resource, human capital management and recruitment processes, bringing together its global team on a single platform. Nic Scott, Fairsail’s chief executive officer, said: “Employee collaboration has been a big focus for us in the past year,
Witt/Kieffer Launches No-For-Profit Practice
Executive search firm Witt/Kieffer has opened a new not-for-profit search practice which will recruit C-level executives for nonprofit organizations across a wide range of sectors, including leading organizations in philanthropy, education reform, community engagement, human services, and specialty education. Wayne Luke will join Witt/Kieffer’s Atlanta office as managing partner of the practice. John Fazekas joins
Greenwich Harbor Partners Completes Search for Dex Media
Greenwich Harbor Partners has placed Suzanne Keen as head of communications at Dex Media. Previously, Ms. Keen held various corporate communications positions with G6 Hospitality (Motel 6 and Studio 6 Extended Stay brands), Brinker International (Chili’s and Maggiano’s brands), FedEx and JC Penney. Dex Media provides local, social and mobile marketing solutions to businesses in
Calibre One Extends Reach in NYC
U.K.-based executive search firm Calibre One has extended its reach into the U.S. Northeast with the promotion Girish Mirchandani, who was previously a partner in the San Francisco office and will now relocate to New York. Since joining Calibre One in 2010, Mr. Mirchandani has expanded his recruiting portfolio placing key executives into Hearst, Aternity,
Job Prospects to Remain Stable in Q4
One in four employers plan to add full-time, permanent headcount in the fourth quarter, relatively unchanged from last year, according to CareerBuilder's latest job forecast. Industries expected to outpace the national average for companies hiring include information technology (36 percent), financial services (32 percent) and manufacturing (30 percent). Hiring among large healthcare organizations is expected
Boyden Adds New Managing Directors
Boyden has added Peter Santora as a managing partner based in Southern California and Paul Moran as a managing partner in Boston. Mr. Santora will direct his efforts on strengthening market-focused client services for the West Coast, including but not limited to California, Nevada, Arizona and Hawaii. He previously was a senior client partner and
Cejka Executive Search Retained by Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute
Cejka Executive Search has been chosen by Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute – MSK Cancer Alliance to lead in its search for a new physician-in-chief. The physician-in-chief will oversee and facilitate this distinctive clinical and research partnership built to rapidly move innovative evidence-based cancer care into the community setting and enable bi-directive learning across the institutions.
Jibe Unveils New Recruiting Analytics Tool
Jibe, Inc., a provider of recruiting technology solutions, has launched Jibe Recruiting Analytics, developed to provide real-time strategic insight into hiring practices. The system features an event-based analytic engine that tracks every interaction a job seeker, or candidate, has with a prospective employer. “We keep hearing the term ‘big data’ used in recruiting and HR,
Ultimate Software Selected by AETNA
Ultimate Software, a provider of HR, payroll, and talent management solutions, has confirmed that Aetna has selected UltiPro for its core HR information system solution delivered through Ultimate’s software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform. Aetna will use UltiPro to handle global core HR administration; U.S. payroll administration; global payroll support; integrated time and attendance management; and HR reporting.
RSR Partners Appoints CEO
RSR Partners, a corporate governance and executive search firm, has appointed Barrett J. Stephens as its chief executive officer. Founded in 1993 by recruiting industry veteran Russell S. Reynolds Jr., RSR Partners is owned by its partners and employees. Mr. Reynolds plans to remain involved with the firm on a full-time basis as chairman and
Kaye/Bassman Recruits President for Manhattan Construction Company
Kaye/Bassman International Corp. has placed John Reyhan as president of the Manhattan Construction Company. Mr. Reyhan previously worked for Skanska USA since 1998, where he has held a succession of leadership roles. He has led the business units for sports, higher education, and federal market sectors, and has served as general manager for the company’s
Pontoon Names President, APAC
Pontoon, a global leader in workforce solutions, has named Rishi Kapoor as president, APAC. Mr. Kapoor will be responsible for driving sales and operational delivery for Pontoon across India, China, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Australasia and the broader Asia region. He has over 15 years of sales and marketing experience across diverse industry sectors including
Korn Ferry Partners with Career Connections
Korn/Ferry International has formed a partnership with Career Connections, a talent consulting firm in East Africa. The new alliance has been created to improve both firms’ ability to deliver recruiting services and talent consulting in Africa and for African headquartered clients internationally. “This alliance will allow Korn/Ferry to more successfully serve our global clients in
Executive Hiring Prospects Remain High
Executive hiring prospects remain high with about 59 percent of employers selectively or significantly increasing executive hiring for the balance of 2013 and 2014 according to Claymore Partners‘ Executive Talent Market Survey. The outlook expressed by unemployed executives is also significantly less optimistic than employed executives and is consistent with their perspectives in January 2013.
Lonergan Partners Finds CMO for Talari Networks
Executive search firm Lonergan Partners has placed Kevin Gavin as chief marketing officer of Talari Networks. The search was lead by Mark Lonergan. Mr. Gavin previously served as CMO of ShoreTel. “Kevin is one of the world’s best technology marketing executives. He has special skills in building and supporting channel networks for companies like Talari,”
eQuest Continues to Grow Big Data Recruitment Suite
eQuest, a job posting distribution and job posting management provider, has accumulated another 50 million job board and social media candidate performance records making its database the largest candidate performance collective in the world. eQuest collects and stores these statistics as part of its Big Data Recruitment Suite. The data is used to calculate and
IIC Partners Appoints New Executive Director
IIC Partners has appointed Christine Hayward as its new executive director. Ms. Hayward previously served as the managing director, Asia Pacific, Middle East and emerging markets at the Association of Executive Search Consultants (AESC). Ms. Hayward stated: “I am delighted to be joining IIC Partners as its executive director. I look forward to being able
Gilbert Tweed Adds Managing Director in NY
Executive search firm Gilbert Tweed Associates has added Steven Wilk as a managing director in its New York office. With more than 30 years in the technology field, Mr. Wilk was previously founder and president of technology-focused executive search firm Wilk Consulting. Gilbert Tweed International, established in 1975, is an executive search firm serving corporate
Caldwell Partners Taps HR Chief for Wesco Aircraft
Executive search firm The Caldwell Partners International Inc. has recruited Felicia Williams as vice president and chief human resources officer at Wesco Aircraft. Ms. Williams was formerly vice president of human resources at Superior Industries. Managing directors Jerry McGrath and Dave Winston handled the search. Wesco Aircraft is one of the world’s largest publicly held
Oracle HCM Implemented by China-Based Company
Oracle announced that Beijing CAJ Senior Care Services Co. (“CAJ,” also known as Right at Home (China) has adopted Oracle Human Capital Management (HCM) Cloud and Oracle Talent Management Cloud to help establish its HR management platform and improve HR management and efficiency. Bird Yip, general manager of SaaS for Oracle Greater China, said, “CAJ
Odgers Berndtson Adds Partner in Global Mining and Metals Practice
Executive search firm Odgers Berndtson has added Rosario María Astuvilca as a partner in the global mining and metals practice in the firm’s Toronto office. Ms. Astuvilca will focus on the recruitment of senior leaders in corporate roles and mining sites across Canada, the U.S. and Latin America. Most recently at Heidrick & Struggles, Ms.
Cook Associates Finds CEO for Liberty Acquisitions Servicing
Chicago-based Cook Associates Executive Search has placed Ralph Rolen as chief executive officer of Liberty Acquisitions Servicing, LLC. The search was led by John Barrett, managing director, and Mary Kier, CEO. Mr. Rolen most recently served as general manager at Ceridian Stored Value Solutions. Liberty Acquisitions Servicing, LLC is a privately held debt buyer that
Talent Partners Opens in Canada
Talent Partners, a provider of talent and production support services for U.S. advertising agencies and advertisers, has opened its services in Canada. Through a merger with Toronto-based talent payment and signatory services company Canadian Connection, Talent Partners expands its global payroll support services for its agency and advertising clients. Talent Partners' newest international operation will
Talent Neuron Unveils Workforce Planning Kit
Talent Neuron, a Zinnov Company, has announced the launch the Talent Neuron Workforce Planning Toolkit, aimed at enabling organizations to forecast and address talent management requirements based on business goals. The solution provides data-driven insights based on quantified cost-benefits and optimizes talent for specific business outcomes. “It is important for HR leaders to articulate the
Morgan Samuels Adds Technology Recruiter
Morgan Samuels, an L.A.-based human capital consulting firm, has added Robert G. Fong as a senior client partner. Mr. Fong was previously the managing partner for the global advanced technology practice at Nosal Partners where he was also responsible for driving the firm’s strategy in the Pacific Northwest. Prior to that, he was a senior







