Michael Ballew

Michael, a registered Native American and member of the Echota Cherokee Tribe, serves as the firm’s chief diversity, inclusion, equity and compliance officer, as well as search committee facilitator.  Michael has served clients in the executive search industry for over 14 years. Known for his abilities as a skilled leader and facilitator, our clients and search committees appreciate Michael’s hands-on approach, active partnership and intuitive leadership throughout the search process.

Michael has conducted over 500 mid and senior level assignments in the executive search industry, and has facilitated hundreds of search committees. During his time in Corporate America, Michael held responsibility for over 4800 searches at the service, professional, executive and board levels. He was also responsible for the evaluation and selection of executive search firms.

An Industrial Psychologist by training, he focuses on the details of everything from the needs of the organization to the unique personalities of the key players involved in the hiring decision. His customization of each search experience is paramount to bringing about positive outcomes for the client and search committee, and a positive experience for the candidate. Michael is gifted with the ability to bring even the most divided committees to consensus.

Prior to his life in the executive search industry, Michael spent 20+ years in senior-level management with expertise in human resources management, counseling, training, operations, facilitation, strategic planning, project management, workplace diversity, and regulatory/compliance. His gift for evaluating, managing and motivating fellow executives, combined with a passion for the positive client and candidate experience is a distinct advantage and asset to client organizations.

With a strong focus on customer service, quality, search management, and facilitation, Michael brings an exemplary track record of 99% success in search engagements across all business sectors. Having served as a former corporate EEO/AA officer, and now as the firm’s diversity, equity, and inclusion officer, Michael is committed to bringing clients a diverse slate of qualified candidates – 100% of the time.

For our Higher Education Practice, Michael has orchestrated initiatives – at all professional and management levels – for land grant institutions, historically black colleges and universities, and higher education organizations with and without academic health sciences components. He has worked with numerous Federal Contractors and other organizations with both customary and unique compliance policies/requirements. For other business sectors, he has served the leadership needs of hospital/health systems, global software and technology companies, oil and gas companies, MCO’s, insurance companies, service and manufacturing organizations, hospitality organizations, aerospace companies, chambers and civic organizations, legal firms, private equity companies, and others – placing executives in key mission critical roles across management and the ‘C-Suite’.

Outside of work, Michael is an established artist and outdoor enthusiast. He gives back to the community by directing children and adolescent camps, and serves as a board member on an arts foundation board.