Sterling Martin Finds CEO for National Speakers Association
December 20, 2017 – The non-profit sector has gained economic strength in recent years, making it the third largest employer in the country. Nearly two million not-for-profits employ 10.7 million people and produce $1.9 trillion in revenue. In the past decade, employment in the sector grew by 17 percent. With demand for non-profit talent at an all-time high, search firms have plenty of work looking for candidates.
Executive search firm Sterling Martin Associates recently placed Mary Lue Peck as CEO of the National Speakers Association (NSA) in Tempe, AZ, following a national search.
In her new role, Ms. Peck is expected to provide bold leadership to take NSA to its next level, said the organization. She is charged with directing and participating in growth activities to support NSA’s overall business objectives and plans. She is responsible for developing and directing the execution of policies to support NSA in general and accomplishing the organization’s strategic objectives.
Proven Leader
Ms. Peck comes to NSA from the Institute for Supply Management (ISM), an international association with 50,000 members in 90 countries. She has served as ISM’s chief content and engagement officer for 12 and a half years and was in charge of specialty conferences, publications, online learning, new product offerings, marketing, CMS and membership growth.
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NSA is the leading organization for professional speakers. Its 53,000-plus members include experts in a variety of industries and disciplines, who reach audiences as trainers, educators, humorists, motivators, consultants, authors and more. Since 1973, NSA has provided resources and education designed to advance the skills, integrity, and value of its members and the speaking profession.
“My goals are to get to know our members, grow and diversify revenue streams with focused products and a strategic marketing approach, accelerate profitability through operational excellence and increase engagement with our members,” said Ms. Peck. “I’m really excited and enthusiastic about what NSA does and I’m honored to be leading the association. At its core, NSA helps its members do what they love for a living: to educate and inspire others. The ripple effect of NSA’s members is awe inspiring.”
Non-Profit Specialists
Sterling Martin Associates, which was founded in 2006, focuses on finding leaders for associations and non-profit organizations. Since its inception, the firm has been engaged by nearly 200 clients throughout the U.S. Its staff includes 15 professionals located in Washington, D.C., New York, San Francisco and Orange County, CA.
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The firm recently recruited chief executive officers or executive directors for the National Association of Independent Life Brokerage Agencies, International Safety Equipment Association, Obesity Medicine Association, and United States Society on Dams. It also filled CEO roles for the Maryland Food Bank and the American Rental Association. Currently, Sterling Martin is seeking executive-level leaders for the American Society of Investigative Pathology, National Association of County & City Health Officials, Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity, Mortgage Bankers Association Opens Doors Foundation, and Clinical Data Interchange Standards Consortium.
David Martin, the firm’s managing partner, has three decades of professional experience in national executive search, non-profit leadership and with Georgia-Pacific Corporation. Prominent non-profit clients have included AARP, American Association for the Advancement of Science, National Association of Broadcasters, National Association of Children’s Hospitals, Society for Human Resource Management, Make-A-Wish Foundation and Sister Cities International. He has conducted searches for a broad range of executive leadership positions at the C-suite level, including president and CEO roles, executive directors and chief operating officers.
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor; and Will Schatz, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
