The Hawkins Company Leading CEO Search for Knoxville Area Urban League
April 2, 2025 – The Hawkins Company, a Los Angeles-based executive recruitment firm, is currently leading the search for a new president and CEO for the Knoxville Area Urban League. Todd Hawkins is leading the assignment. The Knoxville Area Urban League seeks a CEO to manage and oversee the day-to-day operations of the non-profit economic development and social services agency. This leader serves as the chief administrator and reports to the board of directors; demonstrates the ability to develop, articulate and communicate the vision of the local affiliate; provides leadership to the organization, administering its functions and operations; and assists in the development of short- and long-range objectives.
The president and CEO will have overall responsibility for expanding and managing the operations of the organization, with a particular emphasis on increasing the level of engagement of Knoxville Area businesses and business leaders. They must be proficient in and have an above average ability in the areas of planning, monitoring, fundraising, fiscal administration, proposal writing, organizational skills, written and oral communication, planning and evaluation, human resource administration, community and public relations, vision, advocacy, and strategic planning.
The successful applicant for the position of president and CEO must hold a bachelor’s degree (master’s degree preferred) in business administration, social work, public administration, or finance, according to The Hawkins Company. Other disciplines may be considered based on experience and a proven history of leadership and management in community-based organizations, government agencies. corporate entities and/or educational institutions. Candidates must have at least five years of senior leadership and/or management experience. This should include experience in the development and implementation of service programs, program evaluation, advocacy, public education, fiscal management, strategic planning, and resource development. Ideal candidates must be able to demonstrate the ability to effectively collaborate with a volunteer board, community leadership, various stakeholders and clients served.
Knoxville Area Urban League is in the National Urban League’s Southern Region. Tyvi Small serves as the board chair and Ursula Baily serves as search committee chair.
The Knoxville Area Urban League is an affiliate of the National Urban League, the country’s oldest and largest community-based movement devoted to empowering African Americans to enter the economic and social mainstream. Today, the National Urban League spearheads the non-partisan efforts of its local affiliates. The National Urban League has more than 100 affiliates located in 35 states and the District of Columbia.
Nationally Recognized
Established in 1984, The Hawkins Company is a management consulting firm specializing in executive recruitment. While recognized for its expertise in diversity recruiting, the firm is a general practitioner that focuses on achieving the executive level staffing objectives of private, public, educational and non-profit clients. Early on, The Hawkins Company focused exclusively on private sector recruiting. Over time, it was requested to conduct searches for government agencies and became nationally recognized for its ability to apply private sector search strategies to meet the recruitment needs of public sector clients.
The Hawkins Company Recruits CEO for The Inner City Education Foundation
The Hawkins Company has assisted in the recruitment of TyAnthony Davis as the new CEO of The Inner City Education Foundation (ICEF). He succeeds Parker Hudnut who served as CEO for 13 years. Yonnine Hawkins Garr, William Hawkins, and Tisa Jones led the assignment. “Mr. Davis’ expertise and proven track record of accountability demonstrates clear alignment with ICEF’s strategic path forward,” said Angila Romious, chair, ICEF board of directors. “The ICEF board of directors found Mr. Davis’ unique blend of educational technology, entrepreneurial and financial acumen, and innovative practices to problem solving, as defining characteristics that will lead to long-term advancement of student academic outcomes that parents and our community have come to know and expect from us.”
Mr. Davis’ appointment comes following a robust and competitive national search process with support from The Hawkins Company. The search process was led by a committee of the ICEF board, headed by Ms. Romious together with two other executive committee members, board member Dana Henry and board member William Lucas.
Today, its client base includes educational institutions and non-profit organizations. The firm has conducted over 700 national, regional, and local executive searches for CEOs, COOs, CAOs, CFOs, and other officers, directors, senior managers and professional staff.
A part of The Hawkins Company since 2018, Mr. Hawkins serves as a vice president for the firm. With a vast and varied background in community engagement, brand management and advocacy strategy, Mr. Hawkins’ role at the firm is twofold. He concentrates on creating new development opportunities, widening the firm’s public engagement and outreach. He also conducts executive searches for entrepreneurial enterprises at the C-suite level, as well as for community-based non-profits and has developed a specialized expertise in recruiting fund development executives.
Related: The Hawkins Company Recruits Chief Race & Equity Officer for the City of San Diego
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
