True Search Launches Diversity Practice
October 12, 2022 – Executive recruiting firm True Search has launched a new diversity practice, which will connect companies with DE&I leaders. Under the leadership of True Search partners Aaron Clubb and Keri Gavin, the diversity practice was created to reinforce True’s commitment to delivering diverse candidate slates. The practice also helps clients develop engagement and recruiting strategies to attract underrepresented talent.
“DE&I leaders are at the forefront of many of the most complex and important challenges facing American businesses,” said Shawn Thorne, True co-GM, Americas. “They take our clients’ promises of diversity, equity, and inclusion and turn them into action and progress. Aaron and Keri shine in their understanding of what it takes to recruit these transformative DE&I leaders and underrepresented talent into senior leadership roles.”
Mr. Clubb, diversity practice co-head and partner, has been a senior member of the investment professional practice at True and an executive search professional for many years. He has worked to bring underrepresented talent to leadership roles at financial services organizations including banks, asset managers, private equity and venture capital firms, endowments and foundations, and corporate and public pensions. His record of hires from underrepresented groups far exceeds the industry norms, with over 50 percent of the executives he’s placed throughout his search career representing gender or racial diversity.
“DE&I continues to be an increasing priority and a competitive advantage for companies. We’re seeing more investments and innovation in DE&I and expect the function to be further embedded across businesses as strategies evolve,” said Mr. Clubb. “We’re excited to increase our partnership with companies in support of their DE&I journey.”
Ms. Gavin joined True’s people, talent and legal practice in August from Netflix, where as director of executive talent she developed engagement and recruiting strategies to increase representation at the executive level. Seventy-three percent of the placements she’s made at the C-suite and VP-level have been diverse candidates. She has built a reputation for increasing diversity at the executive level for large, multinational organizations including Ford Motor Co., American Airlines, and the National Football League. Ms. Gavin formerly served as partner and global D&I practice sector leader for Hanold Associates.
“Building diverse teams and cultures that embrace differences is a business imperative for companies across all stages and sectors, especially with the rapidly changing demographics of the workforce,” said Ms. Gavin.
Serving the Private and Public Sectors
Working in both the private and public sectors, True Search has offices throughout the U.S. as well as the EMEA and APAC regions. Since the late 1990s, the firm’s founders have refined their search process with a blend of data-centric insights, relationship-building, and experience to produce a methodology that consistently improves hiring decisions and accelerates growth. Its clients include Jet, Work Front, and Summit Partners. True Search is a subsidiary of True Platform, a global portfolio of human capital services and products for high-growth tech and tech-enabled organizations. True recently placed No. 7 on the Hunt Scanlon Media “Top 50 Recruiters” ranking.
Recent Funding
LLR Partners, a private equity firm based in Philadelphia, made an investment in True this past spring. The partnership is aimed at developing and expanding innovation within the talent space.
True Search Appoints COO and CFO
True Search has named Kate Vanek as global chief operating officer and chief financial officer. “Kate is a proven strategic COO and a high-impact finance executive who will help solidify our operational maturity, which will ultimately benefit our clients, teams and candidates,” said Brad Stadler, True co-CEO and co-founder. “Kate’s expertise will also ensure we continue to be the most innovative and efficient firm in our industry while maintaining our unique culture.”
LLR Partners, which has raised more than $5 billion to fund investments across the technology and healthcare sectors, is said to have bought into True’s mission to disrupt a stagnant industry in desperate need of tech-driven talent solutions. “They expressed interest and we were compelled to listen, even though we were not looking for a financial partner,” said Mr. Stadler at the time of the investment. “Through our discussions, we quickly became aligned on how they could operationally and strategically support our long-term vision.”
“We also aligned on our ability to control our own destiny with no pressure to transact,” said Mr. Riggione. “Our collective vision is for True to remain independent and become the industry’s dominant brand. We couldn’t be more excited about partnering with LLR to get there.”
Related: True Search Expands Leadership Team
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
