ZRG Acquires Aspen Leadership Group

ZRG continues to grow via acquisitions. In a move to capture more market share, the fast-growing global talent advisory firm has acquired Aspen Leadership Group, a leading search specialist known for delivering top fundraising and executive leadership talent to educational institutions and the broader non-profit sector. Hunt Scanlon Ventures, the Greenwich-based human capital M&A advisory firm, facilitated the deal.

February 7, 2025 – Global talent advisory firm ZRG has acquired Aspen Leadership Group, a search firm focused on placing and supporting top fundraising leaders and executive talent in educational institutions and the broader non-profit sector. Hunt Scanlon Ventures, the Greenwich, Connecticut-based human capital M&A advisory firm, served as an advisor on the deal.

“The addition of Aspen Leadership Group is nothing short of transformative,” said Larry Hartmann, CEO of ZRG. “Their expertise in development and advancement is the perfect complement to our growing education practice, and as we roll into 2025 we are unlocking the collective power of these exceptional niche businesses under the unified banner of ZRG’s education practice, creating unmatched solutions for academic and non-profit leadership.”

Aspen Leadership Group, established in 2013, conducts a wide range of searches across the fundraising, education and non-profit sector and is widely considered the eminent leader in its field.

Its clients include Brown University, PBS, Robin Hood, the Humane Society of the United States, the Leakey Foundation, Carnegie Mellon University, and the Denver Zoological Foundation, among others.

A Breakthrough Win

“This acquisition carries ZRG’s brand further into C-suite recruiting and opens an expansive ‘leader-to-leader’ consulting services channel which is one of the fastest growing segments within human capital solutions,” said Scott A. Scanlon, CEO and co-founder of Hunt Scanlon Ventures who worked on the deal alongside HSV managing director Drew Seaman.

“Aspen Leadership Group is well known for its focus on recruiting and supporting CEOs and executive directors, chief development & advancement officers and their teams, and chief financial and operational officers – including COOs, CFOs, general counsels, and other C-suite leaders,” said Mr. Seaman.

“This is another breakthrough win for ZRG as its leadership team continues to rapidly develop, evolve and scale the business,” he added.

Gold Standard

“Aspen Leadership Group is the gold standard in consultative, trusted search for the education and non-profit sector,” said Rosa Morris, ZRG education’s global market lead.

“Their expertise in C-suite leadership development, spanning educational institutions of all sizes – public and private – along with their deep non-profit sector work in the arts, healthcare, and beyond, will further solidify ZRG’s leadership in social impact talent solutions,” she noted.

“Joining ZRG allows Aspen Leadership Group to scale its impact exponentially,” said Ron Schiller, Aspen Leadership Group founding partner and managing director. “With ZRG’s platform and resources, we are poised to meet many more of the talent needs in education and across the entire non-profit sector.”

With Aspen Leadership Group’s specialized focus in development and advancement, and its complementary expertise in finance and operations, the acquisition boosts ZRG’s education sector offerings, including The Registry – which concentrates on interim leadership for academic institutions, TurnkeyZRG – which targets college sports recruiting, and Helbling & Associates – which focuses on real estate and facilities searches in academia.

Hunt Scanlon Ventures served as a strategic advisor on The Registry and Turnkey transactions.

Fastest Growing

With a legacy of service to over 1,000 institutions across all divisions of higher education and academic medicine, ZRG’s education practice is a deeply resourced talent solutions provider.

Recent engagements include partnerships with institutions such as the University of California system, University of Louisville, Virginia Commonwealth University, Oberlin College, Dartmouth-Hitchcock, Wake Forest, Georgetown Law, Wellesley College, Colby College, Harvard, Duke University, Kings College London, and CalTech.

ZRG, founded in 1999, is a fast-growing global talent advisory firm with the financial backing of private equity investor RFE Investment Partners. It provides a full suite of executive, middle management, and customized search solutions through its offices in North America, Europe, South America, and Asia.

The firm finds leaders across a broad spectrum of business markets, including aerospace, consumer, education, healthcare services, and solutions, industrial, life sciences, non-profit, private equity and venture capital, and technology. ZRG is based in Rochelle Park, NJ.

Other Recent Acquisitions

ZRG recently acquired Bravanti, a Chicago-based advisory firm specializing in services including executive coaching, executive team coaching, developing leaders, and outplacement/career transition services. “Bravanti brings expertise in three key areas: executive coaching, leadership acceleration, and outplacement career transition,” said Mr. Hartmann. “Bravanti’s global cadre of highly experienced coaches helps unlock the potential of executives up through C-level who deliver powerful business results and exceptional return on their company’s investments in their development.”

ZRG Acquires Jamesbeck

ZRG has acquired Jamesbeck, a New York City-based recruitment firm specializing in senior-level talent for the broad investment management community across private market and traditional firms. Hunt Scanlon Ventures, a Greenwich, Connecticut-based human capital M&A advisory firm, served as an advisor to ZRG. “This strategic move aims to establish ZRG’s presence in asset management and will support the firm’s existing private markets clients by adding a new channel for senior roles at the management company level across investments, product, and fundraising,” said ZRG.

Jamesbeck specializes in the investment management industry across public and private markets. The firm recruits senior-level talent across investing, distribution, product and C-suite positions on behalf of a range of clients from boutiques to the largest multi-product organizations. Jamesbeck’s Melissa Norris, managing partner, and Beth Rustin, founding partner, will become the co-heads of asset management search at ZRG.

With this acquisition, ZRG significantly enhances its leadership development services brand by adding a worldwide team of leadership coaches and consultants, who serve corporate clients, PE firms and corporate boards.

ZRG also acquired Linked4HR Solutions’ executive interim & HR advisory services in the Middle East and Africa (MENA) region. With this acquisition the firm added Hicham Hachkal as managing director for interim and HR advisory.

Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media

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