Succession Planning and Executive Search

  • Succession Planning for Boards and Key Executives
  • Executive Director Searches
  • CFO and COO Searches
  • Fund Development Executive Searches

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Leadership Succession
Executive Search Process and Timeframes

In his strategic management and board development work with nonprofits, Sam found that succession planning for key leadership roles was similar to that he experienced in working with family enterprises. Recognizing that local nonprofits lacked the resources to retain national search firms, Sam began to offer nonprofits the benefits of his executive search experience.

See the list of recent Executive Searches below.

Case Studies

  • New Leadership to Refocus and Revitalize a Local Nonprofit
    • We were retained by the board of a local nonprofit to conduct a search for a new Executive Director. The organization had suffered operating losses over the prior three years due to changes in the availability of government and foundation funds for one of its largest programs and a steep decline in funds contributed by individual donors. We worked with a Search Committee consisting of four members of the board and one community representative to identify the capabilities required of the new ED, with fundraising experience being a primary requirement. We sourced and screened over 75 candidates, almost all from the local area, conducted preliminary interviews and presented six candidates to the Search Committee for further interviews. After two rounds of interviews, the Search Committee unanimously chose and presented to the board a single candidate. The new ED brought an engaged and energetic style of leadership that had an immediate impact.
  • Search for an Executive to Lead a Family Foundation
    • Anticipating a significant increase in the family foundation’s endowment following a liquidity event and his own retirement, our client, the 2nd generation leader, proposed separating the foundation from the operating company. We led the family through a strategic planning process to identify the future direction and long-term priorities of the foundation. The foundation’s family- dominated board determined that investment management would be outsourced with grantmaking and community leadership programs being staffed internally. With the guidance of a small search committee comprised of family members, we defined the position and capabilities required before conducting a national search for the new foundation CEO, using a partner firm to source candidates. The successful candidate worked with the retiring family CEO for a year to complete a highly successful leadership transition.

Recent Executive Search Clients include:

Agecroft Hall, Richmond

Peter Paul Development Center, Richmond

St. James’s Children’s Center

Virginia Beach SPCA

YWCA of Greater Richmond

October 15, 2013