Congratulations from Berkhemer Clayton - Nonprofit & Higher Education Edition

Welcome to a special Nonprofit Edition of our quarterly newsletter from Berkhemer Clayton Retained Executive Search, highlighting our Nonprofit, Higher Education & Healthcare Practice.

CONGRATULATIONS

to Our Client Organizations and

Latest Placed Candidates: Nonprofit, Higher Education, & Healthcare Practice

Alicia Lara, MPH, placed as President & CEO for Community Partners.

Alicia previously served as Senior Vice President, Impact at United Way Worldwide. For more about Alicia and Community Partners, please CLICK HERE

Emily Boyd Stormoen, placed as Chief Executive Officer for the Arthritis National Research Foundation. Emily previously served as the Chief Revenue Officer for the National Psoriasis Foundation. For more please CLICK HERE

Dr. Alice Gleghorn, placed as President and CEO for Phoenix House California. Dr. Gleghorn previously served as the Director of the Santa Barbara Department of Behavioral Wellness.

Erin Collins, placed as Registrar for Pomona College. Erin previously served as Registrar for the California Institute of the Arts. For more about Erin, please CLICK HERE

Transitioning from a Nonprofit Founder:

Keys for Success

Point of View by Ben Lambert, Senior Vice President

Over the last 5 years, we have seen a surge of retirements among nonprofit founders and CEOs/Executive Directors many with 20, 30, and even 40+ years of service to their organizations. During this time, our firm has been entrusted to lead many searches to identify, recruit, and assess talented leaders to follow these founders and long-standing nonprofit CEOs.

There are many opportunities and challenges for boards of directors to consider when conducting a search to replace a founder or long-standing nonprofit CEO/Executive Director (founder/CEO). However, one area that boards often struggle with is the actual transition of leadership itself. Once a new CEO has been selected, when should the announcement be made public? When should they start? Should there be an overlap between the new and retiring CEOs? What role, if any, should the retiring founder/CEO play in the organization? What should the transition look like?

The short answer is it depends on the organization and the executives involved. Much like the search process itself, there is no one size fits all approach that works for every organization in every situation. Nonprofit organizations are unique and CEO transitions require thoughtful and nuanced consideration. Here are tips for a smooth and successful CEO transition:

Plan Ahead

The board should be thinking about the transition well in advance of the new CEO selection, perhaps even before the search has begun. Will there be a transition committee? If so, who will chair the committee? Should that individual also be on the search committee? What role should the outgoing founder/CEO play in the search process and in the transition? Some decisions can and should made in advance of the new CEO. Others, such as the role of the founder/CEO in the transition should be explored in advance but not decided upon until the new CEO can be involved.

Listen to the Out-Going CEO

The board and/or transition committee should facilitate open dialogue with all those involved in the transition, including the founder/CEO. What role does the founder/CEO wish to play in the transition and in the organization in the future? The board should seek to honor this leader and help them transition on their own terms, as much as possible, while being mindful of what is in the best interest of the organization.

Involve the New CEO in Decision-Making

As soon as a selection is made, the board should communicate with the new CEO and seek their input about the transition, in advance of their start date. What do they need to get up to speed and be successful? What role should the outgoing founder/CEO play? The selected candidate should be involved in decisions about the transition.

Be Mindful of Common Pitfalls

Many founders and long-standing CEOs find it difficult to let go and want to have an active role in the organization after they retire. Some want to be on-site or even stay in their own office for the transition. Some wish to remain connected by joining the board. While every situation is unique and continued involvement from an outgoing founder/CEO can be beneficial, some practices can have a negative impact on the new CEO’s ability to establish themselves. The board/committee should be mindful of these potential pitfalls.

Be willing to Draw the Hard Line

The new CEO should have a strong voice in the role of the outgoing founder/CEO, but it is the board/committee’s responsibility to ensure the success of the transition, guiding all involved on best practices and what is in the best interest of the organization. In doing this, the board/committee may need to protect the new CEO from early decisions regarding the transition that may be unpopular or controversial. If the founder/CEO is requesting something that is not in the best interest of the organization, such as one of the examples above, the board/committee should be the ones to address the issue and draw the hard line, if needed.

Keep the End Goal in Mind

The end goal should be to honor and respect the great work and achievements of the retiring founder/CEO, while ensuring that the new CEO and the organization itself are set up for success. There will be speed bumps, but if the board plans ahead, facilitates an inclusive process, and is willing to be firm, when needed, a CEO transition can be a rewarding and even enjoyable process.

For more about our Nonprofit Search Services, please contact:

Ben Lambert

Senior Vice President

Head of Higher Education, Nonprofit, & Healthcare Practice

Berkhemer Clayton, Inc.

ben@berkhemerclayton.com

Hunt Scanlon Names Berkhemer Clayton to National Top 50 List of Higher Education Search Firms

CLICK HERE

For more about our Higher Education Search Services, please contact:

Ben Lambert

ben@berkhemerclayton.com

Special Congratulations

to Shai Phillips, Vice President and Head of Corporate and Finance Practice, on his seven-year Anniversary with Berkhemer Clayton!

Nonprofit Boards provide Excellent Training for Ultimately Seeking Corporate Boards

by Betsy Berkhemer-Credaire, CEO

Serving on nonprofit boards builds valuable networks

and board experience for women seeking to ultimately serve on corporate boards. By December 31, 2021, public companies headquartered in the state of California are required to have at least three women directors to comply with the California law SB826. That’s why CA corporations are seeking more women to become directors now. Betsy has written two books in her “Winning the Board Game” series about how smart women become corporate directors and have made significant impact on their companies. Among all women directors featured in her books, the majority were recommended for their first corporate boards by people who knew them from their nonprofit boards.

To learn how to describe your value-added experience, senior-level women in management should take the 50/50 Women on Boards “Get on Board!” Workshops this summer.

www.5050WOB.com

Find Betsy’s books at website www.WinningTheBoardGame.com

Berkhemer Clayton has a 27-year track record of successful senior-level searches for corporations, higher education and nonprofit organizations. We specialize in management-level executive searches in Corporate Communications and Public Relations, Marketing, Finance and Accounting, and Human Resources, with focus on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

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