Spelman Johnson is honored to support the American Council on Education (ACE), and we are proud members of ACE’s Roundtable of Executive Search Firms.
The Roundtable was established in 1985 as a means of addressing the mutual interests of ACE and executive search firms in the continuing identification of talented leaders for our nation’s colleges and universities. Over the years, the primary aspects of the relationship between ACE and individual firms have been the exchange of information related to improving the quality of searches and the discussion of issues related to higher education search practice.
Purposes of the Roundtable
The Roundtable exists to support ACE in its continuing efforts to improve the quality of leadership in higher education; to diversify that leadership in terms of gender, race, and ethnicity; to promote the highest standards in the process of search and selection; and to educate the higher education community about search processes, with or without the use of consultants. The Roundtable offers search firms the opportunity to exchange information and develop relationships that enhance cooperation among competing firms for the benefit of leadership in higher education.
Principles
- Subscribe to the highest standards of integrity and principles of quality, diversity, equity, and ethical practice.
- Affirm commitment to conducting equitable searches to foster diversity and the highest quality of leadership for the educational community.
- Assist candidates in understanding the role of the consultant in the search process.
- Ensure that client institutions provide search consultants and candidates with all relevant and current data, including financial information, that is needed in the search.
- Respect the confidentiality of clients and candidates and obtain client approval before sharing information.
Ideas for Action LLC (IFA) is an internationally known and respected management consulting firm. Driven by a passion to empower people, organizations, and ideas, the IFA has spent the past two decades serving hundreds of higher education institutions and associations with customized executive coaching and consultation, leadership development, strategic planning, governance, research, and facilitation services. IFA’s partners are experienced, knowledgeable senior leaders in higher education and professional associations. As subject matter experts, partners are trusted advisors and collaborators, building customized approaches and solutions to client needs. Spelman Johnson has partnered with IFA on a range of projects, from strategic planning (where a strategic planning process provided continuity and direction for the Spelman Johnson search for a new association leader) to executive coaching and leadership development (where a new executive, placed through a Spelman Johnson search, received IFA executive coaching and consultation throughout the first year of employment). IFA’s customized services for colleges and universities and higher education-related associations include:
- Strengthening individual and team executive leadership performance
- Guiding thoughtful and disciplined strategic planning
- Enhancing board and governance capacity and agility
- Finding solutions to challenges, problems, and disruptions
- Providing insight, information, and actionable research
Our code of ethics, as practiced by the National Association of Executive Recruiters (NAER) member firms, comes from the belief that sound and ethical practice is good business. Confidence and respect are indispensable to success in a business embracing the many intangibles of our service and involving relationships so dependent upon good faith.
NAER and its members encourage fair competition among executive search consultants. We hold that these professionals should compete on merit and not by attempts at discrediting or disparaging a competitor, or its work, directly or by inference, or by circulating unwarranted claims about another organization. Neither NAER nor any member shall engage in such activities which violate antitrust laws.
Business promotion and development shall be conducted forthrightly by members with no misrepresentations (expressed or implied) which might mislead clients and/or candidates.
- Communication between members and clients or members and candidates shall be objective and accurate.
- Clients, positions, and candidates shall be represented honestly and factually.
- Members shall honor the confidentiality of proprietary information received from clients and candidates.
- Members shall conduct comprehensive reference checks of candidates prior to final selection by clients.
- Members shall refrain from soliciting candidates from client companies.
- Members shall refrain from using sourcing techniques which involve pretext or falsehood.
- Members shall inform clients of potential limitations, due to other client relationships, which might affect the outcome of the search.
- Member firms shall not accept payment for counseling or other assistance to individuals seeking employment.
- Potential conflicts of interest due to business relationships between members and candidates shall be disclosed to clients before candidate presentations.
The Network of Nonprofit Search Consultants (NNSC) is a professional organization comprised of some of the leading nonprofit search consultants in the United States and Canada.
NNSC provides a forum for executive search consultants to discuss best practices in the field of retained search services predominantly for nonprofit organizations and non-governmental organizations.
Our mission is to reflect the goals of the nonprofit organizations we serve and ensure that the best leadership is in place to meet the needs of others. There is a special expertise required to recruit such inspired leadership and NNSC members are continually expanding their knowledge and experience to benefit these organizations.
Margolis Healy is a professional services firm specializing in campus safety, security, and regulatory compliance for higher education and K-12. Spelman Johnson formed a strategic partnership with Margolis Healy allowing colleges and universities access to a full complement of services as they look to enhance campus safety and security. In situations where institutions are seeking new leadership in this area, Margolis Healy and Spelman Johnson offer an unparalleled network to identify and recruit a candidate with the right skill set to meet the needs of the organization.
Meghan Godorov is a valued partner of Spelman Johnson, as a career consultant and speaker who helps mid-level professionals navigate their goals, negotiate transitions, and engage in both local and national leadership opportunities. Her advice on salary negotiation, public speaking, LinkedIn, onboarding and trends in career development and student affairs have appeared several times in Forbes, the Huffington Post College blog, ACPA’s #SACareer Blog, Student Affairs Collective, NASPA Women in Student Affairs Blog; NerdScholar, Good.co and LinkedIn’s Career Services Professionals Group. She has presented several times at the ACPA and NASPA national conferences, is a member of the National Career Development Association, the Association for Talent Development (ATD), her local/regional Chamber of Commerce and is a certified resume writer (ACRW). She previously worked in career services at Mount Holyoke College as their Associate Director for Alumnae and Community Engagement.
In addition to her work now as a consultant, Meghan serves as an executive resume coach for The Job Sauce and Regional Director for the National Student Clearinghouse, a nonprofit and nongovernmental organization and the leading provider of educational reporting, data exchange, verification, and research services.
Meghan earned her Master’s in Education in Student Affairs and College Counseling Licensure from Kutztown University and graduated with a Bachelor’s of the Arts in Psychology and Women’s Studies from Franklin and Marshall College. Follow her on Twitter @MeghanGodorov and connect with her on LinkedIn today.