Our Story Is Different

An Idea in Motion

Judee had been working as a personal secretary for then-Senator Walter Mondale, but, after relocating to her husband’s hometown of Philadelphia, she began searching for a new purpose in a new city. Judee recognized the critical shifts in culture, business, and the workplace and recognized the need for a more diverse talent pool. She invested in a small upstart firm that specialized in finding shared jobs for women, and her bold idea was put in motion.

A Formidable Leader

Judee launched the new name of the firm – Diversified Search – which would reflect its growth into a full-fledged executive search firm finding leadership positions for high-powered women – and men, too. Over the next several decades, Diversified Search would expand into a formidable leader in the highly competitive world of executive search, becoming a top 10 firm in the nation and the largest woman-founded executive search firm.

A New Generation

Judee assumed a new role of Chair and announced the appointment of Dale E. Jones as Diversified’s new CEO. In the ensuing years under Dale’s leadership, the firm experienced dramatic growth.

Acquisitions: Purpose, Progress, Performance

In 2016, Diversified Search acquired life sciences search firm BioQuest, then in 2019 acquired Koya Partners and Grant Cooper. In early 2020, the acquisition of Storbeck Search, a leader in higher education executive search, was completed.

These five firms formed Diversified Search Group, to operate as a new model in the executive recruiting industry. Together, we harness our collective resources and expertise to collaborate across sectors to access more diverse talent.

People-First Leadership

Diversified Search Group named Aileen Alexander as CEO, advancing the firm’s dedication to innovative, values-driven and people-first leadership.

Continued Growth

Diversified Search Group acquired Alta Associates, the industry’s first and premier executive search firm specializing in cybersecurity, IT risk management, and data privacy. The Executive Women’s Forum (EWF), Alta Associates’ professional membership organization, also operates as part of the firm.

Global Expansion

Today, Diversified Search Group has 14+ offices in major cities across America. Through a global partnership with AltoPartners, Diversified Search Group is part of an elite alliance with offices in over 30 countries and 65 cities across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia Pacific that builds candidate pools of C-suite talent for searches around the world.