Truda Chow has been named Chief Operating Officer by Frost Brown Todd LLP.
Ms. Chow has extensive experience serving in highly impactful law firm leadership roles, and before joining Frost Brown Todd, she served as Chief Operating Officer for North America for Clyde & Co. and as firmwide Chief Operating Officer for Michael Best.
For more information about Ms. Chow, click here.
This search was conducted and completed by John Lamar and William Lepiesza.
In our ongoing series covering various aspects of attaining a board seat, we continue with tips on acing the board interview.
First Things First The Initial Interview with the Search Firm
The search firm will be vetting several candidates. Today, almost all board searches have specific functional requirements for which the search firm will look. Gone are the days when companies sought an astute business person who would mesh with the existing board. You will likely be competing with executives with similar talents and experience.
The recruiter will not review your resume in the same manner as if you were interviewing for an operational position within the company. Instead, the recruiter will look for the high points: What were your successes when facing challenges? What was the culture at your organization, and why did you make confident career choices? What was your reputation at each company where you worked? Are there explainable career gaps? The recruiter will pay particular attention to your interpersonal style, silently assessing if you would be a good fit and if your experience and skill set would complement the current board.
The recruiter will also want to discuss your past board experience and pose questions demonstrating your knowledge of a board and how it functions. I have seen many good candidates fall short of the interview by discussing “their desire to help management run the company better.”
We cannot say it too many times: directors do not help manage the company. They represent the interests of shareholders and provide oversight and guidance on issues such as creating and preserving shareholder value, executive compensation, enterprise risk management, CEO succession, and maintaining corporate integrity.
If you do not have public board experience, do some research. Ask your friends or colleagues who are board members what they were asked by the search committee and would ask of a prospective board candidate.
The recruiter will also confirm that you have the bandwidth to take on another role, autonomy over your schedule and that your company endorses you joining an outside board. You should have reviewed the board meeting dates for the next two years and confirmed your availability.
Speaking of time, I have two observations:
One red herring that a candidate is not the right fit for a public board is his or her accessibility. Board-ready executives know how to manage their time and calendar. Several years ago, while conducting a board search, an executive was very excited about joining my client’s board but was unable to discuss the opportunity by phone until the following month. My concerns increased after I scheduled a time to fly to Los Angeles to interview her at her office. Her assistant told me she would have only an hour to meet with me. Be mindful that if you are considering joining a board, you are excited about, demonstrate that you will invest the time at the front end with the search firm. This will help assure that adding this additional time commitment is the right decision for you and the company.
Lastly, the recruiter may ask if there is anything that a background check would reveal that could be an issue. Obviously, in addition to criminal records, the recruiter wants to know if you have been the subject of any lawsuits, especially a shareholder suit, and the subject of any SEC or other regulatory proceedings.
Company Interview – What You Need to Know:
1. It may be a lengthy process. Very few boards conduct searches with tight deadlines. Quite the contrary. I’ve conducted searches in which the timeline to complete the search was a year. Because retiring board members give ample notice, or, if a board is adding a new member, it may wish to consider a wide slate of diverse candidates. Additionally, the long process is simply a matter of logistics. Most board members and candidates don’t reside in the same city or where the company is headquartered. During my last board search, we flew the candidates and the nominating and governance committee to New York for candidate interviews. Only one out of the nine individuals lived in New York, but it was the most central and easily accessible location.
Your first meeting with the company could be with one director or the chief executive officer. It will likely be with a group from the company’s Nominating and Governance (N&G) Committee. We have previously written about how to ace a search committee interview; however, there are some twists for the N&G Committee interview, which I discuss in in the following points
2. The basics. Before you don your best suit or dressiest office attire, ask the search firm what the committee will be wearing. You will want to dress accordingly. Some candidates have gone to interviews in their most conservative suit only to find the N&G Committee dressed in khakis and golf shirts. On the other hand, one particularly self-assured candidate wore jeans to the interview and the board members all wore suits. You don’t want to draw attention for over or under dressing. Always ask and match your attire to those with whom you meet.
3. Preparation. In addition to reading the company’s financial documents, analyst reports and regulatory filings, it is critical that you connect with the company’s “product.” Visit the stores, eat the food, etc. Who are you meeting with? What is their tenure on the board? Take a step back and look at the board as a whole. Is it a long-tenured board? Is there frequent turnover? What apparent strengths does each member bring to the board? What are the company’s long-term plans? Where could you add value? Time spent reading the MD&A and Management sections in the company’s 10-K, about the directors in its proxy statement, and the responsibilities of directors in the bylaws will be invaluable.
4. Striking the right tone. As we have said, interviewing for a board position is different from interviewing for an executive role at a company. You do not need to discuss each position you have held throughout your career in granular detail, but give an overview of how you have increased earnings, introduced new products, restructured a company, led global expansions, etc. — how you have added value to the enterprise.
5. Use your time wisely. Assume you will be asked for a five-minute summary of your background. Avoid getting into the weeds. Highlight the strengths you bring to this board seat. For example, if a board is interested in you because of your turnaround experience, spend proportionately more time discussing that than your experience taking companies public. If this would be your first board role, highlight your interaction with the boards of companies with whom you have worked.
6. Interviewing with a Nominating & Governance Committee. The primary mistake many candidates make is not giving concise answers. It is also essential to make eye contact with each committee member when answering a question. Not only does it make everyone feel included, but it allows you to assess body language to see if you are talking too much or if there is a lack of interest in what you are saying. Don’t be afraid to say, “Please stop me if my answers are too long or if you want more detail.”
7. Giving feedback on the company. One possible question may be, “What is your opinion of our product, stores, strategy, or challenges?” Your answer will demonstrate how well you have done your homework. If there are weaknesses, you should point them out constructively and tactfully yet balance them with positives. You will be assessed on how well you can give constructive feedback without being abrasive. Conversely, some candidates make the mistake of being overly enthusiastic and gushing about a company and offering nothing but compliments. This can also be a disqualifier, as every company can improve in some area and board members must be able to offer balanced feedback.
8. Your reasons for being a candidate. We have addressed the issue of candidates understanding the role of a board member. But what should you not say? Your reasons for serving on a board should not be about you and what the position will add to your resume, career, or pocketbook. One board reported that a candidate wanted to retire in a couple of years and then fill his time with board positions, hoping this would be the first one. Instead, your motivation should be about how to add value and why the company has the product, challenges, or culture you identify with.
9. Ask questions. Your questions are as important as your answers. Ask questions demonstrating you understand the issues the board has faced or could in the future. Ask questions that will require answers by more than one board member and could potentially result in a deep discussion. Good candidates should demonstrate knowledge of the business, have critical thinking skills, and be collegial so that the committee leaves thinking, “I could see her on the board. She seems like a good fit.”
Final thoughts
Remember that the interview is on a two-way street. Regardless of how much you covet that first board seat, the time commitment is too expensive if you feel uncomfortable with or align with the other board members.
The Alexander Group, a leading financial executive search firm, recently completed a successful placement for Lisinski Law. This effort highlights our expertise in sourcing top legal talent and matching it with leadership needs within law firms.
Key Points:
Jill Yutzy Coen has joined Lisinski Law as the newly created Vice President of Legal Operations. Ms. Coen is an experienced operational leader with a core skill set that includes regulatory expertise, compliance, risk management, litigation, and reporting. Before joining Lisinski, Ms. Coen was the Executive Director of Regulatory Operations at JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Learn more about Ms. Coen here.
The Alexander Group’s expertise as a financial executive search firm has allowed us to understand the complexities of placing top-tier financial talent in leading roles. The Alexander Group worked closely with Lisinski Law to identify key competencies required for executive recruitment for a financial role. This ensured that Jill Yutzy Coen was an ideal fit for their firm’s strategic needs.
“Jill’s experience as a practicing attorney and an operations leader made her an ideal candidate for this role. As the assignment progressed, it became clear that there was a strong alignment in philosophy between Jill and the team at Lisinski, and we look forward to seeing the impact that Jill can have now that she has joined Angel and her team at Lisinski Law,” said Jonathan Verlander, Managing Director, The Alexander Group.
Established in the fall of 2020, Lisinski Law is a swiftly expanding immigration law firm that has already served over 15,000 clients and built a strong record of success in handling complex immigration cases. The firm’s dedicated attorneys bring extensive trial and immigration expertise and impeccable reputations to clients nationwide—often representing those turned away by other firms.
With a team of 700 professionals, Lisinski Law primarily assists clients in securing legal status through humanitarian-focused immigration cases, such as T-Visas for victims of human trafficking, U-Visas for crime victims, and VAWA relief under the Violence Against Women Act for survivors of abuse or extreme cruelty.
As a top financial executive recruiter, The Alexander Group takes pride in delivering outstanding recruitment services that meet the specific needs of the legal industry. Our track record with Lisinski Law is a testament to our commitment to excellence in executive placement for law firms.
We are dedicated to cultivating enduring partnerships with our law firm clients. This relationship affords us a profound understanding of each firm’s distinct culture and requirements, enabling us to employ innovative strategies that transcend conventional legal boundaries in order to secure the most suitable candidates.
This search was conducted and completed by Managing Directors John Mann and Jonathan Verlander. Read more about our expertise as a financial executive search firm.
The Alexander Group, recognized as one of the top CEO executive search firms, presents “Five Questions With Outstanding Leaders,” our series where we interview visionary industry leaders. In this edition, we speak with Jonathan Horowitz, President of the Houston Hospitality Alliance, about key challenges, successes, and future opportunities within the hospitality sector.
Houston is a foodie city.
Full stop.
Houston offers every global cuisine, and diners are only too happy to explore and experience what the city is serving.
However, Houston’s hospitality and tourism are more than its vibrant dining scene.
Just ask Jonathan Horowitz, president of the Houston Hospitality Alliance.
Managing Director John Mann of The Alexander Group, one of the nations’s top CEO executive search firms, sat down with Horowitz to discuss the business of Houston’s hospitality and tourism industries–struggles, successes, and the future.
Horowitz’s deep experience within the hospitality industry and his background as an attorney and real estate agent made him the ideal hire for the high-profile president position. The HHA is an organization that strives to promote, connect, and energize Houston’s hospitality and tourism business and create industry success in Houston.
For more than 17 years, Horowitz developed, operated and led multiple marketing restaurant/bar concepts, including Legacy Restaurants (Original Ninfa’s on Navigation Tex-Mex restaurant and the Antone’s Famous Po’Boy sandwich concept) Lasco Enterprises, LLC (The Tasting Room Wine Cafe, MAX’s Wine Dive, Boiler House Texas Grill) Midway Hospitality Development and Convive Hospitality Consulting, a full-service hospitality consulting service. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Rice University and a JD from South Texas College of Law.
Mr. Horowitz was a corporate executive search firm’s ideal candidate, and since being named HHA president in October 2023, Mr. Horowitz has addressed Houston City Council members at City Hall, discussed the Houston Hospitality Alliance and its mission to promote, represent, and advocate for the entire hospitality industry in Houston, and led the HHA Business Forum.
Horowitz is an ardent community supporter of many organizations, eager to illuminate the city while growing the HHA.
“I am thrilled that Jonathan joined the Houston Hospitality Alliance as the new President, bringing with him over two decades of leadership and innovation in the hospitality industry, as well as a deep-rooted commitment to the Houston community,” said Mann.
JM: Let’s discuss opportunities and challenges concerning hospitality development within the Houston landscape.
JH: We currently are in the most challenging environment ever for the entire hospitality industry. Prior to the pandemic, things were in a pretty good place; however, the pandemic changed everything for the industry. There are a few areas where hospitality continues to struggle:
JM: Houston is a destination for new businesses and conventions. How do you take advantage of that momentum moving forward?
JH: It’s all about providing a complete and memorable experience. Consumers expect more and more now, so they have to be “wowed” once they’re here. Many people have preconceived notions of Houston and don’t realize how diverse, cosmopolitan, and exciting the city really is. Once they get here – for whatever reason (business, pleasure, a convention, the Med Center, etc.), they come away with a great appreciation for what Houston offers. The overall hospitality industry in Houston is extremely strong, and once people get here and experience it, there’s a good chance they’ll come back.
JM: The Greater Houston Partnership’s latest data reports that almost 11% of Houston’s employment is in the Leisure and Hospitality sectors. How do you grow that industry?
JH: It’s happening – see above. New places are opening every day, and companies from all over the country are coming here because they recognize the great opportunities here.
JM: How does your background as a hospitality business professional and an attorney support your role as HHA president?
JH: I am fortunate in that I’ve seen both sides of the industry – having been an owner and operator, I can understand and empathize with those who are running hospitality businesses in the city, and I’ve been involved in a restaurant trade association for nearly two decades. These perspectives help me on a daily basis to help guide the HHA. As for being an attorney, that helps me all the time – not only with work but with general life issues. It’s a great education and experience to have, and it gives me a better understanding of how to deal with people, contracts, and potential disputes.
JM: What are the next steps of growth for the HHA?
JH: We are focused on growing membership every day. Just this year, we’ve doubled the number of members and are not slowing down. We recognize that, in order to keep members engaged and to attract new ones, we need to provide great value. We have four primary value propositions as an association:
As one of the top CEO executive search firms, The Alexander Group continues to engage with and learn from industry leaders like Jonathan Horowitz. By fostering deep relationships and understanding the specific needs of each client, The Alexander Group remains committed to elevating the quality of executive talent acquisition across industries, ensuring visionary leadership for businesses poised for growth.
Learn more about their expertise and approach at The Alexander Group.
Leslie Diorio has joined Ice Miller LLP as Director of Legal Recruitment. Ms. Diorio is a dedicated recruiting executive skilled in management, strategy, talent assessment, training, and data analytics. Previously, Ms. Diorio was Vice President, Talent Recruiting at Axiom where she acquired more than 20 years of legal recruitment experience.
Learn more about Ms. Diorio here.
This search was conducted and completed by Managing Director John M. Mann and Associate Jonathan Daniels.
Patrick O’Connor has been named Chief Business Development & Marketing Officer for Holland & Knight LLP. Mr. O’Connor joins Holland & Knight from Big Four public accounting and consulting firm Ernst & Young LLP. He has more than 25 years of strategic and operational business development, marketing, and commercial leadership experience.
Learn more about Mr. O’Connor here.
Managing Directors John Lamar, Jean Lenzner, and William Lepiesza conducted and completed this search.
We’re excited to introduce “Five Questions With Outstanding Leaders,” our new interview series that highlights the success of our executive search firm. We’ll interview change-makers, visionaries, and thought leaders across all industries and sectors to examine how they achieve professional success that benefits their communities. Today, we’re highlighting our expertise in executive search for life sciences, including senior leadership hiring in life sciences for key roles in the biotech and pharma industry.
Beth Ehrgott, the Managing Director and Head of the Global Life Sciences Practice for the Alexander Group, a global executive search firm for life sciences and other sectors with offices in Houston, New York, San Francisco, Park City, San Diego, and Washington, D.C., conducted this interview.
She has performed an executive search for life sciences across various disciplines, including research and development, finance, corporate development, and technical operations. Her expertise extends to legal, corporate affairs, investor relations, IT, compliance, HR, and DEI. This breadth of experience makes her a trusted partner for life sciences leadership recruitment, ensuring that companies have the right leaders to drive innovation and growth. She has also worked with Fortune 500 companies and private equity and venture capital-backed clients in consumer goods, manufacturing, non-profits, retail, financial, and professional services.
Beth sits down with multi-hyphenate Luke Timmerman to discuss purpose-driven leadership, aligning resources with the mission, team dynamics, and more.
Earlier this year, I was privileged to join the National Advisory Board for Life Science Cares.
Life Science Cares provides a platform for life science companies and their employees to make a difference in eradicating poverty. It raises money to award grants to community nonprofits that implement research-based survival, education, and economic sustainability solutions, supercharging these grants with volunteer hours, donated goods, strategic support, and advocacy.
To date, Life Science Cares has awarded more than $9.5 million in grants and donated 30,000 volunteer hours to the communities of Boston, San Diego, New York, Philadelphia, and the Bay Area.
Within the Life Science Cares community, many heroes raise money and donate their time in a myriad of ways. Because there is magic in the telling and some who are waiting for philanthropic inspiration, I am delighted to highlight Luke Timmerman, an extremely inspirational member of the Life Science Cares community and fellow national advisory board member.
Luke is a biotech journalist, author, entrepreneur, founder of Timmerman Report, a leading biotech industry newsletter, and author of “Hood: Trailblazer of the Genomics Age,” a biography of automated DNA sequencing pioneer Leroy Hood. Luke was named one of the 100 most influential people in biotech in 2015 by Scientific American.
Since 2017, Luke’s Timmerman Traverse Mountain Climbing Campaigns have catalyzed the biotech community to give back more than $10 million to fight cancer, poverty, and sickle cell disease. During his most recent climb in the North Cascades of Washington State, he and a team of biotech executives and investors gained between 6,000 and 8,000 feet of elevation, covering 20 miles of land. The Timmerman Traverse team hit its goal of raising $1 million for Life Science Cares!
Luke graciously answered my five questions below:
1. When and how did the idea of climbing for charity come to you?
I started thinking about climbing for charity in the summer of 2017. I was at a point in my career when I established the Timmerman Report as a successful subscription-based publication for biotech industry professionals. Around the same time, I had gotten to a point in 15 years of mountaineering where I could seriously consider climbing Mt. Everest, the highest peak in the world. I thought that if I could push myself to climb Everest, that act would inspire the biotech community to give back to a charity that I care about.
2. How did you pick your first beneficiary?
The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center had a pre-existing partnership with Alpine Ascents International. That was the guide service I knew I would climb Everest with. The partnership made perfect sense. As a journalist, I knew Fred Hutch scientists and their excellent work. Cancer research was at a moment of great possibility. I thought the biotech community could rally behind the climb of Everest and this excellent beneficiary organization.
3. You have climbed Mount Everest, which is known to be extremely difficult and demanding, and imagine it requires significant training to be in proper shape to take this on. Are there long-term physical effects from the effort?
I had some cold sensitivity in my feet for a while afterward but no long-term physical effects. The experience was more important mentally. I came away believing I was capable of much more than I had ever previously thought possible. The sky was the limit.
4. What are the most important qualities to have in team members when making such challenging climbs?
Missionary drive. The people who are most successful on these campaigns are willing to put in the hard work it takes to be successful. That comes from a passionate belief in the cause, the feeling that what they are doing is worthwhile service for others.
5. For others reading this who want to make a difference, what advice would you give them?
Find something you care about passionately in your bones. Think about what it is you have to offer in [terms of] skills and attributes that might contribute toward that cause. With so much instability in our world, it is important to reflect on the goodness of those trying to have an impact.
Luke, thank you for your time, inspiring leadership, and contagious efforts to support Life Science Cares!
The Alexander Group is a leading executive search firm for life sciences, specializing in C-level talent acquisition. With over 40 years of experience as a biotech and pharma executive search agency, we prioritize building strong relationships and understanding your unique needs to align talent with your organizational culture.
Our executive search consultants for life sciences provide C-suite recruitment, advisory support, and consulting. We are committed to diversity, ensuring leadership teams with broad perspectives to drive success. Beyond placements, we assist with board composition, management assessments, and succession planning, making us a comprehensive senior executive recruiting firm for your needs.
For more information about our C-level executive search firm, visit our website.
Ryan Kovach has joined PilotLegis as Assistant Executive Director. Mr. Kovach is a seasoned leader focusing on compliance, auditing, contract negotiation, policy development, information security and training.
Learn more about Mr. Kovach here.
Amanda K. Brady, Managing Director/Chief Client Officer, conducted and completed this search.
The Alexander Group provides insights on corporate board recruitment and how to attain a board seat. This guide will help executives take strategic steps to secure a board position, drawing on expertise from our experience in executive search and corporate governance.
One of the most frequently asked questions we get about C-level board recruitment is, “How do I get on a corporate board if I’m not already on a board?” The hardest board will be your first board.
Here is what you need to know.
A board seat is usually not a position for which you apply. It is much more like a sorority, fraternity, or even a posh club: Candidacy is by invitation only. While visiting and making contacts with search firms is helpful, it should not be your only strategy. Search firms fill only a relatively small percentage of board seats, though this number is increasing due to the need for highly specialized talents and a commitment to greater diversity.
Because someone can work and still serve on a board, it’s relatively easy for board members to recruit friends, former colleagues, or executives with whom they’ve done business. A search firm may not be as helpful to you in seeking a board position as it would be if you were looking for a C-suite role simply because board searches are not put out to search nearly as often as executive positions are.
Secondly, board positions do not have as much turnover as C-suite roles. The average tenure for directors in the larger companies of the S&P 500 Index and the broader Russell 3000 index is nearly ten years.
Lastly, it is expensive. Search firms charge anywhere from $70,000 to $200,000 to complete board searches. Many Boards inquire about their network before retaining executive board search services.
What value could you bring to a board? Determine the industry and type of company where your background would be an asset. Would you meet the requirements to serve on a company’s Audit Committee? Do you have a background in a sought-after functional area, such as compliance, data security, or executive compensation? Are you a diversity candidate? There are many functional areas or qualifications that boards seek to ensure they have a well-rounded board.
Prepare an “elevator” speech that you will use to introduce your candidacy to executive board search services and sources of referrals for board positions that articulate what you have to offer. You will also need a different resume highlighting your value to a board, your ability to represent shareholders and interactions with your own or other boards.
What would someone learn about you if they Googled your name? Does your resume reinforce the assets you would bring to a board? (Define your strengths; see number 2 above). Who are you, and how have you established yourself? What is your reputation? What enterprise challenges have you faced and successfully navigated?
It is not enough that you are good at what you do. Being selected for a board requires both an internal and external effort. This requirement is especially important if you are not currently working. One of the fastest ways to disqualify yourself from a board is not to be “current.” Today, board members must be up to date with changes in business and technology. To this end, it is critical to become versed in social media. Have a LinkedIn profile complete with a picture. Have an account with—and understand how to use—Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok (even if you don’t use it). Submit articles, blogs, or comments to industry association websites and publications. Engage in online dialog with your peers on social media. Publish an article on LinkedIn that delves into your area of expertise.
Landing a board seat is both a numbers game and a contacts game. Let your investment banking, law, bank, public accounting, and consulting firm contacts know of your interest in being on a board and the value you would bring. Use LinkedIn to identify board members of companies whom you can contact. Note if any of the directors are close to retirement. Many individuals have found board positions by contacting venture capital firms. In addition to search firms, check out top registries such as the National Association of Corporate Directors, Catalyst (for women), and various universities that have board training programs. Stanford, Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, and Dartmouth offer corporate governance programs.
Be willing to start small. Are there any not-for-profits for which you have a passion? If so, volunteer to be on their board, even locally. Are there small companies that are looking for a volunteer board? What about your church, child’s school, or trade association? Once you’re on an organization’s board, fellow board members are often senior executives from public companies with whom you can network. It may take two or three not-for-profit boards before you can join a for-profit board. We know several executives who got their start on public boards by working with emerging growth companies and rode with those companies as they went from a garage operation to a Fortune 1000 company.
Most executives agree that it is harder to land their first board position than actually to serve on a board. Look at your contacts and networking as investing in one board and future Board positions. Not surprisingly, most search firms who conduct board searches look first to those already serving on public boards.
Remember, landing a board seat takes dedication, strategic positioning, and consistent networking efforts. When you understand the intricacies of corporate board recruitment, refining your personal brand, and making yourself visible within relevant circles, you will increase your chances of attaining that coveted position. Remember, the journey to your first board seat is often the hardest, but the relationships you foster and the expertise you build along the way are invaluable assets.
The Alexander Group remains committed to guiding ambitious executives through every step of corporate board recruitment, leveraging our experience to ensure that leaders find roles where they can truly make an impact.
Additional resources:
The Executive Leadership Council: Helps provide opportunities for African American executives.The Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility: Serves as a resource for Hispanic executives vying for board service.
It has been a busy, exciting and productive spring and summer for The Alexander Group.
We celebrated the firm’s 40th anniversary, welcoming clients, friends, and family to The Podium at Porsche River Oaks in Houston. We’ve also welcomed industry-leading experts to The Alexander Group, expanded our reach with new locations and continued to identify world-class talent for our clients.
Tap here to read our Summer 2024 Newsletter here.
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