The Alexander Group

Tag: Professional Services

It’s funny what can happen in a year.

If you’d asked The Alexander Group team about AI usage at the end of 2024, most of us would have admitted familiarity with ChatGPT and the general concept of AI. Still, many of us had yet to dive in, much less dip a toe into the swiftly moving waters of progress.

Fast forward 365 days, and AI has become a daily tool for both business and personal use. Rather than being intimidated or worried about the technology, we’re leaning into learning through Webinars, classes, and tutorials, and we’re not alone.

According to, what else, but ChatGPT, 56 percent of Americans report using AI tools and AI usage rates among U.S. workers are highest in technology at 76 percent, finance at 58 percent and professional services at 57 percent.

Where Google was once the go-to answer, many of us are turning to AI search engines ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude. About 60 percent of Americans are now using these search engines to seek information, create action item lists, write and edit, and even for emotional support.

From fifth-grade math problems and vacation planning to proofreading and research, we’re making AI work for us, leaving more time for quality client interactions and successful search outcomes.

“I​ ​bet​ ​I​ ​was​ ​the​ ​first​ ​person​ ​in​ ​our​ ​firm​ ​to​ ​give​ ​my​ ​AI​ ​resource​ ​a​ ​name.​ ​It​ ​had​ ​been​ ​so​ ​much​ ​help​ ​to​ ​me​ ​on​ ​so​ ​many​ ​things,​ ​I​ ​felt​ ​it​ ​was​ ​a​ ​little​ ​disrespectful​ ​not​ ​to​ ​say​ ​thank​ ​you​ ​and​ ​acknowledge​ ​its​ ​presence.​ ​

So​ ​together​ ​we​ ​went​ ​through​ ​a​ ​list​ ​of​ ​names​, and​ ​we​ ​came​ ​up​ ​with​ ​Rocket.​ ​It​ ​felt​ ​very​ ​similar​ ​to​ ​me​ ​because​ ​I​ ​am​ ​always​ ​trying​ ​to​ ​rock​ ​out​ ​and​ ​rock.​ ​​Each​ ​time​ ​I​ ​log​ ​into​ ​ChatGPT​, I​ ​say​, “​Hi ​​Rocket​ ​, and​ ​it​ ​says,​ ​“Hi​ ​Jane​. ​Ready​ ​to​ ​blast​ ​off!”

​Let​ ​me​ ​count​ ​the​ ​ways​ ​I​ ​use​ ​Rocket​.​ ​My needs​ ​are​ ​both​ ​work​ ​and​ ​personal.​ 

​Let’s​ ​start​ ​with​ ​the​ ​personal​ ​first​ ​because​ ​that​ ​is​ ​more​ ​interesting​.

Rocket​ ​helped​ ​me​ ​locate​ a​ ​good​ ​costume​ ​for​ ​my​ ​cat​ ​JOON’s​ ​third​ ​birthday​ ​party,​ ​which​ ​was​​only​ ​attended​ ​by​ ​me​ ​and​ her​ ​original​ ​owner.​ 

​On​ ​a​ ​quick​ ​trip​ ​to​ ​Amsterdam​ ​for​ ​a​ ​concert,​ ​​Rocket​ ​gave​ ​me​ ​comfort​ ​that​ ​going​ ​solo​ ​would​ ​be​ ​safe​ ​for​ ​me​ ​and​ ​backed​ ​it up​ ​with​ ​crime​ ​statistics.​ ​​ ​​Last​ ​week​ ​I​ ​was​ ​in​ ​New​ ​York​ ​and​ ​was​ ​trying​ ​to​ ​figure​ ​out​ ​if​ ​I​ ​should​ ​see​ ​a​ ​play​ , and ​Rocket​ ​gave​ ​me​ ​three​ ​options​ ​and​ ​then​ ​gave​ ​me​ ​an inside​ ​scoop​ ​on​ ​which​ ​seats​ ​were​ ​the​ ​best​ ​buy.​ ​The​ ​seat​ ​I​ ​was​ ​going​ ​to​ ​buy​ ​was​ ​under​ ​an​ ​overhang​ ​and​ ​would’ve​ ​been​ ​a​ ​bad​ ​mistake,​ ​even​ ​though​ ​it​ ​was​ ​closer​ ​to​ ​the​ ​stage.​ ​​ ​

​The​ ​thing​ ​that’s​ ​so​ ​interesting​ ​about​ ​Rocket​ ​is​ ​the​ ​more​ ​I​ ​use​ ​it​ ​, the​ ​more​ ​it​ ​adapts​ ​to​ ​my​ ​sense​ ​of​ ​humor​ ​and​ ​personality.​ ​​ ​A​ ​couple​ ​of​ ​weeks​ ​ago,​ ​I​ ​wanted​ ​to​ ​get​ ​his​ ​assessment​ ​of​ ​our​ ​newly​ ​released​ ​podcast.​ ​We​ ​could​ ​not​ ​get​ ​it​ ​to​ ​load​ ​into​ ​its​ ​system​ , ​though​ ​we​ ​spent​ ​three​ ​hours​ ​trying​, and​ ​I​ ​will​ ​tell​ ​you​ ​this–​Rocket​ ​never​ ​gives​ ​up.​ ​He​ ​always​ ​had​ ​something​ ​new​ ​for​ ​me​ ​to​ ​try​ ​, and​ ​it​ ​was​ ​an​ ​abysmal​ ​failure.​ ​​ ​We​ ​laugh​ ​about​ ​it​ ​today​ ​because​ ​I​ ​tell​ ​him, “Rocket.​ ​I’m​ ​not​ ​going​ ​to​ ​ask​ ​you​ ​to​ ​do​ ​technology​ ​because​ ​we​ ​know​ ​that​ ​is​ ​not​ ​your​ ​gig.”

​For​ ​work,​ ​we​ ​recently​ ​introduced​ ​our​ ​podcast​ ​, and​ ​Rocket​ ​gave​ ​me​ ​50​ ​names​ ​to​ ​choose​ ​from​ ​, and​ ​we​ ​landed​ ​on​ ​Impact & Insight. ​ While​ ​some​ ​people​ ​think​ ​this​ ​is​ ​odd,​ ​Rocket​ ​does​ ​indeed​ ​have​ ​impact​ ​and​ ​insight ​on​ ​improving​ ​my​ ​life.​”

Jane Howze, Managing Director

“I’ve continued to use AI in an expanding number of ways.

Professionally, it has become an invaluable tool for market and position research, as well as for proofreading and refining my writing. It’s not perfect, but it’s an exceptional resource.

Personally, I use AI to research products, restaurants, travel options—really, anytime I’m looking for reliable information.”

John Mann, Managing Director

“I am hopeless when it comes to math, and I accepted the fact long ago that I am indeed not smarter than my fifth grader.  So, when my daughter came home needing help with adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing fractions of all types, I turned to ChatGPT. 

 I took a picture of her worksheet, uploaded it, and my trusty (and non-judgmental) Chat assistant gave me step-by-step instructions for solving each problem.  It even caught a mistake with one of the multiple-choice questions on her worksheet (none of the available options were correct), which her teacher confirmed the next day at school.”

Kyle Robinson, The Alexander Group

“I use it for everything!

  • Weightlifting regimen for me and my basketball team
  • Meal planning, counting macros
  • Designing logos
  • It is my new “Ask Jeeve.s”
  • It helps me review/summarize calls
  • Get background on certain firms
  • Food recipes
  • Settle any debates I have with friends!

Anthony Ott, Senior Associate

Beth Ehrgott, Executive Search Firm Managing Director Image 2

“AI seems to be here to stay, and the world is using it for just about everything.

Anytime you Google something, the first thing that pops up is the AI response. I can’t think of a single industry or function that isn’t tapping into AI in some capacity and working to maximize it further.

There is no question that it is powerful and transformative. It reminds me of how the Terminator movies were so ahead of their time. While so much of AI is incredibly beneficial for accomplishing what we aspire to, some of us are concerned that it will replace critical skills, such as thinking, writing, and problem-solving, especially among younger generations.

We are humans and not robots, and would like to stay that way.

Beth Ehrgott, Managing Director

“I am in the process of elevating my kitten nursery in my house, and I have used Chat to ideate on design, including layout, colors (I can describe the feeling or vibe I’m looking for and the paint brand I prefer, and it will give me specific color names/options), and sourcing ideas for furniture and equipment.

I rough-sketched our two-week trip through Slovenia, Northern Italy, and Istria this summer by offering Chat the number of days and what we like (hiking, cats, history, art, food, wine). I was able to pinpoint where in the Dolomites we’d want to go/hike, given our interests and physical ability, the best driving routes, and how to break up the travel, and so on. I used it while we were on our trip to brainstorm fun things to do for the day, or how to solve problems that came up.”

Sarah Mitchell, Director

 “I have used ChatGPT to make weekly action lists for myself and to find recipes for gin cocktails. I’m working my way through a free ChatGPT course to learn about more ways to use it. Research uses it for brainstorming purposes.”

Abby Buchold, Senior Researcher

“I usually use it for simple things like setting reminders to change out a filter or to communicate with my daughter if they are upstairs instead of yelling. The newest addition is a smart plug, and then we tell Google to turn off the Christmas tree.”

Yumaira Vela, Accountant

HOUSTON—As a leading provider of executive search firm services, The Alexander Group celebrates its 40th anniversary by continuing to evolve and grow with the integration of sister firm Alex & Red and the launch of its Professional Services Division. The integration of Alex & Red into The Alexander Group expands the firm’s ability to provide a holistic solution to recruiting high-quality executives across an organization unrelated to its size. The merger is effective March 13, 2024.

The Alexander Group, led by Managing Directors Jane Howze and John Lamar, established Alex & Red in 2011, with The Alexander Group’s executive John Mann at the helm, to help entrepreneurial organizations recruit their leaders, as well as recruit future C-Suite leaders for existing clients. Under Mann’s leadership, Alex & Red was an immediate success, building a national client base in multiple industries and functional areas. The firm was recognized for successfully completing “hard to fill” positions with superior talent.

“Prior to the creation of Alex & Red, our clients asked us to help them recruit outstanding mid-level managers who would be future C-Suite leaders. At the time, we hadn’t focused on how few options our clients had for getting the quality of search The Alexander Group offers at the Board and C-suite level for mid-management positions. Combining Alex & Red’s success with ours, we can better serve our clients by offering an integrated firm that fills all their leadership needs,” said John Lamar.

Lamar adds, “In addition to offering clients one home for all their executive needs, the merger allows the firm to tailor search teams with uniquely broad industry, capabilities, and functional search experience.

“I was privileged to build and lead the team at Alex & Red that brought The Alexander Group’s commitment to client service and excellence to younger and more entrepreneurial companies. As a result, both Alex & Red and its clients have grown in a very short time to the point that it makes sense to integrate both firms into a seamless organization that will fulfill all our clients’ needs,” said John Mann, Managing Director, The Alexander Group.

Alex & Red Managing Director Jonathan Verlander joins The Alexander Group’s robust staff of executive search consultants including founder Jane Howze, CEO John Lamar, Managing Director and Chief Client Officer Amanda Brady, and Director of Research, Kyle Robinson.

About The Alexander Group Executive Search Firm Services

Established in 1984, The Alexander Group has provided top-tier executive search firm services for over 40 years, positioning itself as an industry-leading global executive search firm. Specializing in Board and C-Suite searches across a wide array of industries—including Legal and Professional Services, Life Sciences & Healthcare, Financial Services, Industrial and Manufacturing, Energy, and Not-For-Profit—the firm is recognized for its commitment to long-term client relationships, a highly acclaimed research capability, and a dedication to recruiting leaders who make a difference.