Parker Executive Search to assist in UNO chancellor search

University of Nebraska President Hank Bounds said today that he has selected Parker Executive Search to assist in the national search for the next chancellor of the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Current Chancellor John Christensen has announced his plans to step down after a decade of leadership at UNO.

Bounds chose Parker Executive Search following a competitive process that included written proposals from reputable search firms that responded to a letter of inquiry from the university. Bounds reviewed the submissions and conducted telephone interviews before making his final selection.

“President Laurie Wilder and her team at Parker Executive Search have conducted many successful searches for senior leaders in higher education,” Bounds said. “They are well known and well connected, and they are eager to work closely with UNO stakeholders throughout this critical process. I’m confident that Parker will be a great asset in helping us find the right person who can lead UNO into the future.”

Based in Atlanta, Parker Executive Search has conducted more than 500 higher education searches for president, chancellor, vice president, provost, dean, chair and director positions. The firm also has significant experience in leadership searches in academic health sciences and healthcare, business and athletics.

Parker Executive Search will work with the 15-member UNO chancellor search advisory committee named last week by Bounds to identify, recruit, assess and recommend a rich and diverse pool of candidates. Together with the search committee, Parker also will develop a chancellor position profile to be used to help attract potential candidates. Development of the position profile will be informed by stakeholder input shared during Tuesday’s listening sessions at UNO, which attracted hundreds of faculty, staff, students and community members.

Ultimately, Bounds will name a priority candidate who will be subject to a public vetting period prior to the Board of Regents’ consideration of his or her appointment.

Parker Executive Search is charging the university a set fee of $95,000 for the search, plus direct expenses such as travel for the search consultants and teleconference calls with the search committee.