Korn Ferry timing - when were they hired?

Submitted by Wendyk5 on

Just checked out Twitter this morning, and every sports outlet I follow is reporting that we hired Korn Ferry to help in the coaching search. Didn't we already do that? Why is it being reported today? If we did just hire them, is there any significance to the timing? 

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willywill9

December 12th, 2014 at 11:16 AM ^

Unsurpassed expertise in sports leadership and organizational performance.

Having pioneered senior level search and organizational assessment in the world of sports, Jed Hughes leads Korn Ferry’s Sports practice as vice chair. His high profile placements include New York Jets GM John Idzik and President Neil Glat; Mark Murphy, CEO of the Green Bay Packers; Larry Scott, Commissioner of the Pac-12; Bob Bowlsby, Commissioner of the Big 12; Dave Brandon and Brady Hoke, the athletic director and the head coach, respectively, of the Michigan Wolverines; USC head basketball coach Andy Enfield; and Chris McGowan, president and CEO of the Portland Trail Blazers. Jed has conducted searches for the USOC, LPGA, PGA of America, Seattle Seahawks, Arsenal Football Club, Liverpool Football Club, Ohio State, ATP Tour, and WTA, among others.

 

http://www.kornferry.com/expertise/roles-and-specialities/sports

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oriental andrew

December 12th, 2014 at 12:08 PM ^

Executive search firms will find and vet candidates, maybe make recommendations depending on the scope of what they're contracted to do, but at the end of the day, the decision belonged to Dave Brandon. And I would say that it was a high profile placement, whether or not it panned out. 

Andy Enfield is a pretty interesting one on the list, as he made the leap from FGCU after their amazing NCAA tournament run to USC.

And search firms have lawfirm like names, like Heidrick & Struggles, Robert Half Associates, Odgers Berntson, etc.

Joined: 06/30/2008

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FreddieMercuryHayes

December 12th, 2014 at 10:44 AM ^

These firms hire nobody.  They contact people through back channels, do background checks, gauge interest, compile it all together and drop it on whoever hired them's desk.  Then that person says, "I like this one", the firm can act as a go between and such as well.  Mary Sue Coleman is the one soley responsible for Brandon's hire, not the search firm.

Joined: 12/29/2010

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814 East U

December 12th, 2014 at 10:36 AM ^

I know the search firm doesn't do the hiring but haven't they already proven their worth in even just recommending Brandon and Hoke? I like the idea of the search firm but the idea of Korn Ferry again...not so much.

Joined: 10/24/2012

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MGoNOLA

December 12th, 2014 at 11:10 AM ^

As Brian has said... they go far and wide to put together a pool of interested folks. Why would you not throw David Brandon in there?

Think back to when he was hired.... Michigan was undertaking some massive construction projects - Dominos was undergoing a pretty successful turn around - and here was a guy who was super psyched about Michigan. Of course he would be in the pool.

It is on Michigan for hiring him. 

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814 East U

December 12th, 2014 at 11:23 AM ^

While I don't disagree with your comments per se I would counter and bring up that if Schiano is psyched about M and has won at a place like Rutgers then he should be on the list here. I disagree that Schiano should even be considered while others could and will argue he maybe should be. Just my perspective. If we hired DB because of renovations then we deserve what we got. Couldn't they have hired an AD with AD experience and renovation consultants?

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LSA Aught One

December 12th, 2014 at 10:42 AM ^

Obvious smokescreen is obvious.

$250k to keep the public from knowing that Jim Harbaugh has broken ground on his new mansion along the banks of the Huron?  Money well spent.

Next, I expect to see a press conference from Hackett where he says that there are just too many candidates from which to choose. Meanwhile, Harbaugh will be choosing between reclaimed woods for his new home office/trophy room. 

Two weeks from today, Hackett will hold another press conference to complain about Angelo's not being open the week after Christmas.  He will look confused and disheveled.  Jim will be somewhere in South Dakota with his wife and kids in the family truckster en route to Ann Arbor via Green Bay (you can't pass on fresh cheese curds). 

By New Years Eve, we will rest comfortably knowing that we have a new coach.

 

I read between the lines.

 

Joined: 08/24/2011

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Everyone Murders

December 12th, 2014 at 11:15 AM ^

Good search firms are all about having good connections, and controlling information.  You have to have the trust of both the potential targets and your client.  It is a good gig, but a superior search firm can open and close all the right doors.

They also can gather information as to what it might take to secure a coach, so you can determine if you are in the "zone of yes" - i.e., whether the University's top line is over the coach's bottom line.  In short, there's a lot more to it than meets the eye.  They are still very well paid for what they do, but they also provide value by virtue of being a knowledgeable intermediary.

Joined: 12/14/2010

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charblue.

December 12th, 2014 at 11:17 AM ^

and like the idea of placing people in jobs that you think might fit their qualifications. Mostly, it's just about selling and good research on the marketplace you're working in. Not too different from working as a real estate broker or talent agent. Same basic skillset with an emphasis on being good at selling.

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MGoVictory

December 12th, 2014 at 10:40 AM ^

I would guess this is the search firm that Michigan hired from the outset. Why the name of the search firm is being revealed now is beyond me. However, in an article from December 4th, "Hackett...said he has a timeline in mind that he chooses not to share publicly and will utilize a search firm to assist in the process. Hackett said he will reveal the name of the search firm at some point." I guess we are now at the point that Hacket has revealed the name.

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Blue Mike

December 12th, 2014 at 11:07 AM ^

More likely, they hired hired from the onset, but Michigan held off on announcing it to allow them some time to work without having to deal with it being public.  Being a public university, the name was going to get out eventually, so Michigan made it public when they were comfortable with it being public, for whatever reason.

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