The Board of Trustees decided upon a search firm that will help to find the next USF president. Judy Genshaft’s successor will take office July 1, 2019. Martha Rhine | The Crow’s Nest
By Anna Bryson
The consultant firm that will assist in recruiting USF President Judy Genshaft’s successor was approved by the Board of Trustees in a meeting Friday.
Search Committee Chair Les Muma and Vice Chair Rhea Law reviewed four proposals from Executive Search Firms. At the BOT meeting, Muma proposed Greenwood/Asher & Associates Inc. as the national search firm that will assist in recruiting presidential candidates.
All BOT members agreed with the proposal.
Greenwood/Asher & Associates Inc. has conducted the last three presidential searches for the University of Florida and Florida International University, so the firm is familiar with the state of Florida’s search process. The firm has also conducted presidential searches at University of Arizona, Ohio State University, University of Arkansas and University of Kentucky, among others.
BOT Chair Brian Lamb and Trustee John Ramil interviewed Greenwood and agreed with the decision to hire the search firm. The other consultant firms considered were Korn Ferry, Parker Executive Search and Storbeck Pimentel.
“We wanted a firm that had a great track record and a passion for diversity and inclusion in the search process and they certainly have that,” Muma said.
Muma was selected as the chair of the presidential search committee by Lamb after Genshaft announced her retirement Sept. 1.
Muma is the largest donor in USF history and has given over $56 million to USF. A 1966 graduate of USF, he is the retired chairman and CEO of a financial industry automation products and services company he co-founded in 1984.
In recent years, he and his wife, Pam — who live in Pinellas County — have become the university system’s largest largest individual donors. Both the College of Business and basketball practice center are named for them.
The new president will take office July 1, 2019. Consolidation of the three USF campuses is anticipated to be complete by 2020.
“I think it’s important to include the leadership from the campuses,” Lamb said. “I’m sure it’s a very emotional time in the meantime to think about change. As we go through that, it’s important to pause and make sure we’re … giving people a chance to share their perspective.”
