Summit Search Solutions is a boutique executive search firm serving the unique needs of the higher education and nonprofit sectors. With specialized experience since 2001, our search consultants have partnered with hundreds of institutions and organizations nationwide to identify and recruit top talent.
Quick Facts
✓ Incorporated in 2009, with education sector experience since 2001.
✓ Offices in California, Colorado, Kansas, Maryland, New York, North Carolina, and Texas.
✓ Clients include top-tier research universities, foundations, public colleges and universities, independent colleges, associations, membership organizations, and school districts.
✓Perform 60-75 successful searches annually.
✓Summit’s growth since 2009 has been 100% organic, based on repeat business and client referrals. 93% of our search work is from repeat clients.
✓Extensive database plus fresh primary research conducted for each search.
✓ WBENC – Nationally Certified Women’s Business Enterprise.
✓ High value placed on collaboration, forthrightness, transparency, and 110% effort!
Philosophy
Founder Carrie Coward, a seasoned executive search professional, established Summit’s distinctive approach that combines Passion, Process, and Precision to achieve extraordinary outcomes for our clients. Our passion is evident in the ways we interact with customers and candidates, providing unparalleled service and building meaningful, collaborative, long-term relationships. We harness that passion by following a proven process that includes developing and implementing thoughtful and tailored recruitment strategies for each unique search. And, in all we do, we focus on meeting each client’s objectives with great precision—a standard that has fueled a returning-client rate of more than 90%.
At Summit, we believe that strong leadership emerges from a breadth of perspectives, experiences, and ideas. Our search process is designed to reach beyond the expected, identifying individuals whose talents, potential, and insights can shape the future of higher education. We take a thoughtful, rigorous, research-driven approach to ensure that institutions have access to the most qualified and dynamic candidates. Our principles and practices are centered around these tenets:
- Expanding Opportunity: We help institutions identify exceptional leaders from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences, ensuring they have access to the full spectrum of available talent.
- Fair and Thoughtful Search: Our approach prioritizes fairness, ensuring that every qualified candidate is given meaningful consideration.
- Comprehensive Outreach: We go beyond traditional networks to connect with outstanding individuals whose perspectives and experiences enrich institutional leadership.
- Holistic Evaluation: We assess candidates based on their achievements, perspectives, and potential to drive meaningful impact in higher education.
Our clients include: Clemson University, University of Arizona, University of Utah, University of Georgia, University of Pittsburgh, Portland State University, Ball State University, University of Wyoming, Idaho State University, Chicago State College, Oregon Health & Science University, National Louis University, Lewis & Clark College, Reed College, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Skidmore College, Roger Williams University, EDUCAUSE, WICHE,…and more.
As a company, we have joined with the Association of Executive Search and Leadership Consultants (AESC).
Summit Search Solutions is proud to be a prominent executive search firm named in Hunt Scanlon’s Top 50 for Higher Education search and Top 65 for Non-Profit search.
Learn Why Clients Choose Summit >>