FaithSearch has earned a reputation for securing mission-minded leaders for faith-based hospitals and healthcare organizations since 2007.  Fry and members of the FaithSearch team have worked with an extensive client list, which includes some of the most prominent healthcare executives in the industry today. Recently, 10 of the firm’s clients were named among the nation’s top healthcare systems in a related study published by Thomson Reuters.

This year, clients of FaithSearch Partners and it’s team of consultants recognized by this year’s Top 100 Hospitals study included Baylor University Medical Center (Dallas, TX), Kettering Medical Center (Kettering, OH), Baptist Saint Anthony’s Health System (Amarillo, TX), Christus Saint Michael Health System (Texarkana, TX), Sycamore Medical Center (Miamisburg, OH) and Baylor Medical Center (Waxahachie, TX).

“We’re proud to see our clients included in this report,” said FaithSearch president, Ed Fry. “It is a great accomplishment for a hospital to be ranked among the top 100 in the nation, and it’s an honor to have worked with these outstanding faith-based organizations.”

To find out more about the study, visit http://www.100tophospitals.com or http://www.modernhealthcare.com

FaithSearch Partners is one of the nation’s leading retained executive search firms and is the only one of its kind focused exclusively on identifying and recruiting leaders for churches, parachurch organizations, as well as faith-based hospitals and healthcare systems. Combined, consultants at FaithSearch Partners have successfully managed more than 450 executive-level searches for numerous high-profile faith-based organizations across the country. Its website can be found at www.faithsearchpartners.com.

Ed Fry is the president of FaithSearch Partners, the leading national retained executive search firm focused on identifying and recruiting leaders for churches, parachurch organizations as well as faith-based hospitals and healthcare systems. Since 1990, Fry has successfully assisted faith-based organization boards and executive teams in securing mission-minded leaders. He served as Vice President/Partner of Witt/Kieffer and launched the faith-based practice at Russell Reynolds Associates.

Ed holds an MBA from Dallas Baptist University and serves as a board member for a variety of organizations and institutions including Southwestern Adventist University, Lifestyle Center for America, The Journey and Faith For Today. For more information, contact Fry at edfry@faithsearchpartners.com or visit the FaithSearch Partners website.

Ed Fry, president of FaithSearch Partners, has been named to the Faith For Today board.  Faith For Today is a television ministry committed to sharing God’s grace with the world through broadcast media.  The vision has remained the same since 1950, when Faith For Today launched its live inspirational television drama on ABC from New York City.

Now in its sixtieth year, Faith For Today is the oldest religious television broadcast in the world and the second longest running show in the nation period, behind only Meet The Press.  Faith For Today produces a family of programs including Lifestyle Magazine, The Evidence, Faith For Today and McDougall, MD and has expanded to include internet ministry, live seminars, a mobile device channel and community concert events. (Source: Faith For Today website.)

“I am delighted to join the Faith For Today team,” said Fry. “It is an honor and blessing to be a part of an organization dedicated to inspiring others through Christ’s love.”

Ed Fry is the president of FaithSearch Partners, the leading national retained executive search firm focused on identifying and recruiting leaders for churches, parachurch organizations as well as faith-based hospitals and healthcare systems.  Since 1990, Fry has successfully assisted faith-based organization boards and executive teams in securing mission-minded leaders.  He served as Vice President/Partner of Witt/Kieffer and launched the faith-based practice at Russell Reynolds Associates.  Ed holds an MBA from Dallas Baptist University and serves as board chair for a national faith-based wellness foundation.

FaithSearch Partners is one of the nation’s leading retained executive search firms and is the only one of its kind focused exclusively on identifying and recruiting leaders for churches, parachurch organizations as well as faith-based hospitals and healthcare systems.  Combined, consultants at FaithSearch Partners have successfully managed more than 450 executive-level searches for numerous high-profile faith-based organizations across the county.  Its website can be found at: www.faithsearchpartners.com.

“We are thrilled to have made the list again this year,” said Ed Fry, president of FaithSearch Partners. “Members of our healthcare team are industry experts with an outstanding level of knowledge, a high ability to attract qualified candidates and most notably a deep understanding of the overall missions of our faith-based clients. Our healthcare division is committed to providing clients with quality leaders who meet the needs of their organization both fiscally and spiritually.”

From small, independent hospitals to large academic medical centers to integrated healthcare systems, FaithSearch has served the complete spectrum of healthcare entities. Members of the FaithSearch healthcare team have been able to skillfully leverage knowledge of quality large-firm processes and industry insight with the personalized service of a smaller firm.

Combined, members of the FaithSearch healthcare team have more than 45 years of search experience and the firm’s healthcare division has completed a total of 125 searches.

• 1 – Number of faith-based executive search firms to make this year’s list of largest healthcare executive search firms in the nation
• 1.5 – Revenue earned by FaithSearch from healthcare-related fees last year, in millions
• 4 – Number of years FaithSearch Partners has been ranked among the nation’s largest healthcare executive search firms
• 15^th – Ranking of FaithSearch Partners among retained healthcare executive search firms as determined by revenue in 2011
• 32 – Number of senior-level placements completed by FaithSearch Partners in 2011

To purchase a copy of the report and to view a complete list of the 44 largest healthcare executive search firms, click here.

Modern Healthcare is the industry’s leading source of healthcare business and policy news, research and information.  The publication reports on important healthcare events and trends as they happen.  Data included in Modern Healthcare’s report of the 44 largest healthcare executive search firms is based on the total number of placements made for senior-level (senior vice president and above) healthcare executives in the United States during 2011.  (Source: www.modernhealthcare.com)

FaithSearch Partners is one of the nation’s leading retained executive search firms and is the only one of its kind focused exclusively on identifying and recruiting leaders for churches, parachurch organizations as well as faith-based hospitals and healthcare systems.  Combined, consultants at FaithSearch Partners have successfully managed more than 450 executive-level searches for numerous high-profile faith-based organizations across the county.  Its website can be found at www.faithsearchpartners.com.

We backup our computer memory onto external hard drives, we replace dead batteries in our fire alarms, we fill up our gas tanks before heading down a long stretch of deserted highway and we reference our planners before making plans.  The world is full of people obsessed with being prepared; there’s even a Meyers-Briggs Personality type (ISTJ) outlining the behaviors of the “Planner Inspector.”  So, why is it, with all of this planning going on in our daily lives, succession planning is so often forgotten?

Succession planning at the executive level is vital to the success of any healthcare organization, ministry or non-profit organization.  Selecting the most qualified candidate to fill a leadership position can take months in some cases.  Failure to have a succession plan in place can lead to crisis or ad hoc executive placement in the event of a sudden illness, termination or corporate restructuring.  And just as the old saying “a failure to plan is a plan to fail” warns, panicked decision-making may cause huge problems for the company, including loss of revenue, productivity and public trust.

Now more than ever there is a very real need to implement corporate succession plans.  In 2008 80 new CEOs were appointed at the 1,000 largest American companies (by revenue).  In 2009 two studies reported two-thirds of executive directors of nonprofits are expected to depart within five years and another predicted that 640,000 new nonprofit executives would be needed within the next 10 years.  Also in 2009, the turnover rate of hospital CEOs increased to 18 percent.  With the unstable economy coupled with the current and upcoming retirement of Baby Boomers from the workforce, it is clear succession planning has become more important than ever before.

Getting Started

Before drafting a succession plan, it is important to define who is responsible for its creation, maintenance and execution.  For healthcare or nonprofit organizations, the responsible party is most often the board of directors.  Ministries may rely on a committee of senior church leaders and occasionally seek input from the entire congregation.  Although including members in the process of succession planning may reflect some of the ministries’ core values of fellowship, this practice can often be detrimental to the overall goal.  While it is important to value the input of church members, it is also important for senior leaders to do just that – lead.

Once the committee or board has been assembled, the next step is to create a specific list of qualifications the successor must possess.  Essentially, this step involves writing a job description of the perfect candidate.  Planners should consider what skills the new leader should possess and what personality type will mesh best with current executives and other stakeholders (members of the congregation, employees, medical staff, etc.).

Planners should also evaluate the organization by examining its current state and where it’s headed in the future.  Will the organization be heavily integrating technology into its daily functions in the next five years?  Is there a need to garner more major national attention for fundraising efforts in the next year?  Has a plan already been set in motion to open campuses across the state in the next three years?  Consider what’s in store for the organization and what traits a leader must possess in order to achieve those goals.

It is wise to include the current leader in this phase, as they will be able to offer intimate insight regarding the skills and personality traits necessary to succeed in the position.  It is important to keep communication open and honest while working to create the ideal candidate profile in order to avoid tensions between the current leader and fellow succession planners.  A breakdown in communication may easily lead to tension among members if the current position-holder feels ousted or threatened.  Problems may also arise if committee members do not feel they may speak freely about said leader’s successes and failures.

Conducting the Search

According to a study published by Baruch College of New York, the chief executive is the single most critical factor underlying nonprofit effectiveness and a study done by Herman and Heimovics concluded, “chief executives occupy a place of psychological centrality” and “are assigned and accept responsibility for both successful and unsuccessful outcomes.”  Because of this, it is crucial that all options are explored before an executive position is filled.  This means looking for successors internally as well as externally and pursuing both avenues equally in order to ensure the best candidate is chosen.

Hiring internally is often viewed as the easier, safer route to succession.  Selecting an internal candidate allows organizations to train them for their future position based on company standards and expectations.  Internal successors may also have the opportunity to gain invaluable hands-on learning experience in the role of an apprentice, studying under the current leader.  In some instances, stakeholders of an organization are more receptive to internal succession and view external candidates as “outsiders.”

However, there are problems with internal succession. Typically an exaggerated importance is placed on seniority and company loyalty during an internal succession search.  This can be detrimental to the organization if a new-hire who fits the job description perfectly is overlooked for a promotion because a tenured employee is vying for the position.

It is the responsibility of those in leadership positions to select candidates who best meet the needs of the company.  This is not to say there is no possibility of hurt feelings or even resentment from employees who may feel slighted.  One way to avoid negative reactions is to clearly state position requirements to potential candidates.  It may be easier for an employee to accept not receiving a promotion if he or she is able to see the areas in which they are unqualified.

It is important to remember that promotions are earned, not owed.  Although it may be appealing to choose a loyal long-term employee in an effort to avoid in-office hostility or hurt feelings, selecting an under-qualified candidate will result in much greater problems for the company in the future.

External candidates must also be considered as part of a successful succession plan.  Exploring external options helps to ensure the best possible leader will be chosen.   External searches have the potential to breathe fresh life into an organization, as non-employees will bring thoughts, ideas and opinions about the organization from out outsiders’ point of view.  External candidates will perceive the organization differently than existing employees allowing them to address strengths and weaknesses possibly unseen by insider eyes.  They may also bring valuable skills and experiences to the table that compliment those lacked by existing leaders.

Hiring committees must resist hiring externally solely based on the thrill and excitement of something new.  There is no superhero candidate who will swoop in and solve all the organizations’ problems or appeal to everyone.  Consultant John Szold describes some of the negative effects an external candidate may have on an organization; “Outsiders…tend to paralyze an organization in the first 90 days of the job.  Employees become cautious and everyone’s feeling each other out.”  Conversely, there are some cases in which external candidates may be met with hostility or resentment from current employees and other stakeholders.  Some executives may find it in the organizations’ best interest to mentor an internal candidate and introduce him or her to the congregation or team while the existing leader is still in office in order to avoid a negative reaction as power is transferred.

It is the responsibility of existing leaders to consider these factors in order to select the right leader for the organization.

After the Search

Once the position has been filled, the succession plan should be evaluated and revised accordingly.  Were there any kinks in the original plan that can be smoothed out?  Were new research methods learned during the course of the search that should be implemented at the start next time?  Were there unnecessary steps taken in the search that can be skipped in the future?  Just because a succession plan has been put in place or even implemented, that does not mean it is set in stone.  Succession plans should be reviewed at least once a year and modified based on organizational changes as well as any modifications to the particular job functions or requirements.

Ed Fry is the president of FaithSearch Partners, the leading national retained executive search firm focused on identifying and recruiting leaders for churches, parachurch organizations as well as faith-based hospitals and healthcare systems.  Since 1990, Fry has successfully assisted faith-based organization boards and executive teams in securing mission-minded leaders.  He served as Vice President/Partner of Witt/Kieffer and launched the faith-based practice at Russell Reynolds Associates.  Ed holds an MBA from Dallas Baptist University and serves as board chair for a national faith-based wellness foundation.

For more information about succession planning or how FaithSearch Partners can assist you in an executive search for your next leader, contact Ed Fry at edfry@faithsearchpartners.com or visit www.faithsearchpartners.com.  For further reading, download our brochure, Leader Search Road Map: Five Steps to a Successful Search.

Members of FaithSearch Partners are dedicated to helping faith-based hospitals and ministries find the most talented leaders and are driven by a strong personal faith commitment to their clients’ mission of ministry.  A company policy based on the biblical principal of tithing has been in place since FaithSearch was founded in 2007.

After a search engagement has been successfully concluded, the company sets aside ten percent of its professional fees to tithe, or donate, to a ministry or foundation that is directly impacted by the client.

“This isn’t a marketing gimmick,” said Ed Fry, president of FaithSearch Partners.  “It’s who we are and what we believe God expects from us.”

FaithSearch has donated nearly $500,000 since 2007 in an effort to provide ministries and foundations with the funds they need to grow and serve their communities.  “We’re humbled by the confidence our clients have placed in us, allowing us to grow and give back to the organizations we serve.”

FaithSearch Partners one of the nation’s leading retained executive search firms and is the only one of its kind focused exclusively on identifying and recruiting leaders for churches, parachurch organizations, as well as faith-based hospitals and healthcare systems.  Combined, consultants at FaithSearch Partners have successfully managed more than 450 executive-level searches for numerous high-profile faith-based organizations across the country.  Its website can be found at www.faithsearchpartners.com.

“Good leadership is vital to building great health systems,” said Ed Fry, president of FaithSearch.  “Strong leadership is what separates the top health systems fro­­m those that didn’t make the list.”

FaithSearch has earned a reputation for securing mission-minded leaders for faith-based hospitals and healthcare organizations since 2007.  Fry and members of the FaithSearch team have worked with an extensive client list, which reads as who’s who of CEOs, CFOs and COOs among hospital leaders.

Members of the FaithSearch team have worked with many of the faith-based systems recognized by the study including Baylor HealthCare System in Dallas, Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System in Baton Rouge, Kettering Health Network in Ohio, Methodist Health System in Houston, Mercy Health Partners in Cincinnati, and Integris Health in Oklahoma City.

The FaithSearch philosophy is rooted in the belief that great leaders must be capable of performing in all areas including operational improvement, financial success and customer satisfaction.   “Hospital executives must have a strong personal commitment to the organization’s ultimate purpose, especially in a faith-based setting,” said Fry.  “This commitment should be evident in all professional and personal interactions with board members, colleagues, employees and customers.”

To Fry and the FaithSearch team it came as no surprise a large number of top health systems were faith-based.  Members of FaithSearch believe mission-oriented and financial leadership are not mutually exclusive, a theory proven by the number of faith-based clients recognized in this year’s report.

“It’s an enormous accomplishment for a health system to be rated and recognized by this report,” said Fry.  “I am proud of our clients and to be affiliated with these outstanding organizations.”

FaithSearch Partners is one of the nation’s leading retained executive search firms and is the only one of its kind focused exclusively on identifying and recruiting leaders for churches, parachurch organizations, as well as faith-based hospitals and healthcare systems.  Combined, consultants at FaithSearch Partners have successfully managed more than 450 executive-level searches for numerous high-profile faith-based organizations across the country.  Its website can be found at www.faithsearchpartners.com.

Ed Fry is the president of FaithSearch Partners, the leading national retained executive search firm focused on identifying and recruiting leaders for churches, parachurch organizations as well as faith-based hospitals and healthcare systems.  Since 1990, Fry has successfully assisted faith-based organization boards and executive teams in securing mission-minded leaders.  He served as Vice President/Partner of Witt/Kieffer and launched the faith-based practice at Russell Reynolds Associates.  Ed holds an MBA from Dallas Baptist University and serves as board chair for a national faith-based wellness foundation.  For more information, contact Fry at edfry@faithsearchpartners.com or visit www.faithsearchpartners.com

To find out more about the study, visit www.100tophospitals.com or www.modernhealthcare.com

Perez is a human resources veteran.  She served as Vice President of Human Resources at AstraZeneca, a leading global pharmaceuticals company, before accepting the same position at Adventist HealthCare.  Prior to that, Perez, the then-Chief Human Capital Officer of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security was appointed by President George W. Bush to oversee a merger of 22 federal functions/agencies into a single department.

Perez, who earned her M.S. in Organizational Development and Human Resources from Johns Hopkins University, has served on several boards, including the Human Resources People and Strategy.  She has been recognized for her work on numerous occasions.  She received the Theodore Roosevelt Award for Excellence in service delivery and was named one of the Top Elite Women in the United States by Hispanic Business Magazine.

FaithSearch Partners is pleased to have managed the search that led to Perez’s appointment as Vice President of Human Resources of Adventist HealthCare and congratulates her on her new position!

Adventist HealthCare, an integrated health-care delivery organization based in Rockville, MD,is one of the largest employers in the State of Maryland.  The mission of Adventist HealthCare is to demonstrate God’s care by improving the health of people and communities through a ministry of physical, mental and spiritual healing.  Adventist HealthCare includes Shady Grove Adventist Hospital, Washington Adventist Hospital, Adventist Behavioral Health, Adventist Rehabilitation Hospital of MD, Hackettstown Regional Medical Center, Adventist Home Care Services and the Reginald S. Lourie Center for Infants and Young Children.  (Source: www.adventisthealthcare.com)

FaithSearch Partners is one of the nation’s leading retained executive search firms and is the only one of its kind focused exclusively on identifying and recruiting leaders for churches, parachurch organizations, as well as faith-based hospitals and healthcare systems.  Combined, consultants at FaithSearch Partners have successfully managed more than 450 executive-level searches for numerous high-profile faith-based organizations across the country.  Its website can be found at www.faithsearchpartners.com.

It became clear there was a great need for a firm that specialized in leading quality executive searches for faith-based organizations.  It has been the calling of FaithSearch to fill that void by providing our faith-based clients with inspired leaders who meet the unique needs of their organizations.  Our vision of successfully blending personal values with professional expertise has become a reality and today, FaithSearch Partners is the leading retained executive search firm of its kind.

Through prayer and hard work, FaithSearch Partners has grown from a seed of an idea to a fruitful enterprise.  Over the past five years, we have assembled a team of 15 outstanding associates working in five locations across four states.  Our healthcare division has far exceeded our initial expectations for success.   We have partnered with affiliates who are experts in the field of faith-based healthcare leadership and have had the opportunity to work with some of the largest faith-based hospitals and healthcare entities in the nation.  Our ministry division has also seen success.  Our affiliate partners in this division have devoted their lives to serving the Lord through their work and together, we’ve performed searches for a wide variety of churches and ministries across the nation.

Our mission is and always has been to provide our clients with great leaders who personally commit to the organizations’ ultimate purpose.  We recognize the unique needs of faith-based organizations and are thus able to provide those organizations with the right leaders to meet those specific needs.  We believe strong business skills and strong Christian values are not mutually exclusive; a belief we’ve proven to be true with every search we complete.

As I take a moment to reflect on the past five years, I am filled with an overwhelming sense of joy and pride.  This is a time to celebrate our successes, congratulate our colleagues who have made this possible, thank our clients for allowing us to serve them and give praise to our Father, who has watched over us every step of the way.  I am grateful to you all and look forward to the next five years of FaithSearch.

Blessings,
Ed Fry
President, FaithSearch Partners

“As the only executive search firm to focus exclusively on faith-based hospitals and health systems, we are thrilled to have an opportunity to help CHE secure leadership with the right balance of experience, skills and commitment to a mission of ministry, said Ed Fry, President of FaithSearch Partners.

FaithSearch Partners is one of the nation’s leading retained executive search firms and is the only one of its kind focused exclusively on identifying and recruiting leaders for churches, parachurch organizations, as well as faith-based hospitals and healthcare systems.  Combined, consultants at FaithSearch Partners have successfully managed more than 450 executive-level searches for numerous high-profile faith-based organizations across the country.  Its website can be found at www.faithsearchpartners.com.

Catholic Health East is a multi-institutional Catholic health system, co-sponsored by nine religious congregations and Hope Ministries, a Public Juridic Person within Catholic Health East. Based in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, the System provides the means to ensure the continuation of the Catholic identity and operational strength of the sponsors’ health ministries. The System includes acute care hospitals, long-term acute care hospitals, freestanding and hospital-based long-term care facilities, assisted living facilities, continuing care retirement communities, behavioral health and rehabilitation facilities, home health/hospice agencies and ambulatory and community-based health services. (Source: www.che.org)

Bonem obtained his M.B.A. degree, with distinction, from Harvard Business School in 1985, after having obtained a B.S. in chemical engineering from Rice University in 1981.  His business endeavors have included consulting as a senior manager with McKinsey & Company and serving in a senior leadership role in two environmental service companies.

As a consultant, Bonem focuses on the development of effective strategies and change management, particularly in established organizations.  He has helped pastors and congregations to initiate healthy change processes, conduct congregational assessments, discern God’s vision and establish implementation plans.  Bonem is a distinguished speaker and author who has developed and taught seminars on congregational change worldwide.  He is the author of In Pursuit of Great AND Godly Leadership: Tapping the Wisdom of the World for the Kingdom of God (Jossey-Bass, 2012); and the co-author of Leading Congregational Change: A Practical Guide for the Transformational Journey (Jossey-Bass, 2000) and Leading from the Second Chair: Serving Your Church, Fulfilling Your Role, and Realizing Your Dreams (Jossey-Bass, 2005).  He also serves as a trainer and coach for congregational leaders, helping them grown in their ministry effectiveness.

Bonem has served local churches in a variety of volunteer roles including deacon and Bible study leader.  Most recently, he served as executive pastor at West University Baptist Church in Houston, Texas.

“The importance of hand-selecting the right people for leadership, particularly within churches and other ministries, is the key to excellence, integrity and growth,” said Bonem.  “FaithSearch Partners is an outstanding organization that is well-positioned to help meet this vital need.”

FaithSearch Partners is one of the nation’s leading retained executive search firms and is the only one of its kind focused exclusively on identifying and recruiting leaders for churches, parachurch organizations, as well as faith-based hospitals and healthcare systems.  Combined, consultants at FaithSearch Partners have successfully managed more than 450 executive-level searches for numerous high-profile faith-based organizations across the country.  Its website can be found at www.faithsearchpartners.com.