Search Firm Selected
For County Schools Superintendent

SAN JOSE, CA – Leadership Associates, an executive search firm based in Mission Viejo, was selected Monday by the Santa Clara County Board of Education to assist in the search for a new county schools superintendent.

The board has set a target of July 1, 2008 to have a new superintendent in place at the Santa Clara County Office of Education, which provides instructional, administrative, human resources, business and technical support services to the county's 32 school districts. The office has about 1,900 employees and an annual budget of about $280 million.

Board members "were impressed by Leadership's knowledge of what it takes for superintendents to be successful in California," said board President Gary Rummelhoff. "Also, they've done successful searches in this county—they understand the county well."

Rummelhoff said the board also felt reassured that the firm would reach out for community input during the search.

The vacancy was created with the departure of Colleen Wilcox from the position on November 1. Joe Fimiani, assistant superintendent of the COE's Student Services branch, is acting as the COE's interim superintendent.

In its proposal, Leadership Associates stated it has conducted more than 160 superintendent searches in California since 1994. The firm placed the cost of the search at $42,950.

Date last updated: November 28, 2007