The Dallas News featured Ohio University alum Robert William “Bill” Funk ’72M with the headline “Trolling for university presidents is profitable niche for Dallas headhunter.”
Robert William ‘Bill’ Funk
Funk earned an M.A. in Government in 1972 from the College of Arts & Sciences at Ohio University.
When it comes to filling the highest posts of higher education, Bill Funk is the reigning king of the hill.
The 64-year-old principal of R. William Funk & Associates in Dallas has placed a new president or chancellor nearly every month for the last two years. He’s filled 21 top spots at such big-name universities as Purdue, Clemson, Louisiana State, the University of Southern California, the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Rutgers and Ohio State.
Funk may have as much influence on the direction of higher education as anyone in this country. During 32 years as a headhunter, Funk has placed nearly 400 presidents and chancellors. Add in provosts, vice presidents and deans, and that number tops 1,000.
Funk went out on his own eight years ago after heading the worldwide higher education practice of Korn/Ferry International. His 10-person firm, located above the Starbucks in Highland Park Village, is on track to bring in nearly $5 million in 2014.
Funk lead the recently completed search for Ohio State University’s new president.
“He has been called the “guru of higher education recruiting” by The Chronicle of Higher Education and is listed as one of the 200 best executive recruiters in the world in The Global 200 Executive Recruiters: An Essential Guide to the Best Recruiters in the United States, Europe, Asia, and Latin America (Jossey-Bass, Inc),” according to his website bio.
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