Business Details
34 Years
experience
Trusted Executive Search Partners Since 1992
Cizek Associates is a retained executive search and assessment firm built on a foundation of integrity, compassion, and excellence. With over 30 years of experience, we specialize in connecting organizations with senior-level executives who align with their strategic goals and cultural values. Our client-centric approach prioritizes deep understanding of unique organizational needs, ensuring tailored solutions that drive long-term success. We maintain a national reach while fostering personal relationships, having completed over 1,500 executive searches across diverse sectors including healthcare, technology, and non-profit organizations. Our commitment to transparency and continuous improvement ensures clients receive exceptional service, evidenced by an 85% repeat client rate and an 88% executive placement retention rate after five years.We operate with ethical rigor, guided by core values of empathy, humility, and accountability in every interaction with clients and candidates alike. Our team of seasoned consultants brings industry-specific expertise to each search, maintaining direct continuity from project initiation to successful completion. This dedication to personalized service and measurable outcomes has solidified our reputation as a trusted partner in executive talent acquisition. We actively seek client feedback to refine our processes, ensuring adaptability to evolving market demands while upholding our mission of delivering outstanding results through professional relationships.
Services
Retained Executive Search
Leadership Assessment
Leadership Development
Succession Planning
Board Recruitment
Diversity & Inclusion Search
Interim Executive Placement
C-Suite Recruitment
Non-Profit Leadership Search
Higher Education Executive Search
Details
- Year established: 1992
Highlights and features
- We have completed over 1,500 senior executive searches since 1992
- Our 88% placement retention rate demonstrates long-term success
- We maintain direct consultant continuity from start to finish
- Our 85% repeat client rate reflects sustained trust and satisfaction
- We operate with ethical transparency and industry-specific expertise
What people say
Exceptional results
Deep industry knowledge
Ethical practices
Long-term partnerships
Strategic matches
Services
Retained Executive Search
Our retained executive search service delivers strategic leadership solutions through exclusive partnerships with organizations. We conduct comprehensive market analyses and targeted candidate identification to secure executives who align with organizational values and strategic objectives. This service ensures dedicated consultant involvement throughout the search process, maintaining confidentiality and precision in high-level placements.
Leadership Assessment
We provide in-depth leadership assessment services to evaluate executive candidates' strategic capabilities and cultural fit. Our proprietary assessment methodologies combine behavioral analysis, competency mapping, and performance forecasting to ensure optimal leadership alignment. This service supports data-driven decision-making for critical organizational roles.
Leadership Development
Our leadership development programs focus on cultivating executive potential through personalized growth strategies. We offer succession planning frameworks, leadership coaching, and organizational capability assessments to build sustainable leadership pipelines for long-term organizational success.
Board Recruitment
We specialize in recruiting board members with diverse expertise and governance experience. Our service includes identifying candidates with specific industry knowledge, regulatory understanding, and strategic vision to strengthen organizational governance structures across sectors.
Succession Planning
Our succession planning service creates robust leadership pipelines through comprehensive talent audits and future-ready strategy development. We help organizations identify critical roles, assess internal talent, and implement transition plans that ensure leadership continuity during periods of change.
People
Sheila Lehker
President
Sheila Lehker leads Cizek Associates' strategic vision, leveraging decades of executive search experience. She specializes in building collaborative partnerships with clients across diverse industries, ensuring executive placements that drive organizational success through ethical, data-driven methodologies.
Marti Cizek
Founder
Marti Cizek established Cizek Associates in 1992 with a vision for integrity-driven executive search. Her pioneering approach continues to shape the firm's values, creating a lasting impact on the executive recruitment industry through relationship-based, ethical practices.
Questions
What industries do you specialize in?
We serve healthcare, technology, manufacturing, higher education, government, non-profit, and financial services sectors with specialized expertise.
What makes your retained search different?
Our model ensures consultant continuity, ethical transparency, and personalized service with measurable outcomes through every engagement.
How do you ensure placement success?
We combine 30+ years of experience with rigorous assessment processes and cultural alignment evaluations to achieve 88% placement retention.
What executive levels do you handle?
We specialize in C-suite, VP-level, and board director placements across public and private organizations nationally.
How are search fees structured?
Our fees are customized per engagement based on scope, industry complexity, and executive level requirements.
Can you handle urgent leadership needs?
While we maintain thorough processes, we offer accelerated timelines for critical leadership vacancies with dedicated resources.
