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Strengthening
Corporate
Governance

JamesDruryPartners was founded in 2001 by Jim Drury, a former management consultant and Vice Chairman of a global executive search firm. Well known for his interest in the effectiveness of America’s corporate boards, he co-founded two nationally recognized corporate governance conferences. The first, “Toward Common Ground,” is held at Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Business. The other, “The Director’s College” at the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business, since renamed “The Director’s Consortium”, is currently offered by Chicago’s Booth School of Business, Stanford’s Law School and Dartmouth’s Amos Tuck School of Business”.

Traveling a path of innovation and
discovery can be a wonderful journey.

Jim founded JamesDruryPartners to explore previously uncharted territory in executive search consulting, freeing himself from industry traditions that tended to stifle creative exploration and risk taking. Within our new firm, fresh thinking flourished. Sensing opportunity, we shifted our focus from conventional executive search consulting to board advisory services, a space we knew quite well.

Thus began a period of fertile innovation. New services evolved addressing a perceived need for: 1) an annual assessment of the board governance capacity of America’s leading companies; 2) a diagnostic methodology to help board’s assess the probable skills, and culture fit of new directors; and 3) a unique service to advise corporate boards in selecting appropriate outside directorships for their most valuable executives.

We are pleased with the path we have chosen and look forward to providing a growing array of services focused on strengthening the governance capacity of America’s boards.

Looking to the Future

The possibilities for the future are bounded only by the limits of our imagination. Rather than ask “Why?”, we have always asked “Why not?” Our guiding principle is to evolve specialized services that will enhance a board's capability to "govern from strength". The two principle factors that determine that capability are the quality of a board’s directors, and the quality of its boardroom leadership. Lacking in either of these dimensions is a sure recipe for governance weakness. The path of innovation we travel tends to reveal new opportunities to be of even greater service and inspires our confidence in the future.

Over 150 years of combined advisory experience

Our reputation for high performance and superior client service is built upon the experience and accomplishments of our professional team. Our clients benefit from more than 150 years of combined experience in executive search, management consulting, and industry. Serving clients exceptionally well is, and always will be, our principal objective.

JAMES J. DRURY, III

FOUNDER, CHAIRMAN, CEO

JAMES J. DRURY, III

FOUNDER, CHAIRMAN, CEO

Jim is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of JamesDruryPartners. Prior to founding our firm, Jim was Vice Chairman, Americas and a board director of a major search firm. He co-founded the annual Corporate Governance conference, "Toward Common Ground" at Northwestern's Kellogg Graduate School of Management, and founded The Directors' College at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, chairing its Advisory Board.

He is a board trustee of The Museum of Science and Industry, a benefactor of Friends of Conservation, a board trustee of Music of the Baroque Chorus and Orchestra, and a member of The Commercial Club of Chicago. He holds an MBA in Marketing from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, and a BS in Engineering from the University of Notre Dame.

Email: JDrury@JDruryPartners.com

JAMES J. DRURY, IV

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT

JAMES J. DRURY, IV

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT

Jim has been with the firm since 2008. In addition to serving as a key consultant on some of our most important client engagements, he provides valuable thought leadership across the full range of our board services. He also manages our Board Intelligence and Director Demand organizations. He has developed proprietary studies on corporate governance that have been cited in The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Financier Worldwide, Fox Business News, CNBC, and corporate annual reports. He holds an MBA with dual concentrations in Finance and Marketing from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, and a BS in Biology from Hobart College.

Email: JDruryIV@JDruryPartners.com

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LIZABETH P. HANCOCK

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, ADMINISTRATION

LIZABETH P. HANCOCK

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, ADMINISTRATION

Liz has over 25 years of administrative and operations management experience, gained from such blue-chip companies as Bank of America and Smith Barney. For five years prior to joining our firm, she managed the office at Gresham Partners, a private investment and wealth management firm serving high net worth families, family offices, and foundations.

Email: LHancock@JDruryPartners.com

MATTHEW V. McGREAL

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT

MATTHEW V. McGREAL

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT

Matt brings to our firm 17 years of earlier experience with two global search firms where he led search execution for their North American Board Practices. Prior to joining us he served as the corporate governance practice leader for a highly regarded boutique executive search firm.

Email: MMcGreal@JDruryPartners.com

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STEVEN J. LEWIS

SENIOR PARTNER

STEVEN J. LEWIS

SENIOR PARTNER

Steven’s prior professional career spans 18 years of experience with two global recruitment firms. He was most recently responsible for leading the Chicago, Boston and Canadian search practices for a U.K. Firm. Earlier, he served in the London and Chicago offices of a U.S. headquartered search firm. The scope of his experience is broad, encompassing such industries as financial services, manufacturing, energy and utilities.

Email: SLewis@JDruryPartners.com

LinkedIn

BRIAN WAIVADA

SENIOR PARTNER

BRIAN WAIVADA

SENIOR PARTNER

Brian brings over 25 years of talent advisory experience to JamesDruryPartners. Most recently he led the CEO and Board practice for a leading boutique executive search firm focused on private equity-backed companies. Previously, he started the New York Office for a top retained search firm, and also built and led the executive search functions for BlackRock and McKinsey & Co. Brian has deep relationships at the Board and C-suite level, and a broad talent background, having worked across every major industry, sector, and function over the course of his career.

Brian holds a BS in Finance from Indiana University.

Email: BWaivada@JDruryPartners.com

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NANCY M. KONIECZKI

PARTNER

NANCY M. KONIECZKI

PARTNER

Nancy brings to our firm a management consulting and executive search background. Most recently, she worked in the financial services sector for a major firm as a talent officer at the executive level, primarily concerned with the areas of senior leadership and succession planning.

She serves as an Associate Board Director for Gilda’s Club Chicago.

Email: NKonieczki@JDruryPartners.com

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ABBY C. ABRUZZO

PRINCIPAL

ABBY C. ABRUZZO

PRINCIPAL

Abby brings to our firm nearly a decade of board advisory and executive search experience. Most recently, she worked with a Big Four professional services firm, advising on matters of board readiness, succession planning, board composition, and governance. She worked with clients from both publicly traded and private equity backed companies while building a network of executives and board directors. Her diverse industry experience includes retail, financial services, and consumer products.

Email: AAbruzzo@JDruryPartners.com

LinkedIn

JAMES D. S. PRUETT

PRINCIPAL

JAMES D. S. PRUETT

PRINCIPAL

Jamie brings to JamesDruryPartners a 27-year career, most recently as a partner with several global firms in executive search and management consulting. A natural generalist, he works across industry sectors, providing a depth of experience in healthcare, life sciences, professional services, and financial services.

He has an MBA from Washington University; and serves as a Board Member of Bishop Anderson House, and an Advisory Council Member of Northwestern’s Lake Forest Hospital.

Email: JPruett@JDruryPartners.com

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Casey M. Gober

PRINCIPAL

Casey M. Gober

PRINCIPAL

Casey's prior experience includes over 15 years of experience in the asset management industry, working with major banking institutions and investment firms. Prior to joining JamesDruryPartners, Casey was a regional vice president of a boutique investment firm advising intermediary wealth management clients.

Email: CGober@JDruryPartners.com

LinkedIn

Kaitlyn B. O'Connor

PRINCIPAL

Kaitlyn B. O'Connor

PRINCIPAL

Kate strengthens JamesDruryPartners through her valuable contributions to our BoardSelect® and board search practice areas. A Principal of the firm, she supports clients by providing board placement and governance advisory services.

She brings nearly a decade of strategy and executive talent acquisition consulting experience to the firm. Before joining JamesDruryPartners, Kate founded and led a successful consulting firm that specialized in human resources strategy for companies of all sizes and from diverse industries. Earlier, she oversaw the executive search practice of a boutique talent acquisition agency. Kate has worked with clients from both publicly traded and private equity/venture capital-backed companies, and has built a broad network of accomplished executives and board directors. Her diverse industry experience includes technology, consumer products, health care, and financial services.

Kate received her MS in Human Resource Management from Pepperdine University and a BS in Business Administration from the University of Oregon.

Email: KOConnor@JDruryPartners.com

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William S. C. Stanbrook

PRINCIPAL

William S. C. Stanbrook

PRINCIPAL

Will joined JamesDruryPartners following a successful career in executive search, talent advisory, and director recruitment. His expertise has enriched our firm’s BoardSelect® practice and enhanced its board search capabilities.

Before joining our team, Will was with a globally renowned executive search firm, serving as a Principal within the firm’s Industrial Practice. There he led C-level search and board recruitment engagements for a variety of publicly traded, privately owned, and private equity-backed corporations, including several Fortune 500 companies. Will began his career in executive recruitment, serving in the Technology Practice of one of the nation’s largest talent advisory agencies.

Will holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of San Diego. He was also a talented member of the Division I school’s Men's Cross Country Team.

Email: WStanbrook@JDruryPartners.com

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SAM ALBRIGHT

ASSOCIATE

SAM ALBRIGHT

ASSOCIATE

Sam joined JamesDruryPartners in 2016 and has worked with clients in a variety of capacities across the firm’s service offerings. Earlier in his career, he served in administrative roles in the executive office of one of Chicago’s major cultural institutions.

Email: SAlbright@JDruryPartners.com

LinkedIn

DYLAN S. ROBERTS

ASSOCIATE

DYLAN S. ROBERTS

ASSOCIATE

Dylan brings over 10 years of executive search experience to JamesDruryPartners. Most recently Dylan led the research team for the board practice at Ferguson Partners in Chicago. He spent the first eight years of his career working in the commercial real estate and hospitality sectors. Dylan has a BA from the University of Wisconsin-Parkside.

Email: DRoberts@JDruryPartners.com

LinkedIn

Sarah A. Shafarik

DIRECTOR, BOARD INTELLIGENCE

Sarah A. Shafarik

DIRECTOR, BOARD INTELLIGENCE

Sarah is Director-Board Intelligence and has over 16 years of experience in business and legal research.

Prior to joining JamesDruryPartners in 2020, she spent over 12 years with Thomson Reuters, an information services provide where she most recently served as a client manager working with medium and large law firms in Chicago. She served for four years as a customer trainer, in-person and virtual, to medium and large law firms in the Midwest and New York. She spent her first three years as a reference attorney providing on-demand telephone assistance to all legal customers across the country.

Sarah received her B.S. in Criminal Justice from University of Wisconsin-Platteville and her J.D. from Mitchell Hamline School of Law (formerly Hamline University School of Law).

Email: SShafarik@JDruryPartners.com

LinkedIn

ADAM J. ZAJAC

VICE PRESIDENT, COMMUNICATIONS

ADAM J. ZAJAC

VICE PRESIDENT, COMMUNICATIONS

Adam has nearly 15 years of experience in strategic communications, business writing, and executive coaching. Joining JamesDruryPartners in 2021, he is responsible for firm communications, brand collateral, and writing excellence. Previously, Adam led a global resume-writing business for a vocational services firm and served as a key member of the company’s executive team.

Adam serves on the Board of Directors for the National Resume Writers’ Association.

Email: AZajac@JDruryPartners.com

LinkedIn

Hear from our Clients

Our respected family of corporate board clients span all industry sectors with revenues ranging from $1B to $225B, including eight Fortune 50 companies.

JamesDruryPartners has an uncommon level of knowledge about the universe of available boardroom talent. They intuitively understood what we were looking for and introduced us to a number of director candidates who greatly enhanced the quality of our board. Their reputation and unparalleled board-level relationships open doors that others find closed.

Chairman/CEO of a $10 billion global pharmaceutical corporation

As a valued advisor to numerous boards, JamesDruryPartners provides insightful views on a director’s role and responsibilities. The firm is also a great resource for the independent assessment of new directors we may be considering, particularly in terms of likely culture fit, as well as periodic evaluation of our board’s performance.

Chairman/CEO of a $2 billion privately-held packaging company

It's all about access. For board director succession assignments, we find that JamesDruryPartners enjoys ease of access to the very best director talent in the country. When our board was under great time pressure to identify a couple of new directors for our proxy, we needed 24/7 availability of Jim’s team, and knew that the reputation and character of the firm would earn the respect of anyone they called.

Chairman of a $5 billion logistics company

Applications of Our Experience

Our professional practice encompasses a wide array of board advisory services, ranging from the most traditional – director recruitment, board evaluation, governance best practices, and assembling new IPO boards, to the most innovative – governance capacity analysis, diagnostic assessment of potential new directors, and proprietary board selection for America’s top executives.

Our Focus
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