I had the opportunity to meet Leonard about five years ago when he reached out to me for a CFO opportunity. He had a level of energy and professionalism about him that caught my attention. He took the time to ask the right questions to learn about me and share information about the opportunity that helped determine fit for the role. He was engaging, responsive, professional and persistent in follow up with me through the entire interview process to final acceptance. I highly recommend working with Leonard for all of your sourcing needs.Lynn Danko Former CFO, Newscycle Solutions
Retained Executive Search
We’ve sat on your side of the table.
Our founding partner has worked directly for a top-tier investment group across every company in its portfolio. We know what a portfolio needs before the job description exists — and we know the executives who deliver it.
How We Help You
We bring candidates who have already solved the problem in front of you.
Every search starts from a business problem, not a job description. These are the ones portfolio companies bring us most often.
- Failed leadership at the general management level
- Insufficient top-line growth
- Insufficiently protected bottom line
- Marketing not driving sales
- Inefficient professional services execution
- Declining customer support
- Board placements
- Talent assessments
Who We Are
A unique firm with a unique premise.
Star Wards changes the lives of candidates and leadership teams by solving difficult-to-fill executive positions. We operate in a saturated market; what we bring to it is knowledge of the investor space, a background in law and technology, and an unparalleled history of search success.
- Our founding partner has worked directly for a top-tier investment group across every investment in their growing portfolio.
- We know what an investment portfolio actually needs — not what a job spec says it needs.
- We know the sophisticated candidates who thrive in this demanding environment.
Private Equity Portfolio Placements
Where we have placed.
A record of completed searches across portfolio companies, functions, verticals, and markets.
- Accruent
- ACS
- Active
- Aderant
- AGDATA
- Aptean
- Arena Solutions
- BigMachines
- Bullhorn
- Consilio
- EagleView
- Ever.ag
- Flexential
- Gimmal
- Greenway/Vitera
- Innovative Interfaces
- JMI Equity
- Lanyon
- Lone Wolf
- Marketo
- MediaOcean
- MicroEdge
- Misys
- Mitratech
- MRI
- Navex
- Newscycle
- Omnitracs
- P2
- PeopleAdmin
- Quorum Business Systems
- Relias Learning
- Rsam
- Sigga
- Social Solutions
- Sovos/Taxware
- STATS
- SumTotal Systems
- Superion
- Tibco
- Togetherwork
- Vertafore
- Websense/Forcepoint
- Yello.co
- CEO
- President / CEO successor
- Managing Director / GM
- COO
- CFO / Finance / Controller
- CTO / VP Development
- CIO
- CRO / VP Sales / RVP
- CMO / VP Marketing
- CHRO
- CPO / VP Product Management
- VP Professional Services
- VP Customer Success
- VP Customer Support
- VP Account Management
- Director of Strategic Programs
- Data Program Management
- Corporate Development
- Agriculture
- Analytics
- Automotive Aftermarket
- Construction
- CRM
- e-Learning
- Financial Services
- GRC
- Healthcare
- HR
- Insurance
- Legal
- Library Systems
- Marketing
- Nonprofit
- Oil & Gas / Energy
- Public Sector
- Publishing
- Real Estate
- Recruiting
- Retail
- Reverse Logistics / Auction
- Sales / Quote-to-Cash
- Security
- Sports
- Tax
- Transportation
- Austin
- Atlanta
- Baltimore
- Boston
- Cary, NC
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Cleveland
- Dallas
- Gainesville
- Houston
- London
- Los Angeles
- Minneapolis / St. Paul
- New York
- Palo Alto
- Phoenix
- Portland
- San Francisco
- Seattle
- Tampa
- Toronto
Our Method
The Concentric Circles™ Method
A common-sense solution to the toughest executive hiring problems in the industry. We work outward from the people closest to the problem — because the best candidate is usually one relationship away, not one job board away.
- Your success is our successA record success rate in both placements and candidate longevity. We are measured on who is still in the chair years later.
- Your dedicated consultantWe develop relationships with the right candidates, and it takes work. That is why so many placements are still in their roles five, seven, or even nine years on.
- The right match, not the available oneRetained means we finish the search. We bring people who have solved the problem before.
Testimonials
From both sides of the table.
Having worked with Leonard on both sides of the transaction — years ago as a candidate, more recently as the employer — I've found him to be consistent, fair, focused and very effective for all parties. In our search for a head of sales, we were 60 days from engagement letter to someone in the chair.Mark Johnson Former President, Gimmal
Leonard is the most thoughtful and engaged executive recruiter I've ever worked with. He's a true partner throughout the entire process with a relentless focus on creating a positive and timely outcome.Ron Wilson Former EVP, Client Success, Yello.co
I've been working with Leonard Ward for almost ten years now, from both sides of the table. He always presents an honest, detailed assessment of a role, presenting the business case from soup to nuts. That way we have decided together whether the role is a good fit. The result was taking a role I held for five years. When I hired Leonard to recruit members of my own team, he understood our business needs and found me not only the best people for those roles, but team members I would hire again and again.Kyle Bowker Former SVP, Global Sales, Agile Management Business Unit, CA
I have worked with Leonard Ward in a variety of situations over the past ten years, and can state with confidence that Leonard is a creative professional who excels at locating hard-to-find candidates, partnering with management teams and getting exceptional alignment on what is needed in a candidate, and that Leonard is able to complete placements with the right combination of speed and quality.Preston McKenzie Special Advisor, General Atlantic; former CEO, Newscycle Solutions
Contact Us
Let's talk about the seat you need to fill.
We would love to hear from you. Reach us by phone or email.
Phone
+1 (858) 264-6900Address
Star Wards, Inc.
7512 Dr. Phillips Blvd, #50-797
Orlando, FL 32819