ENTREPRENEURS OF PURPOSE When Judee von Seldeneck talks about leadership, she often returns to a phrase borrowed from President John F. Kennedy. “The torch has been passed to a new generation.” For Judee, those words are more than a quote. They are a philosophy that has guided a remarkable career spanning more than five decades, a career that helped transform the executive search industry, elevate women into leadership roles, and create opportunities for countless entrepreneurs. Today, as Chair Emeritus of Diversified Search Group, one of the largest executive search firms in the world, Judee is watching a new generation of leaders take the helm. The transition was intentional, strategic, and deeply personal. “We spent years helping clients with succession planning,” she says. “We needed to practice what we preached.” It is classic Judee—thoughtful, practical, and always focused on the long game. Born in High Point, North Carolina, Judee describes herself as a tomboy who preferred baseball games to traditional expectations for girls growing up in the South. Even then, leadership seemed to find her. She was elected student body president and developed a lifelong love of people, politics, and possibility. After studying political science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, she moved to Washington, D.C., during one of the most consequential periods in American history. There, she worked for future Vice President Walter Mondale, eventually becoming the youngest personal secretary in the United States Senate. The Vietnam War, the civil rights movement, and the assassination of President Kennedy shaped her worldview and strengthened her belief that leadership carries responsibility. “I grew up believing that if you see an opportunity to make things better, you step forward.” That belief followed her to Philadelphia after her marriage to her husband, Clay, where an unexpected opportunity would change her life. A small company focused on helping women find part-time professional work introduced Judee to the recruiting industry. Within months, she bought the business, renamed it Diversified Search, and reimagined its future. Her vision was bigger. Rather than simply placing candidates, Judee focused on helping organizations find exceptional leadership talent while creating opportunities for women and underrepresented professionals. At a time when women rarely occupied boardrooms, she became one of the first female directors on multiple public company boards. She also became a respected leader within the executive search profession, helping establish standards, credibility, and best practices that continue to shape the industry today. Over the years, Diversified Search grew into a global powerhouse. Yet Judee measures success differently. “The culture is what matters,” she says. Employees stayed for decades. Ownership was shared. People grew alongside the organization. Relationships mattered as much as revenue. “Your reputation is what it’s all about,” Judee says. That philosophy helped guide every major decision, from acquisitions and international expansion to bringing in private equity capital and ultimately passing leadership to CEO Aileen Alexander. The result was not simply a successful succession plan, but a thriving organization positioned for future growth. Today, Judee’s entrepreneurial journey has entered a new chapter. Through the JVS Fund for Women, she has committed millions of dollars to supporting women-owned businesses. The fund provides grants of up to $50,000 to promising entrepreneurs, helping them scale their companies without surrendering ownership or taking on unnecessary debt. It is, in many ways, the culmination of everything she has spent a lifetime building. For Judee, legacy is not about titles, revenue, or recognition. It’s about opening doors. It’s about helping talented people see possibilities they may not yet see in themselves. It’s about creating opportunities that outlast any single career. And it is about ensuring that when the torch is passed, the path ahead is brighter for those who follow. That may be Judee von Seldeneck’s greatest achievement, not simply building one of the world’s leading search firms but building a future where more women have the opportunity to lead, succeed, and leave legacies of their own. EOP Member Legacy Spotlight Judee von Seldeneck Passing the torch, building the future How Judee von Seldeneck created opportunity for generations of women leaders 62 enterprising Women
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