What McPherson & Jacobson does

McPherson & Jacobson, L.L.C. is a privately-held executive recruitment and development firm founded in 1991 and headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska. The company specializes exclusively in executive search and leadership development for U.S. public K-12 school districts, with secondary work for governmental agencies and non-profit organizations. Its core product is a five-phase superintendent search protocol that identifies selection criteria, distributes openings to a registered applicant database (over 3,000 candidates) and the firm's nationwide consultant network (125+ consultants across 38+ states), conducts stakeholder input and reference checks, coordinates interviews, and includes a placement guarantee.

The firm's product portfolio centers on superintendent and central-office leadership searches, with add-on modules spanning Board Development workshops, Executive Coaching, Superintendent Evaluation, Strategic Planning (delivered in partnership with Innovate K12), Stakeholder Engagement, multi-science behavioral assessments (DISC, 12 Driving Forces, Acumen Capacity Index, DNA 25 Competencies, Emotional Intelligence), and District Restructuring aligned to Baldrige Criteria. Applicant-side offerings include Administrative Job Search Seminars, individual Resume Reviews (priced at $125, $100 when bundled with seminars), and registration for opening notifications.

Revenue is generated through professional-services fees: search service pricing is enrollment-based (scaled to district student count) and requires a Request for Quote, while seminars and resume reviews are pay-as-you-go. The go-to-market is enterprise field sales — direct engagement with school boards and associations — supplemented by formal partnerships with state school board associations in Arkansas, California, Colorado, and Oregon-adjacent channels, plus referral-driven business through the consultant network. The company is owner-operated under CEO/Owner Dr. Norman Ridder (joined March 2018) and has no disclosed external institutional investment or acquisition history.

Name

McPherson & Jacobson

Legal name

McPherson & Jacobson, L.L.C.

Website

https://macnjake.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

McPherson & Jacobson is a U.S. executive search and leadership development firm, founded in 1991 and headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, that recruits superintendents and central-office leaders for public K-12 school districts, governmental agencies, and non-profit organizations through a nationwide consultant network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Executive Search Services

NAICS

Executive Search Services (561312), Employment Placement Agencies and Executive Search Services (56131)

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Education Direct Hire (Teachers/Administrators) (BPACAFAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Staffing, HR, Credentialing & Substitute Management (EDAJAHAH)

Keywords

• Executive search services
• Superintendent search
• K-12 leadership recruitment
• Education administrator search
• Public sector executive search

Headquarters

HQ city

Omaha

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Executive Search Services: Fee-based executive search services for school districts, governmental agencies, and non-profit organizations. Fees are typically based on the number of students in the district (enrollment-based pricing). The search process takes two to three months on average.
2. Administrative Job Search Seminars: Seminars for education administrators seeking career advancement. The seminars provide guidance on executive searches, cover letters, resumes, portfolios, and interview skills.
3. Resume Reviews: Individual resume and application letter review services provided by consultants. Includes phone or video conference to discuss suggested edits.
4. Personality/Behavioral Assessments: Multi-science behavioral assessment services including DISC, 12 Driving Forces, Acumen Capacity Index, DNA 25 Competencies, and Emotional Intelligence assessments for candidate evaluation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

McPherson & Jacobson provides fee-based executive search and recruitment services for public K-12 school districts, governmental agencies, and non-profit organizations, with a primary focus on superintendent and central-office administrator searches executed via a five-phase protocol. The firm supplements these searches with applicant support services (seminars, resume reviews), board development, executive coaching, superintendent evaluation, strategic planning, and multi-science personality/behavioral assessments.

Product overview

McPherson & Jacobson is an executive recruitment and development service specializing in executive searches for educational institutions and public entities. The company offers a unified platform of services centered on its core Executive Search Services, which includes Superintendent Searches and Leadership Search Services. These core offerings are supported by add-on modules including Board Development workshops, Executive Coaching, Strategic Planning, and Personality/Strengths Assessments. The company operates with over 125 consultants nationwide and has placed over 1,100 superintendents since 1991. The product portfolio is designed to provide comprehensive support from candidate identification through onboarding, with supplementary services for applicant preparation and professional development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Executive Search Services Comprehensive national executive search services for boards of education, governmental agencies, and non-profit organizations to identify and hire senior leadership, delivered through a five-phase protocol with stakeholder engagement, reference checks, and a placement guarantee.
• Superintendent Searches National search services for boards of education to identify and hire superintendents, structured around a five-phase protocol covering stakeholder input, candidate evaluation, reference checks, interview preparation, and a performance guarantee.
• Leadership Search Services Search services for central-office administrator and principal positions, including candidate identification, stakeholder input, reference checks, and transition support for school districts and public-sector organizations.
• Board Development Workshops and consulting services to strengthen school board governance, operating principles, and board effectiveness.
• District/Board Workshops Professional development workshops for districts and boards covering administrative performance objectives, goal setting, long-range planning, and strategic planning.
• Executive Coaching One-on-one coaching services for educational executives intended to enhance leadership effectiveness and on-the-job performance.
• Superintendent Evaluation Comprehensive evaluation services for sitting superintendents conducted against previously agreed performance objectives.
• Coaching, Training & Facilitation Executive coaching, training, and facilitation services supporting leadership effectiveness for school districts and public-sector clients.
• Strategic Planning Strategic planning services, delivered in partnership with Innovate K12, that help districts develop long-term goals and implementation plans.
• Improving Stakeholder Engagement Services that help districts and public-sector organizations effectively engage stakeholders in decision-making processes.
• Personality/Strengths Assessments Multi-science behavioral assessment services including DISC, 12 Driving Forces, Acumen Capacity Index, DNA 25 Competencies, and Emotional Intelligence assessments to evaluate leadership candidates.
• District Restructuring and Reorganization Consulting services to help districts build high-performing systems aligned with the National Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence.
• Administrative Job Search Seminar Seminars that help candidates prepare for administrative positions, covering executive search processes, cover letters, resumes, portfolios, and interview skills.
• Resume Reviews Individual consultant review of resumes and application letters, including a phone or video conference to discuss suggested edits, priced at $125.00 per review ($100.00 when bundled with the administrative seminar).

Quantifiable outcome

• Almost 80% of administrators are still in the position for which they were hired over the last five years
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Arkansas School Boards Association (ARSBA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState school board association partnership to provide executive search services to member districts in Arkansas.
• California Association of School Boards (CASB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState school board association partnership for California. Nicole Anderson has facilitated 6 cohorts of the Equity Network for CSBA.
• Colorado Association of School Boards (CASE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState school board association partnership for Colorado. CASE includes executive director searches.
• California School Boards Association (CSBA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor statewide partnership with California School Boards Association. Dr. Douglas Nelson served as president of Oregon School Boards Association 2013-2017.
• Innovate K12minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to offer Strategic Planning services to school districts.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates: Headquartered in the Midwest, HYA is one of the most established K-12 superintendent and central-office executive search firms in the U.S., with comparable five-phase methodology, regional consultant networks, and decades of senior placements. Direct head-to-head competitor for most large-district searches.
• Ray and Associates: Iowa-based executive search firm specializing in K-12 superintendent and central-office leadership searches, with a national consultant footprint and similar protocol-driven methodology. Direct competitor for mid-market and large school district searches.
• WittKieffer: Established executive search firm with a dedicated education practice covering superintendents, K-12 leadership, and higher-education executive roles. Operates nationally with search professionals in a manner comparable to McPherson & Jacobson's model.
• BWP & Associates: Executive search firm focused on K-12 education leadership, particularly superintendent and senior administrator placements, with regional coverage and consultant-led delivery comparable to McPherson & Jacobson's services.

Broad incumbents

• Heidrick & Struggles: Global executive search firm with a dedicated education and social enterprise practice that places superintendents, university presidents, and senior education leaders. Larger portfolio and broader geographic reach than McPherson & Jacobson, with overlap on senior K-12 placements.
• Spencer Stuart: Global executive search firm with an established education practice that recruits trustees, presidents, and senior K-12 leaders. Competes with McPherson & Jacobson for high-profile superintendent and board-level searches.
• Korn Ferry: Global organizational consulting firm with executive search services and a dedicated education practice serving K-12 districts, higher education, and education nonprofits. Competes with McPherson & Jacobson on senior-level leadership placements and on board-level advisory work.
• Russell Reynolds Associates: Global executive search firm with an education sector practice covering K-12 superintendents, higher-education leaders, and education-focused non-profits. Larger scale and broader search portfolio but overlaps with McPherson & Jacobson's core superintendent search work.
• Egon Zehnder: Global executive search firm with education and public-sector practice covering K-12 leadership and education-focused organizations. Larger scale and broader portfolio, but overlaps with McPherson & Jacobson on senior superintendent and board-level searches.
• Stanton Chase: Global executive search firm with an education-sector practice covering K-12 leadership and education-focused organizations. Larger scale and broader sector coverage, but overlaps with McPherson & Jacobson on senior-level education placements.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/macnjake
• Facebookfacebook.com/pages/McPherson-Jacobson-LLC-Executive-Recruitment-and-Development/113918607364
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/macnjake
• Instagraminstagram.com/macnjakesearch

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about McPherson & Jacobson