Quick Leonard Kieffer

What Quick Leonard Kieffer does

Quick Leonard Kieffer (QLK) is a privately-held, retained executive search firm founded in 1999 by a group of experienced executive search consultants. The firm is headquartered in Sarasota, Florida (with a Chicago presence and a primary contact line of (312) 876-9800) and operates with 11-50 employees. QLK specializes exclusively in the healthcare and non-profit sectors, placing C-suite executives, board members, and senior leadership for hospitals, health systems, integrated delivery networks, academic medical centers, life sciences/medical device companies, associations, and non-profit organizations.

QLK's service portfolio is organized into three core offerings — Executive Search, Board Services, and Professional Search — delivered across four practice areas: Healthcare, Life Sciences/Medical Device, Academic Medical Centers, and Associations & Non-Profits. The business model is professional services revenue, with project-based, quote-driven retained search engagements on multi-year contractual cadence. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is customized based on search scope, role seniority, and complexity. Go-to-market is direct enterprise field sales — consultative, relationship-driven engagement with healthcare organizations, academic medical centers, associations, and non-profits across the United States, supported by a thought leadership content engine (website blog, LinkedIn, Twitter).

The firm claims a 100% search completion rate and a high three-year placement retention rate. Its named client roster spans 25+ organizations including Advocate Aurora Health, Atrium Health, PeaceHealth, Providence St. Joseph Health, American Hospital Association, American Medical Association, American Cancer Society, Susan G. Komen, National Kidney Foundation, Penn State Hershey, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and University of Rochester Medical Center. Leadership includes Founder and Chairman Roger A. Quick (formerly of Korn/Ferry International and Norman Broadbent International), President and CEO Steven M. Derks (formerly CEO of the Muscular Dystrophy Association), Managing Partners Derek J. Castaneda and Kathy Hall, Principal Jennifer L. Deniz, and Of Counsel Gwen MacKenzie (former CEO of Sarasota Memorial Health Care System). QLK is independently owned with no disclosed external institutional investors or parent company.

Name

Quick Leonard Kieffer

Legal name

Quick Leonard Kieffer

Website

https://qlksearch.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Quick Leonard Kieffer is a U.S. retained executive search firm, founded in 1999, that places C-suite executives, board members, and senior leaders for hospitals, health systems, life sciences companies, academic medical centers, and non-profit associations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Executive Search Services (Healthcare & Non-Profit)

NAICS

Executive Search Services (561312)

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro primary industry

Healthcare & Life Sciences Leadership Search (BPACAAAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Functional Leadership Search (HR/Finance/Legal/Marketing/Sales/Ops) (BPACAAAB), Confidential/Replacement & Succession Search (BPACAAAK)

Keywords

• Executive search services
• Healthcare recruitment
• Board placement services
• Leadership consulting
• Retained search firm

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

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, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Retained Executive Search: QLK provides retained executive search services placing C-suite executives, board members, and senior leadership for healthcare, life sciences, academic medical centers, and associations/non-profits. Revenue is generated through retained search engagements, typically involving a retainer structure with completion fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Quick Leonard Kieffer is a retained executive search firm that identifies, develops, and places C-suite executives, board members, and senior leaders for healthcare, life sciences, academic medical centers, associations, and non-profit organizations. The firm delivers assignments through three core service lines—Executive Search, Board Services, and Professional Search—organized across four industry practices, with revenue generated primarily through retained search engagements on a multi-year basis.

Product overview

Quick Leonard Kieffer is a retained executive search firm offering a unified suite of talent acquisition services organized around core search offerings (Executive Search, Board Services, Professional Search) across four specialized industry practice areas (Healthcare, Life Sciences/Medical Device, Academic Medical Centers, Associations & Non-Profits). The firm connects organizations with C-suite, board, and senior executive talent through personalized consulting relationships built over 20+ years in the healthcare and non-profit sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Executive Search Core retained executive search service for identifying, developing, and acquiring dynamic C-suite and senior leaders for healthcare, life sciences, academic medicine, associations, and non-profit organizations.
• Board Services Executive search and consulting services for executive and foundation boards, focusing on governance talent and experience for board-level placements.
• Professional Search Recruitment services for healthcare, life science/medical device, academic medicine, association, and non-profit leaders at executive director, associate/assistant vice president, and director levels across functions including human resources, finance, IT, and more.
• Healthcare Practice Specialized executive search for healthcare organizations, including hospitals, health systems, and integrated delivery networks, focusing on leaders who can drive innovation and address industry challenges.
• Life Sciences/Medical Device Practice Recruitment of executive leadership for biopharmaceutical, medical device, and diagnostics organizations in commercial and technical capacities, serving organizations from startup through enterprise.
• Academic Medical Centers Practice Executive search services addressing the triple aim of patient care, education, and innovation found in academic medical institutions, including clinical, educational, and research leadership roles.
• Associations & Non-Profits Practice Specialized recruitment for association and non-profit leaders who are financially and operationally savvy while maintaining focus on organizational mission and member engagement.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% search completion rate and high three-year retention rate for placements

Named customers25 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• B.E. Smith (AMN Healthcare): B.E. Smith is a healthcare-focused executive search and interim leadership firm competing with QLK for hospital, health system, and C-suite placements. Its parent AMN Healthcare provides additional scale and a broader healthcare workforce platform than QLK's boutique model.
• Furst Group: Furst Group is a retained executive search firm exclusively focused on healthcare, including health systems, hospitals, payers, and life sciences organizations. It overlaps directly with QLK's Healthcare and Life Sciences/Medical Device practices.
• WittKieffer: WittKieffer is one of the most direct competitors to QLK, specializing in retained executive search across healthcare, higher education, life sciences, and non-profits—mirroring QLK's four core verticals. Both firms compete for the same CEO, C-suite, and board mandates at health systems and academic medical centers.
• Cejka Search: Cejka Search is a healthcare-dedicated retained search firm placing physician, executive, and leadership talent for hospitals, health systems, and academic medical centers—directly overlapping QLK's primary healthcare practice.
• Gallagher MSA Search: Gallagher MSA Search (formerly Integrated Healthcare Strategies) is a healthcare-focused executive search and consulting firm where QLK's Managing Partner Kathy Hall previously spent 20+ years. It competes directly with QLK for healthcare executive and physician leadership placements.

Broad incumbents

• Korn Ferry: Korn Ferry is a global organizational consulting firm with a large Healthcare Practice; QLK's founder Roger Quick previously led that practice. Korn Ferry competes for the same healthcare CEO and board mandates but with vastly greater scale and broader service offerings.
• DHR International: DHR International (now DHR Global) is a global retained search firm serving healthcare, life sciences, and non-profit sectors. It competes with QLK on healthcare and association engagements while offering broader global coverage.
• Spencer Stuart: Spencer Stuart is a global executive search and leadership advisory firm with a deeply established Healthcare and Board Practices. It competes with QLK on the largest healthcare board and CEO engagements while also serving non-healthcare clients.
• Russell Reynolds Associates: Russell Reynolds Associates is a global executive search firm with a strong Healthcare Practice serving providers, payers, and life sciences companies. It is a broader incumbent competitor to QLK for healthcare CEO and C-suite searches.
• Heidrick & Struggles: Heidrick & Struggles is a global executive search firm with a dedicated Healthcare & Life Sciences Practice. It competes with QLK for senior-level healthcare mandates while serving a much broader cross-industry client base.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/QLKsearch
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/quick-leonard-kieffer

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Quick Leonard Kieffer