Eastman & Beaudine

What Eastman & Beaudine does

Eastman & Beaudine is a U.S.-based, privately held executive search firm founded in 1967 in Chicago by Frank Beaudine, a former McKinsey & Company consultant and VP at Norton Simon, Inc. The firm is currently led by Bob Beaudine (Frank's son) as President and CEO, with corporate headquarters at 7950 Legacy Dr. Suite 350 in Plano, Texas following a relocation from Chicago via Dallas. The firm operates a deliberately small team (1-10 employees) with no proprietary technology platform, positioning human relationships, network depth, and executive judgment as its core assets.

The firm organizes around three integrated practice areas: (1) Business, Sports, and Entertainment Executive Search, covering C-suite, board, and senior management placements for Fortune 500 corporates plus professional sports leagues and teams (NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, MLS, PGA Tour, NASCAR, USTA, US Olympic Committee) and major media (NBC, ESPN, Fox Sports); (2) College Sports and Administration Executive Search, focused on athletic directors, deputy ADs, head coaches, conference commissioners, and senior university administrators—where the firm claims industry-first status as the outside firm used for an Athletic Director search; and (3) Management Consulting, providing organizational assessment, board preparation, executive team building, and outplacement services.

Eastman & Beaudine monetizes through retainer- and contingency-based executive search fees, with pricing not publicly disclosed and varying by assignment complexity and seniority. Its go-to-market is high-touch enterprise field sales targeting commissioners, athletic directors, team owners, university presidents, and corporate boards; demand is generated through Bob Beaudine's personal brand (national bestselling books The Power of WHO! and 2 Chairs, keynote circuit, broadcast appearances) and long-tenured client referrals. The firm has conducted hundreds of searches at the highest level, including the MLB Commissioner, and counts 100+ universities across 17 collegiate conferences as clients, with 65+ head coaches and 65+ senior administrators placed. EB 67 Holdings, LLC, founded by Bob Beaudine, retains equity stakes in emerging sports companies, signaling a modest ecosystem-investment arm layered on top of core search activity.

Name

Eastman & Beaudine

Legal name

Eastman & Beaudine

Website

https://eastman-beaudine.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1967

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Eastman & Beaudine is a 57-year-old private executive search firm led by CEO Bob Beaudine, placing C-suite, commissioner, athletic director, and head coach leaders for professional sports leagues, colleges, and Fortune 500 corporates.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Executive Search Services

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161), Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (5416)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

C-Suite & Board Search (BPACAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Sector, Education & Nonprofit Leadership Search (BPACAAAI), Executive Leadership & C-Suite Development (EDABAAAA)

Keywords

• Executive search services
• Management consulting
• Sports executive recruitment
• Collegiate athletic searches
• Senior leadership placement

Headquarters

HQ city

Plano

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

Revenue model

1. Executive Search Fees: Retainer and/or contingency-based search fees for executive recruitment services. The firm conducts searches for senior leadership positions including CEO, President, COO, commissioners, athletic directors, head coaches, and other C-suite executives across business, sports, and entertainment industries.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Eastman & Beaudine is a senior-level executive search firm that recruits C-suite, board, and senior management leaders for professional sports leagues, collegiate athletic departments, entertainment and media companies, and Fortune 500 corporations. The firm also provides management consulting services including organizational assessment, board meeting preparation, executive team building, and senior-level outplacement. Engagements are delivered through a consultative, relationship-based model with no proprietary technology platform.

Product overview

Eastman & Beaudine is a single-service executive search firm offering three integrated but distinct practice areas: Business, Sports, and Entertainment Executive Search; College Sports and Administration Executive Search; and Management Consulting. The firm specializes exclusively in senior-level executive recruitment and advisory services, with deep expertise in professional sports leagues, collegiate athletics, and corporate leadership placement. Services are delivered through a consultative approach, with the Management Consulting practice supporting and enhancing core search assignments.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Business, Sports, and Entertainment Executive Search Specialized executive recruitment services for professional sports leagues (NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, MLS, NASCAR, PGA Tour, USTA, US Olympic Committee), entertainment companies, studios, mass media networks, and corporate clients seeking C-suite, board, and senior management leaders.
• College Sports and Administration Executive Search Executive search services for collegiate athletic departments including athletic directors, head coaches, conference commissioners, and senior university administrators. The firm was the first outside firm to assist with an Athletic Director search in industry history and has worked with universities in 17 different conferences.
• Management Consulting Advisory services including organizational structure and assessment, internal professional development, board meeting preparation, business development presentation planning, market comps for large contracts, executive team building, and senior-level outplacement.

Quantifiable outcome

• Successfully placed over 65 senior administrators in collegiate athletics
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers31 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

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• EB 67 Holdings, LLCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded by Bob Beaudine to retain equity interests in promising emerging companies in the sports industry. Represents the firm's investment arm and strategic interest in sports technology and innovation.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• DHR Global: Privately held global executive search firm serving sports, entertainment, and corporate clients. Closely comparable as a mid-sized direct competitor for senior sports and entertainment executive placements with similar relationship-driven model and boutique positioning.
• Park Square Executive Search: Boutique executive search firm with strong sports, media, and entertainment practice. Directly comparable as a niche competitor for C-suite placements across professional leagues, teams, and collegiate athletic departments at a similar boutique scale.
• TurnkeyZRG (ZRG Partners): Executive search firm with a leading sports and entertainment practice. Direct competitor for NCAA athletic director, head coach, conference commissioner, and professional league executive searches, with comparable niche focus on collegiate athletics.

Broad incumbents

• Egon Zehnder: Global executive search and leadership advisory firm with a sports practice serving leagues, teams, federations, and governing bodies. Competes for similar senior executive roles across sports, media, and entertainment but at larger scale with a broader industry footprint.
• Heidrick & Struggles: Global executive search and leadership advisory firm with a strong Sports sector practice. Directly competes for C-suite sports roles (commissioners, team presidents, league executives) and operates at materially greater scale with broader geographic reach than Eastman & Beaudine.
• Spencer Stuart: One of the largest global executive search firms with a dedicated Sports Practice. Directly comparable as a C-suite and board-level search competitor across professional sports leagues, collegiate athletics, and corporate clients, but at significantly greater scale and broader industry coverage.
• Russell Reynolds Associates: Global executive search firm with established sports, media, and entertainment practice. Comparable on C-suite and board-level placements for professional leagues, teams, and corporate America, but with deeper technology, assessment, and global delivery capabilities.
• Korn Ferry: Global organizational consulting firm combining executive search with assessment, leadership development, and RPO services. Comparable on the executive search component across sports, entertainment, and corporate C-suite mandates, with a much larger portfolio of professional services.
• Odgers Berndtson: Global executive search firm with sports, media, and entertainment practice. Comparable as a competitor for senior sports executive roles (commissioners, CEOs, team presidents) with broader geographic reach across UK, Europe, and North America.

Emerging players

• WittKieffer: Executive search firm focused on healthcare, education, and sports leadership. Partially comparable via overlapping collegiate athletic director and university administrator searches, but primary focus is healthcare and higher education rather than professional sports.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses3 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/in/bobwho

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Eastman & Beaudine