Chesapeake Search Partners

What Chesapeake Search Partners does

Chesapeake Search Partners (CSP) is a privately held professional executive search and recruiting firm founded in 2013 and headquartered in Towson, Maryland, in the Baltimore-Washington DC region. The firm provides retained, exclusive, contingent, and contract placement services for mid-level to C-suite roles, spanning 19 functional areas (Accounting & Finance, IT, HR, Legal, Sales, Marketing, Operations, etc.) and 14 industry verticals (Financial Services, Healthcare, Real Estate, Technology/SaaS, PE/VC/IB, Construction, Manufacturing, and others). CSP serves employer clients nationwide through a relationship-driven, direct sales motion with no proprietary technology platform; the model relies on the human expertise and networks of its consultant team.

CSP generates revenue through professional-services fees across four placement streams — retained, exclusive, contingent, and contract — supplemented in 2023 by the launch of Chesapeake HR Solutions, a wholly-owned subsidiary offering fractional HR support, HR consulting, executive coaching, and outplacement services. Go-to-market is sales-led and consultant-led, supported by content marketing (blog, LinkedIn newsletters such as "The KS Perspective" and "The Long Game"), a monthly email engagement report, regional community engagement (Baltimore-area HR associations, industry conferences, "Intern of the Week" program), and earned media in the Baltimore Business Journal. Customer segments are diversified by industry vertical and function rather than by company size, serving mid-market through enterprise employers primarily across the Mid-Atlantic with stated nationwide reach.

Operationally, the firm has expanded meaningfully around its 10-year milestone in 2023, nearly tripling its office footprint and adding two practice areas (IT and HR Solutions), with leadership promotions including Johnny Black as Managing Partner (2024), Jason Nemoy as Partner (2022), and Kate Strzelczyk as Assistant Practice Director – Real Estate & Financial Services (2024). Independent analyst recognition (Baltimore Business Journal) places CSP in the top tier of Greater Baltimore professional search firms. The firm is entirely founder-controlled with no institutional, private equity, or parent-company ownership identified.

Name

Chesapeake Search Partners

Legal name

Chesapeake Search Partners

Website

https://chesapeakesearchpartners.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Chesapeake Search Partners is a Towson, Maryland-based professional executive search firm, founded in 2013, that delivers retained, exclusive, contingent, and contract placements for mid-level to C-suite roles across 19 functional areas and 14 industry verticals, with a wholly-owned HR consulting subsidiary called Chesapeake HR Solutions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Executive Search & Recruitment Services

NAICS

Executive Search Services (561312), Employment Placement Agencies and Executive Search Services (56131), Management Consulting Services (54161)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

C-Suite & Board Search (BPACAAAA)

Keywords

• Executive search services
• Professional recruiting
• Talent acquisition
• HR consulting
• Leadership hiring

Headquarters

HQ city

Towson

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. Retained Search: CSP provides retained search services where clients engage the firm on an exclusive basis for specific searches, typically for senior-level or executive positions.
2. Exclusive Search: Exclusive search engagements where CSP works exclusively for the client on a particular search.
3. Contingent Search: Contingent placement services where compensation is contingent on successful placement.
4. Contract Placement: Contract staffing services for organizations needing temporary or contract-based talent solutions.
5. HR Consulting Services: Through Chesapeake HR Solutions, the firm offers fractional HR support, HR consulting, executive coaching, and outplacement services, supporting companies beyond hiring.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Chesapeake Search Partners is a professional search and recruiting firm that delivers retained, exclusive, contingent, and contract placement services for mid-level to C-suite roles across 19 functional areas and 14 industry verticals. Through its Chesapeake HR Solutions division, CSP also provides fractional HR support, HR consulting, executive coaching, leadership development, outplacement, and career coaching services to employer clients nationwide from its Baltimore-Washington DC base.

Product overview

Chesapeake Search Partners (CSP) operates as a professional search and recruiting firm offering a unified service portfolio centered on executive search and HR consulting. The core offering is Professional & Executive Search, providing retained, exclusive, contingent, and contract placement services across 19 functional areas and 14 industry verticals. The subsidiary brand Chesapeake HR Solutions extends the portfolio with fractional HR support, executive coaching, and outplacement services. Candidate Resources provides free downloadable guides for job seekers. The company serves clients nationwide from its Baltimore-Washington, DC base.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Professional & Executive Search Full-service professional search and recruiting covering retained, exclusive, contingent, and contract placement for mid-level to C-suite roles across diverse industries. Employer-facing offering that identifies, qualifies, and places candidates for permanent, contract, and executive positions.
• Chesapeake HR Solutions HR consulting subsidiary (sub-brand) offering fractional HR support, HR consulting, executive coaching, and outplacement services to strengthen employer HR infrastructure and enable long-term growth. A wholly-owned service extension of CSP.
• Fractional & Interim HR Support Flexible HR leadership support from Chesapeake HR Solutions for organizations that do not require a full-time HR leader, including project work such as employee handbook development and performance management programs.
• Executive Coaching & Leadership Development Coaching services for organizations undergoing transitions, facing cultural or leadership challenges, or seeking to develop their leaders, including DISC assessment certification, delivered by Chesapeake HR Solutions consultants.
• Outplacement & Career Coaching Specialized program from Chesapeake HR Solutions helping employees transitioning through layoffs or workforce reductions find new opportunities through resume support, LinkedIn optimization, interview coaching, and networking guidance.

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Robert Half: Robert Half is the largest specialized talent solutions firm globally, offering direct-hire, contract, and executive search across finance, technology, legal, and administrative functions. It is a broad incumbent against Chesapeake Search Partners given overlap in mid-level professional and finance/accounting placements, though Robert Half operates at vastly greater scale.
• Heidrick & Struggles: Heidrick & Struggles is a global executive search and leadership advisory firm serving C-suite and board mandates across all major industries. It is a broad incumbent peer given direct overlap in retained executive search, though it operates globally and focuses on the very top of the market.
• Spencer Stuart: Spencer Stuart is a premier global executive search firm specializing in CEO, board, and senior leadership search. It is a broad incumbent comparable to CSP on retained executive search methodology but competes in a much higher-mandate segment with global reach.
• Korn Ferry: Korn Ferry is a global organizational consulting firm combining executive search with talent management and RPO services. It is a broad incumbent comparable to CSP's combination of retained search and HR consulting via Chesapeake HR Solutions, but at far greater scale.

Direct peers

• Kforce: Kforce is a professional staffing firm providing direct-hire and contract placement in technology, finance, and accounting. It is a direct peer to CSP given overlapping focus on professional and mid-level placements in similar functional areas and industries.
• Lucas Group: Lucas Group (now part of Korn Ferry) was a North American mid-market executive search firm specializing in placements across functional areas including finance, HR, sales, marketing, and operations. It is a direct peer to CSP given similar mid-market, multi-functional retained and contingent search focus.
• DHR Global: DHR Global is an executive search firm operating across the Americas, EMEA, and APAC with practices in multiple industries and functional areas. It is a direct peer to CSP given similar retained and contingent search model serving mid-level to C-suite placements.
• Caldwell: Caldwell is a North American executive search firm offering retained and contingent search across multiple industries and functional areas. It is a direct peer to CSP given similar focus on mid-market professional and executive placements with multi-industry coverage.

Emerging players

• Insight Global: Insight Global is a rapidly growing staffing and talent solutions firm focused on IT, finance, accounting, and engineering placements. It is an emerging player comparable to CSP on professional staffing overlap, particularly in IT practice areas where CSP has expanded.

Regional players

• Bettaway Talent Acquisitions: Bettaway is a Mid-Atlantic-based talent acquisition and staffing firm serving logistics, supply chain, and operational roles. It is a regional peer to CSP given geographic overlap in the Mid-Atlantic market and similar professional placement service model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/CSPRecruiting
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chesapeake-search-partners
• Instagraminstagram.com/chesapeakesearchpartners
• Xx.com/CSP_Recruiting

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Subsidiaries1 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 Chesapeake Search Partners