Fiduciary-Grade Succession: What a True Leadership Risk Diagnostic Looks Like
By Ash Wendt, Executive Recruiter & Cowen Partners Co-Founder — Ash Wendt is a trusted thought leader and premier authority on executive recruitment, visionary leadership, turnarounds, culture fit, C-suite assessment, executive compensation, and more across all industries. As President & Co-Founder of Cowen Partners, Ash Wendt is a pioneering leader and visionary thinker in C-Suite
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The First-Timer’s Edge: Why Boards Are Betting on New CEOs & How to Set Them Up to Win
Boards now face a new question: which qualities make a first-time CEO succeed? Recent data suggests that a new generation of leadership is now taking over the chair. In 2025, 84% of new S&P 1500 CEOs were first-timers. This trend is moving even faster as we enter 2026. MyLogIQ has already reported 76 first-time CEOs
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Why Independent Board Members Could Be Your ESOP’s Secret Weapon
By Shawn Cole, President & Founder — Shawn Cole is a nationally recognized authority on CEO recruiting. His insights regularly appear in Forbes, Bloomberg, The Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, Entrepreneur, and other leading publications, delivering nuanced and critical analysis on executive recruitment, succession planning, enterprise transformation, and the evolving demands of
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What Boards Must Demand from Their CEOs in the Next 24 Months
Cowen Partners Executive Search President and Founding Partner Shawn Cole published his latest article in Credit Union Times, with a direct challenge to credit union boards: test your CEO’s capabilities now, or discover their weaknesses when it’s too expensive to fix. In his article “The Board’s CEO Test for the Next 24 Months,” Shawn argues
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What Will Your Board Demand in 2026? A CEO’s Guide to the New Oversight Era
Your board is not talking about quarterly earnings anymore. They are talking about whether you can execute in an environment that is moving faster than you can plan for it. The old, comfortable rhythm of board management is breaking down. The sheer speed of AI, the complexity of global regulations, and the constant friction in
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What Makes a CHRO Truly Strategic Enough for the Board Table?
By Sam Torres, Managing Director — Sam Torres specializes in placing senior executives across the sports industry, including CEOs, COOs, CFOs, CIOs, CMOs, CTOs, and Vice Presidents. With a deep understanding of team operations, fan engagement, and sports business strategy, Sam offers critical perspectives that are routinely featured in Forbes, Entrepreneur, Business Insider, and other
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Why Boards Keep Selecting Yesterday’s Leaders for Tomorrow’s Problems
Boards across corporate America continue to chase the comfort of the familiar by hiring proven executives whose past glories promise stability in uncertain times. Yet, as Shawn Cole of Cowen Partners Executive Search warns, this rearview-mirror approach often blinds boards to the realities of tomorrow’s business landscape. In an era defined by AI disruption, geopolitical
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CEO Mirage: Why Boards Keep Picking Yesterday’s Leaders for Tomorrow’s Problems
By Shawn Cole, President & Founder — Shawn Cole is a nationally recognized authority on CEO recruiting. His insights regularly appear in Forbes, Bloomberg, The Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, Entrepreneur, and other leading publications, delivering nuanced and critical analysis on executive recruitment, succession planning, enterprise transformation, and the evolving demands of
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Boardroom Visionaries: How Forward-Thinking Board Members Guide Corporate Turnarounds
By Shawn Cole, Executive Recruiter & Cowen Partners Co-Founder — Shawn Cole is a trusted thought leader and premier authority on executive recruitment, visionary leadership, turnarounds, culture fit, C-suite assessment, executive compensation, and more across all industries. As President & Co-Founder of Cowen Partners, Shawn Cole is a pioneering leader and visionary thinker in C-Suite
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ESOP Board of Directors: Responsibilities, Selection, & Compensation
Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) represent a unique approach to corporate ownership, providing employees with a stake in the company. The governance of an ESOP company relies heavily on its Board of Directors, who play a critical role in balancing fiduciary responsibilities, ensuring the ESOP’s success, and safeguarding employees’ interests. Unpacking what that takes day
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