Judith M. von Seldeneck Honored with AESC Lifetime Achievement Award

Association of Executive Search and Leadership Consultants Lifetime Achievement Award presented at annual global conference in New York 

Today at their annual AESC Global Conference in New York, the Association of Executive Search and Leadership Consultants (AESC) honored Judith (Judee) M. von Seldeneck, Founder and Chair at Diversified Search Group, with the AESC Lifetime Achievement Award for her distinguished career in executive search and leadership consulting.

 Karen Greenbaum, AESC President & CEO, commented: “I am very proud to recognize Judee von Seldeneck for her exemplary contribution to the profession. She has been a strong supporter of AESC for many years and a champion of the values and standards that represent excellence in our profession.” 

Judee has been a longtime AESC member and advocate for the profession. She first joined the AESC Board of Directors in 1989 and served as Chair from 2004 through 2005. In 2006, she was recognized for her longtime leadership for the profession with AESC’s Lifetime Achievement Award. She is the only leader ever to receive this award a second time. 

For more than 50 years, Judee has been a pioneer in the search industry. She is recognized as a trusted leader in placing senior-level executive talent for leading global companies and institutions, as well as building Diversified Search Group into one of Forbes top 10 executive search and leadership consulting firms in the nation.

"Judee is truly an icon, not only for her industry achievements but also for her community involvement. Her leadership shines through her civic engagement, philanthropy, and inclusive approach, ensuring others have a seat at the table and aiming to make a meaningful impact. Across our platform, colleagues from various sectors share this mindset, always striving to make a difference and challenge the status quo," said Aileen K. Alexander, CEO of DSG. "Her leadership has been instrumental in shaping DSG into one of the premier firms nationally. Her passion for excellence, relationship building, and commitment to our clients and employees have been inspiring and have set a high standard for our organization.”

Her career journey began as an executive assistant to Senator Walter F. Mondale, where she laid the groundwork for her illustrious career. In the early 1970s, Judee embarked on her path in executive search and acquired a small Philadelphia firm focused on promoting professional roles for women. By 1974, she had transformed it into Diversified Search Group.

Throughout her distinguished career, Judee has not only set the standard for retained executive search but has also been an active participant in various public, private, and nonprofit boards of directors. 

Additionally, Judee co-founded the Forum of Executive Women, the largest association of women business leaders in the Philadelphia area. In 2021, she established the JVS Philadelphia Fund for Women, providing a source of capital to women’s growth enterprises and resources, networking, and support to accelerate their growth.

Judee has served on numerous nonprofit Boards, including: 

• Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce (former Chair)
• Global Philadelphia Association
• Executive Committee of The Committee of Seventy
• Committee of 200
• Jefferson President’s Leadership Council

Ms. Von Seldeneck served as the Women’s Advisory Council Comcast NBC Universal Joint Diversity Council. She also previously served on many Boards, including:

• Philadelphia Chapter (Chair)
• Citizens Financial Group
• CoreStates Financial Group 
• Meridian Bancorp
• CEO Council for Growth
• International Women’s Forum
• Urban Affairs Partnership

Judee has also been recognized with numerous accolades and honors, including the prestigious William Penn Award and being named one of Forbes' Top 50 Entrepreneurs Over 50. She obtained a BA in Political Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

About the AESC Lifetime Achievement Award 

Bestowed since 1982, the AESC Lifetime Achievement Award is the capstone award for the profession. It honors significant, career-long achievements while recognizing the highest standards of work.  

About Diversified Search Group

Purpose. Progress. Performance.

Diversified Search Group (DSG) is the largest woman-founded and woman-led executive search firm in the world, and for five decades, has been driven by purpose, progress, and performance. Consistently recognized by Forbes as one of the Nation’s Top Retained Executive Search Firms, DSG is an industry leader in transformational leadership advisory for clients. The firm is deliberately different in its approach and is comprised of a combination of specialty practices with deep industry expertise, that together harness their collective resources to identify new leaders to meet the needs of our changing world. Diversified Search Group acquisitions include BioQuest, Koya Partners, Grant Cooper, Storbeck Search, Alta Associates, EWF and Yardstick Management.

Headquartered in Philadelphia, PA, DSG operates in over a dozen offices nationwide and offers global services as the exclusive U.S. partner of AltoPartners, the international alliance of independent executive search firms. For more information, visit diversifiedsearchgroup.com. 

About AltoPartners

Established in 2006, AltoPartners is a leading international alliance of retained executive search and leadership consulting firms that combines the reach of a global network with the local knowledge and entrepreneurial spirit of independent partners working together to find the client’s perfect candidate fit. Today the alliance covers 64 offices in 37 countries and is ranked in the Top 10 Global Search Firms.

The AltoPartners alliance has created a distinctive force in executive search worldwide, giving global coverage across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia Pacific. For more information about our work and the countries we cover, please visit altopartners.com.