Joel von Ranson Honored for Excellence in the Profession 

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

Today at their annual AESC Global Conference in New York, the Association of Executive Search and Leadership Consultants (AESC) honored Joel von Ranson, Consultant at Spencer Stuart, with the AESC Award of Excellence for his remarkable impact on the profession.  

Karen Greenbaum, AESC President & CEO, commented: “Joel exemplifies excellence in the profession, with his leadership acumen and passion for promoting next gen talent. I’m honored to recognize Joel with AESC’s Excellence Award.

Joel has been with Spencer Stuart since 2000, starting out as an associate and working his way up to become a renowned consultant and firm leader. He previously oversaw Spencer Stuart’s functional practices globally and was a member of the firm’s global practice leadership team.  

Joel’s commitment to people and culture are why he was named Spencer Stuart’s first-ever Americas People Committee chair. In this role, he focuses on expanding the firm’s people development culture, helping ensure world-class recruiting and retention, advancing their DE&I agenda and supporting an inclusive culture. He is also executive sponsor for Spencer Stuart’s LGBTQ+ affinity group. 

Throughout his career, Joel has demonstrated a passion for developing the next generation of leaders. While acting as the regional and global leader of the firm’s Financial Officers practice, the firm experienced one of the highest rates of associate promotions, with more than a quarter of the consultants being promoted from Spencer Stuart’s associate ranks. 

“This has contributed to more high-potential, young professionals joining our profession with the confidence that they will be able to successfully advance throughout their career,” explains one of his peers. “Joel has further supported the next generation by leading thoughtful, transparent and inclusive consultant promotion processes globally. This sets a consistently high bar and keeps talented professionals engaged, knowing their advancement is not simply based on who they are or whom they know.” 

By emphasizing impactful client outcomes and trusted advisory relationships, Joel has raised the bar for what the market can expect from their search and leadership partners. A colleague noted, “What is truly distinctive about Joel is how exceptional he is in client and candidate care and delivery of a thoughtful, rigorous process.” 

Joel also has taken an active role within the profession and his New York community. He:  

• Served as Principal Chair and Partner Chair of Spencer Stuart’s Nominating Committee, a group of partners charged with vetting and recommending consultants for election to principal and partner 
• Co-authored several articles on finance topics, including “Perspectives of Leading Audit Committee Chairs” 
• Been an expert speaker on topics including CFO trends, career planning and succession 
• Serves on the board of directors of Manhattan Theatre Club 
• Is a former member of the Museum of Modern Art’s Contemporary Arts Council 

One colleague says of Joel, “He is truly a force for good in our firm and our industry as a whole.” 

Prior to joining the executive search profession, Joel worked in senior roles at Time Warner and Condé Nast, and previously served as business manager and finance executive at The New Yorker magazine. He earned a Master of Business Administration in finance from the Stern Business School of Business at New York University and a bachelor’s degree with honors from George Washington University. 

About the AESC Award of Excellence

The AESC Award of Excellence honors individuals at the height of their careers who have made significant, outstanding contributions to the executive search and leadership consulting profession. Since 2000, this award has been given to recipients who promote AESC’s commitment to the highest professional standards through its Code of Professional Practice at their firm and within the profession.   

About the Association of Executive Search and Leadership Consultants  

Since 1959, AESC has set the quality standard for the executive search and leadership consulting profession. AESC Members represent 16,000+ trusted professionals in 1,200+ offices, spanning 70+ countries. AESC Members are recognized experts providing consulting services in the areas of leaders, teams and culture to the world’s leading organizations. They leverage their access and expertise to place more than 100,000 executives each year in board of directors and C-level positions across industry sectors. Dedicated to strengthening leadership together, AESC and its members share a deep commitment to the highest quality standards in executive search and leadership consulting—for the benefit of clients and the profession. We Shape. Connect. Educate. Innovate. Learn more about us at aesc.org. For AESC’s career service connecting executive-level candidates to the world’s leading executive search firms, visit bluesteps.com.