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Harold T. Epps Joins Diversified Search as Senior Advisor

Veteran Philadelphia executive will focus on business development, client relationships in new role

Judith M. von Seldeneck, Founder and Chair of Diversified Search, announced that Harold T. Epps, who most recently served as Director of Commerce for the City of Philadelphia, will join Diversified Search in the role of Senior Advisor, effective March 16th. He will be based in the firm’s Philadelphia headquarters office.

In his new role, Epps will work on business development across Diversified Search’s 16 industry and functional practices. He will split his time between Diversified Search and Bellevue Strategies, the government relations firm he recently joined as advisor on economic development projects.

“As someone who has known Harold Epps both professionally and personally for many years, I am thrilled to have him officially join the Diversified Search family,” said von Seldeneck. “His deep knowledge of business and commerce, his impressive network of colleagues and contacts, and, most important, his personal integrity and tireless work around DEI make him the perfect fit as we continue to grow and expand.”

Prior to working for the City, Epps was Vice Chairman of the Board of PRWT Services, where he served as President and CEO from 2007 to 2014. One of America’s largest minority-owned firms, PRWT is a $100 million provider of high-performance business solutions, facilities management, and infrastructure support services. Epps’s prior executive roles include positions with Quadrant, Menasha Corporation, and Polaroid; at the latter, he oversaw subsidiaries and divisions with 2,000 employees and annual revenues approaching $175 million.

“I have tremendous respect for Judee and Diversified CEO Dale Jones, and am thrilled to become part of the exciting ecosystem of Diversified Search,” Epps said. “I am confident that I can contribute in a mutually beneficial manner.”

Throughout his career, Epps has built a stellar reputation for positioning organizations for sustained growth, successfully managing change and restructuring, improving efficiency, spurring innovation, and maintaining a focus and discipline of continuous process and performance improvement. His personal commitment to workforce development and diversity and inclusion continue to drive his civic and board activities. Epps currently serves as Co-Chairman of the Comcast National African-American Advisory Council and as a member of the Board of Trustees of Community College of Philadelphia. Formerly, he served as Chairman of the African-American Museum of Philadelphia, as a member of the North Carolina Central University Board of Trustees, and as an executive committee member of both the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce and The Urban League of Philadelphia. A graduate of North Carolina Central University, Epps earned his MBA at Western New England University. He was awarded an honorary doctorate of humane letters from Pierce College of Philadelphia.

Epps’s arrival at Diversified Search comes at a time of unprecedented growth for the firm, which was founded by von Seldeneck in 1974 and is today one of the largest executive search firms in the U.S., with offices in 11 cities across the country. In the last year alone Diversified Search has acquired three notable search firms—Koya Leadership Partners, based in Boston; Grant Cooper, based in St. Louis; and Storbeck Search & Associates, based in Media, PA—and formed The Diversified Search Group, a combined entity with more than 300 employees and annual revenues in excess of $100 million. The firm continues to explore other acquisitions, part of an aggressive multi-year growth strategy that is creating a new model in the executive search field. Diversified Search also continues in its role as the official U.S. member of AltoPartners, the international alliance of global search firms with offices in 53 cities across 31 countries worldwide. Both von Seldeneck and Diversified Search CEO Dale E. Jones serve on the AltoPartners board.

“Harold Epps is one of the many trailblazers in business who forged a path for the African-American executives who have come after them, including me,” said Jones. “I could not be prouder to have Harold’s advice, guidance, and counsel as we continue on our path to establish The Diversified Search Group as the nation’s premier provider of great and innovative leaders.”

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