Jenny Bergman
Senior Consultant
Picture this: a recording studio filled with instruments, three passionate board members perched on piano benches, and a conversation about something a bit less glamorous than music but just as critical to getting it right. When Music Columbus needed to find their next Executive Director, they didn’t wing it. They brought in Benefactor Group.
The result? A search process that converted even the self-described skeptic in the room.
The Players: A Powerful Executive Search Committee
Music Columbus’ mission is to nurture a community where people can prosper in the business of music while contributing to Columbus’ overall cultural and economic growth. To keep that mission humming, they needed leadership that could match their ambition.
Enter the search committee:
Robert Shenton
Former Board Chair at Music Columbus and Executive Director of the CEO Forum at the Ohio Chamber of Commerce
Lisa Jenkins-Oltz
Current Board Chair at Music Columbus and career artist manager
Joey Gurwin
Former Music Columbus Board Member and founder of and producer at Oranjudio Recording Studio.
Together, they partnered with Benefactor Group’s Talent practice to run a search that was professional, transparent, and—critically—kept everyone’s phones from catching fire.
Why Bring in A Nonprofit Executive Search Firm?
For Music Columbus, the question wasn’t whether to invest in a professional search—it was whether they could afford not to.
“Music Columbus desired a professional process,” Robert explained.
We’ve worked with you previously. We know your expertise in the arts. The idea that you could help run the process of getting candidates, be able to vet those candidates, and then bring us a qualified list of candidates while keeping the momentum and discipline of the process was something that we thought was very important.
—Robert Shenton
That structure also created needed distance in a highly connected network. Joey talked about how, in Columbus’ tight-knit music scene, nearly every serious candidate was someone he already knew, and many were people he’d known for years: “Being able to have that one degree of separation between myself and the candidate so my phone wasn’t constantly on fire was huge. I could just say, ‘Hey, Benefactor’s taking care of this. I signed an NDA so I can’t talk about this.’
Having that separation between me and people that I love and respect was worth its weight in gold, honestly.
—Joey Gurwin
The Executive Search Process: From Skeptical to All-In
The timeline was tight. Music Columbus wanted their new ED in place by January 2026, which meant the search kicked off in earnest in September, right around the time the group held what Robert called their “jam session” to align on the role.
“Beginning with the end in mind is an important part of the search process,” Robert said. “When you back that up, it is not a long time to do a search. Benefactor allowed us to get into the market quickly, generate candidates, and vet them as we went. Even working through the holidays, the quality of candidates exceeded expectations.”
“I can’t imagine if we were doing that internally,” Lisa reflected. “Looking back…it’s a huge job.”
Joey, meanwhile, admitted he came in cold. “I was actually very speculative of the process going into it. Maybe a little cynical. Yeah, very.”
He warmed up.
“It starts with Zoom meetings and I’m like, ‘Ugh, Zoom meetings.’ Then all of a sudden, it started building a momentum of its own. As cynical and as skeptical as I started out as, I was all in by the time we were doing the interviews.”
What Made the Difference
Three things stood out to the committee: expertise, freedom to focus, and accountability.
Lisa appreciated the depth of knowledge Benefactor Group brought.
Knowing the arts background that you have in Columbus, you gave input to us with certain aspects of the applicants that I thought was really knowledgeable. You would point out things that we hadn’t even addressed or talked about.
—Lisa Jenkins-Oltz
Robert said it was all about two things: momentum and discipline. Benefactor Group handled the administrative work—posting, vetting, scheduling—so the board could zero in on the real questions.
What that freed us up to do is that when it was our turn, we could come in and be focused on, ‘Are these the right people, or is this the right person to be the next Executive Director?’ We didn’t have to get into a lot of administrative things. That’s the reason to hire a firm like Benefactor.
—Robert Shenton
The interview structure itself made a difference. Scenario-based questions. Reports that asked candidates to think like an ED before they had the job. “You did a great job of putting them in positions where we could try to project how they would react in the role,” Robert noted. Those reports also gave the winning candidate a running start: “They already had a head start because the reports they did really give them a part of the plan that helps them get going.”
And then there was accountability. With a slate of strong candidates, decision paralysis was a real risk. Joey credited Benefactor Group for keeping the committee honest. “These candidates were all so solid that it could have easily gotten bogged down in indecision…you were really, really helpful with the accountability in that room.”
The Outcome
When asked about the high points of working with an executive search firm, Lisa kept it simple: “For me, I think I learned the value of a search company and Benefactor. We were the lucky recipients.”
Robert added, “Quality candidates, quality outcome, bright future.”
The interview ended just like the search process began—in a jam session. Before the board left, we spent some time listening to some great unreleased music and talking about all of the great upcoming music events happening in the city.
Ready to Find Your Next Leader?
If you’re looking for executive talent, the right search partner makes all the difference.
Contact Benefactor Group to learn how our Talent practice can help you find leadership.