San Jacinto River Authority Case Study

Carl J. Taylor & Co. was selected from more than a dozen executive search firms to assist the Board of Directors of the San Jacinto River Authority in appointing its new General Manager. The current GM was retiring, and a new leader was required for the organization as it continued its significant recent growth and pursued some major programs and capital improvements.

The Board of Directors appointed a Search Committee to lead the effort to select the new General Manager. The Search Committee sought feedback from, and met with, a variety of qualified executive search firms. The Committee selected Carl J. Taylor & Co. for a variety of reasons, including the firm’s focus on the Authority’s specific needs and issues, the Authority would benefit from the hands on involvement of a senior level search consultant, and the firm’s commitment of time and effort to meet the Board’s schedule.

The General Manager serves as the lead officer of the San Jacinto River Authority, and he/she reports to the Board of Directors. The successful candidate for this position would have a demonstrated track record of management/organizational leadership in a river authority or other Texas based water/wastewater company. The characteristics and experiences for this person included the ability to set the strategic direction for the Authority, a thorough knowledge of all financial aspects of the water/wastewater industry, very strong communications and public relations skills interfacing with a wide variety of constituencies, knowledge of the Texas water regulatory environment, and experience in working with the Texas Water Development Board, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, and other industry groups in Austin.

Carl J. Taylor & Co. met with Board members, selected management team members and others to develop an appreciation of the culture of the organization and a clear understanding of the person being sought for this role. The firm identified and contacted a wide range of candidates to determine their qualifications and interest in the position. Qualified candidates were evaluated, and the Search Committee made its recommendation to the Board.

Throughout the search assignment, Carl J. Taylor & Co. worked closely with the Search Committee to ensure its understanding of the process, what the firm was learning about the marketplace and potential candidates, and any issues that arose. The firm maintained candid, open lines of communication through frequent meetings and conference calls.

At the successful completion of the search, the President of the Board of Directors commented to Carl Taylor, “Thanks for all your valuable help and support in making this an open and successful selection process. Your experience and insight were critical to the process and being able to work ‘one-on-one’ with you helped to expedite the selection.”