Mr. Michael A Wellman

biography

Mr. Wellman is Managing Partner and Founder of Jefferson Partners, LLC, a specialized provider of value-added executive search and leadership development services. With over 18 years of retainer executive search experience, Mr. Wellman's strength has been his ability to quickly identify CEOs, CFOs and other senior line executives who create significant strategic change and measurable improvement in their company's total business performance.

He has conducted over 400 senior executive searches, serving Fortune 500, middle-market, and early-stage emerging new businesses. His client industries include communications and other advanced technology, manufactured goods, biotechnology, consumer products and services, financial services and professional services.

Prior to his founding of Jefferson Partners, he served as Chief Talent Officer of Comstellar Technologies, Inc., a leading private equity/venture capital firm focusing on next-generation communications investments.

Before Comstellar Technologies, he was President of Global Specialty Practices for Korn/Ferry International, Inc. (NYSE: KFY), the world's leading retainer executive search firm.

As one of four operating presidents, he focused on the expansion of Korn/Ferry's cutting-edge search capabilities delivered via more than 20 key industry and functional specialty practices serving clients globally.

He also managed Korn/Ferry's flagship New York Office, the largest of its kind in the United States. He also oversaw six Korn/Ferry offices covering the Northeastern U.S. and Canada. In 1997, he was elected to the firm's Board of Directors, assisting in Korn/Ferry's 1998 IPO and its launch of Futurestep, Korn/Ferry's on-line recruitment service.

Prior to entering the executive search profession in 1984, Mr. Wellman held professional and executive positions with Bain & Company, Lakewood Plantation Company, Inc., Wellman, Inc., and Chemical Bank, N.A.

Mr. Wellman holds an MBA degree from the University of Virginia’s Colgate Darden Graduate School of Business. He also earned his BS degree in commerce, with distinction, from the McIntire School at the University of Virginia.