Ensuring excellence in education requires strong leadership every step of the way, from pre-K to post-grad.

PES' commitment to expanding and diversifying its corporate practice in the business of sports enjoyed unprecedented momentum in 1Q 2014. PES leveraged its proven search process in sports, completing successful searches for four key executives for the College Football Hall of Fame (CFHOF).

The TJX Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TJX) has announced the hiring of Phuong Thanh Hau as AVP, Director of Import Logistics. She previously served as Senior Manager, International Transportation with Target Corporation.

Synovus Financial Corporation (NYSE:SNV) has announced the hiring of Kent Osborn as Retail Product Group Executive. He previously served as First Vice President with SunTrust Banks, Inc.

More than 400 business and sports executives attended the fourth annual Business of Sports Summit Friday morning in downtown Atlanta. ESPN analyst Lee Corso and Sports Business Journal Executive Editor Abe Madkour were keynote speakers for the event.

Executive talent is always an organization's most valuable asset.

Nashville is a city in the national spotlight, increasingly landing on "best of" lists that range from economic diversity to entertainment and food to the health care industry.

When economic markets collapsed in 2008, the retained executive-search industry slowed dramatically. According to the New York-based Association of Executive Search Consultants (AESC) trade group, world-wide industry revenues fell 32% in 2009 and hundreds of consultants left the field.

LeasePlan USA has hired Bob Barna as its sales vice president of strategic accounts and Steve Arkon as its sales vice president of national accounts. Barna and Arkon will be responsible for generating new business relationships for the company, according to LeasePlan.

The Nashville Public Education Foundation has chosen former Bredesen administration staffer Shannon Hunt to be its new president.