Search firm hired to find next Facilities VP

Seven weeks after Penn said goodbye to its top real estate officer, the search for his successor is heating up.

Penn officials have selected and hired a local executive search firm, Opus Partners, to help find a replacement for former Vice President for Facilities and Real Estate Omar Blaik, who resigned from his post in early April.

The entire process is expected to take around six months. In the meantime, School of Engineering and Applied Science Executive Director of Budget and Administration Thomas Stump is acting in an interim role.

Penn Executive Vice President Craig Carnaroli -- who is responsible for hiring Blaik's replacement -- said Opus Partners was hired because they have "extensive experience in comparable searches and with people based locally."

Carnaroli said that a description of the position has been posted online and that candidates are now welcome to apply directly on the Human Resources website.

He has also seen a first draft of possible candidates provided by Opus Partners, but declined to say how many prospectives were on the list.

"I expect that this job has generated a lot of interest and a lot of interesting names and candidates have surfaced," Carnaroli said. "There seems to be a very qualified, diverse and talented pool out there."

September 1 is the goal for the University to install a permanent Facilities head, and Carnaroli said he expects to meet that deadline -- which experts say is a reasonable timeline.

Ken Kring, Managing Partner of executive search firm Heidrick & Struggles International, said that searches can take anywhere from three months to a year and that Penn's goal of five months is reasonable.

Kring said that search firms typically contact prospective employees and develop an initial list of candidates.

"Once that slate of candidates is developed, it can [still] take anywhere from one to three months," he said. "Once the search firm has interesting prospects they will start communicating with the client about who is going to be interviewed."

Kring said it is not uncommon for candidates to go through three rounds of interviews before an offer is made to one candidate -- which hopefully is accepted.

"I always like to say you never extend an offer unless you know it is going to be accepted," Kring said.

Until a permanent replacement accepts the University's offer, Stump says he is happy to fill Blaik's shoes.

"I can't imagine a department that touches the lives of the faculty, students and staff more than this department," Stump said. "It's really quite challenging."

Stump did not relinquish his duties at the Engineering School when he took over for Blaik, however, and has worked both jobs full-time since early April.

"I have no aspirations whatsoever" to take over, Stump said. "It's been fun but it is a lot of work too."

The new Facilities head is going to have to possess management, operational, maintenance, and real estate skills in order to thrive, officials said.

"There is a number of facets for the qualifications," Carnaroli said. "It is a very complex, multi-dimensional job."

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