Services

Retained Search

L•W•Foote Company is a retained executive search firm specializing in searches for leaders in the top three tiers of management. These positions include, but are not limited to, C-suite officers, vice presidents and directors. Our rigorous and systematic approach finalizes the casework to state the expectations of the position, the required credentials, the recruitment message, and document the roadmap in building the candidate pool and the justification of the chosen candidate.

By partnering with our clients to identify the unique business challenges and showcase the organization’s distinctions, our leadership makes the recruitment process effective and successful. We accomplish this while directing every aspect of the search process to ensure it is staged correctly and produces the highest impact players.

L•W•Foote Company’s proven methods of motivating career changes, combined with our principals’ understanding of leadership, enables us to routinely produce the most promising candidates. You choose from among the most appropriate and influential leaders, basing your decision upon extensive evidence. L•W•Foote Company presents you with eminently suitable candidates for your position and a wealth of information about their qualifications, including a detailed appraisal report, in-depth profiles and references checks.

The duration of the search depends not only on the deftness but also on your input, involvement and resources. Ongoing progress reports will keep you apprised of the status of the search.

Partnering with L•W•Foote Company is an investment in your organization’s long-term success. Our candidate selections consistently make significant contributions in terms of services rendered, improved market share, customer satisfaction, new products, technology advancements, and other innovations. We welcome the opportunity to assist you in identifying and satisfying your demand for executive talent.

Consulting

Project-based consultative services to management are available in defining the talent management issues of the organization. Additionally, L•W•Foote Company will engage separately to do specific reference background checks to assure full disclosure of credentials. Many times, when a firm on its own initiative locates a candidate, we will engage to conduct the due diligence in background checks. Because of the level of our work, we bring expertise to this task rarely found within the organization. Referencing work at senior levels requires a unique skill-set to push beyond the common cliques and seek out the most discriminating attributes of the candidate. Our experience and wisdom is brought forth to surface the full parameters and often hidden behaviors which may impact the talent fit.

Onboarding

Whether it is a new entrant to the organization or a promotion to a new position, the onboarding process is a critical stage for success. Serious contemplation has taken place for the selection for the new executive in the position, and now the engagement must be mapped to integrate them for the challenges ahead. Our program addresses the key reasons for failure, which can be avoided. The themes include the learning curve, alignment, strategies, team building, coalitions, execution of plans, feedback mechanisms, and balance. Navigating the culture with defined objectives is only accomplished with total participation from the team. But, the greatest burden is on the individual in the new chair and their supervisor. Our best recommendation is to give them the needed assistance––the coaching to assure their success––and don’t allow for any unnecessary risk. Onboarding programs are offered for 90 or 120 days.

Mission

Our mission is infusing organization with pivotal new leaders. Our comprehensive, proven search process results in enthusiastic leaders capable of making significant contributions to your organization.

History

Lee Foote founded the company in 1983 as a result of his passion to bring new leadership to organizations. Now in the second generation, Dwayne Foote has taken over the helm to continue the rich legacy of work. Over the years, the firm has conducted more than 400 executive search assignments. Industry sectors served have been broad and diverse, with a concentration in a host of nonprofit organizations, technology, manufacturing, consumer goods, retail, healthcare, and a variety of service industries. The majority of the work is repeat business with former clients. Many firms have engaged services over multiple years; a marquee client has engaged for 20 years and 50 executive searches. L•W•Foote Company made a significant contribution building the senior management team of this billion-dollar enterprise. Organizations served are from across the country with positions scattered throughout the nation. While each search is dictated by the specifics of the situation, regional and national sourcing of candidates is traditional.

Management Team

Leland W. Foote

“I know from experience how an infusion of dynamic leadership will move an organization forcefully towards prosperity and growth. Organizations who don’t do this periodically will have difficulty maintaining growth or even surviving in today’s competitive business environment.”

–– Leland W. Foote, Founder

A professional executive search consultant since 1983, Lee Foote has earned a solid reputation for results. His distinctive style combines personable communications skills with diligent work habits. He is dedicated, thorough and quick to understand his client’s needs. He can converse on an informed basis in a variety of industry sectors and possesses a unique ability to attract talented leaders for even the most demanding positions.

Using the keen understanding of the entrepreneur in addition to his recruiting skills, Lee has helped set a successful course for numerous organizations. He has advised organizations in every stage of growth and served as confidant during the periods of transition.

His valuable insight into the characteristics of leadership, the dynamics of successful entities, and the motivations of career change have allowed Lee much success in this profession. He has an exceptional ability to define the expected contributions of a role and match that to the capabilities of a winning candidate. Clients say Lee’s investigative work is far above industry norms.

Lee holds a Master’s degree from Oregon State University. He has consulted with senior executives and CEOs on strategic organization changes.

His successful recruiting methods have been developed into a formalized search process used with great success by L•W•Foote Company. The firm’s uncompromising standards of quality are constantly under Lee Foote’s auspices.

When leisure time allows, Lee enjoys family, golf, fishing, reading, and a passion for the classic restoration of his 1947 Cadillac Coupe.

Dwayne S. Foote

“It is said the spirit of an organization comes from the top. Superior and passionate leaders and managers are a necessity for any enterprise to achieve its potential. Whether public, private, or nonprofit, the need for superior leadership, vision, and performance are the same.”

–– Dwayne S. Foote, President

Dwayne Foote leverages his 20 years of successful experience as a business owner to understand the management needs and issues an enterprise faces in the day-to-day challenges for meeting the organization’s strategic plan. His business ownership background, training, and entrepreneurial spirit position him well to build superior management teams for a wide variety of enterprises, both for-profit and not-for-profit.

With almost a decade of experience in executive search, Dwayne has helped clients ranging from entrepreneurial startups to Fortune 500 companies and international nonprofits address needs in all areas of functional management, including general management.

His successful approach to recruiting is enhanced by his competence to completely understand the client’s needs and culture fit for the successful candidate. In-depth candidate evaluations and reference reporting provide for a successful match.

Dwayne’s undergraduate work from Seattle Pacific University is in Business Marketing, with continuing education dealing with leadership development and business organizational issues.

When not working, Dwayne enjoys spending time with family, philanthropic activities, and building things with his hands. He is an avid outdoorsman, venturing to the great outdoors of the Pacific Northwest whenever possible.