World's Most Influential Headhunters January 10, 2008, 2:39PM EST

Judith M. von Seldeneck

Chairman/CEO, Diversified Search, Ray & Berndtson

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Company Info: Ray & Berndtson

Web site: www.diversifedsearch.com

Address: 2005 Market St., Suite 3300, Philadelphia, Pa. 19103

Phone: 215-656-3550

E-mail: jvonseld@divsearch.com

Advice: Have confidence in what you know and bet on it, but keep a constant vigil on what you don’t know and figure out how to learn it sooner rather than later.

Qualities sought in emerging leaders: I look for people with character, integrity, humility, vision, high energy, personality, who are smart enough to know they didn’t get where they are without some luck and help from people who believed in them.

Sector specialization: Financial services, boards of directors, diversity, health care, nonprofit

Job function specialization: CEOs, CFOs, HR executives, corporate directors, marketing/branding heads

Geographical Focus: NA

Companies I often recruit for: Lincoln Financial Group; Citizens Bank; Pew Charitable Trust; Drexel Univ.; C&D Technologies

Favorite historical figure: President John F. Kennedy

Education: Univ. of North Carolina, BA, Political Science, 1962; American Univ. College of Law, 1964-65, no degree

Languages: English

Employment history: Ray & Berndtson, Chairman and CEO, Diversified Search, 1974 to present; Former VP Walter Mondale, Executive Assistant, 1964-72

Other interests: Golf, boating, travel

Professional/Membership Affiliations: Chair, Pennsylvania Chapter, NACD; AESC; Director, Citizens Bank; Director, Teleflex; Director, Tastykake; Forum of Executive Women; Co-Founder, International Women’s Forum

Experience in executive search consulting: 33 years

High Profile Placement: Rick Stengel, CEO, U.S. Constitution Center, 2003

Other paths I might have pursued: Politics

The global business trend that will most influence corporate performance in the future: Soaring oil prices and weakening dollar.