Youngblood Executive Search, Inc. Value Added Leadership Talent

We also offer Value-Added Services such as mini-search projects (to compare internal candidates), competitive intelligence and benchmarking.

For select clients, we offer a Customized Talent Identification Service that focuses on identifying high-potential candidates for bench strength positions.

YES, Inc. offers state of the art candidate evaluation through assessment interviews, leadership profiles and thorough reference checks.

Our work doesn't stop with just presenting finalist candidates, we assist our clients in the difficult and sensitive task of employment offer and design and negotiation. We also assist finalist candidates with the sensitive issue of leaving current employers where they are highly regarded.

We believe so strongly in the quality of our work that a one year candidate replacement guarantee extends to all search and selection assignments should the chosen candidate not remain on the job.

Ava D. Youngblood
President and CEO
Ava D. Youngblood, President and CEO of Youngblood Executive Search, Inc., and possessing over 25 years of corporate and recruiting experience founded Youngblood Executive Search, Inc. in 2002. Youngblood Executive Search, Inc. recruits high impact executive leadership talent for its clients who trust their broad experience and ability to recruit diverse talent.

Before founding Youngblood Executive Search, Ms. Youngblood was Senior Vice President with the executive search firm of Deborah Snow Walsh, Inc. (DSW, Inc.). She was responsible for business development and maintaining client relationships. Ms. Youngblood successfully expanded the firm's client relationships into the energy, pharmaceutical, technology, telecommunications and insurance industries.

Before DSW, Inc., Ms. Youngblood spent nineteen years in the global energy/petrochemical industry with BP (Amoco). Prior to joining DSW, Inc., Ms. Youngblood was responsible for creating and leading Amoco's Corporate-wide Competitive Intelligence network and providing insightful Competitive Intelligence briefings to senior executive clients for merger & acquisition, investment and portfolio strategy decisions. Her major fields of interest are leadership assessment, competitive strategy development, strategic marketing, organizational change and information technology utilization. Prior to this position which she held for five years, Ms. Youngblood held positions of increasing responsibility at Amoco in Research and Development, Operations Planning, Logistics, Quality Management, Sales and Marketing, Executive Development, and Strategic Planning.

Ms. Youngblood serves on the Board of Trustees of Northwestern University and on the Board of Directors of the Northwestern University School of Engineering Advisory Council, Herzing College Chicago Communities in Schools, Women Work!, and University of Chicago Graduate School of Business Black Alumni Association. She is the immediate past president of the Northwestern University Alumni Association, past president of the Society of Competitive Intelligence Professionals (SCIP). Ms. Youngblood is a past Director of INROADS/Chicago and past Chairman of the Conference Board's Competitive Analysis Council. She is also a member of the University of Chicago Women's Business Group, National INROADS Executive Alumni Roundtable, National Black MBA Association and former Scout Leader for Holy Angels Cub Pack 3484. In addition to being a frequent speaker, Ms. Youngblood has been featured in the book, Mother Leads Best, and numerous magazines including Business Week, Forbes, Working Woman and Information Technology.

Ava is a graduate of Northwestern University, where she earned a bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering and the University of Chicago, Graduate School of Business where she earned her MBA.