Executive Search Team

This page contains an abbreviated background summary for each of our four senior consultants. Please click on the individual names below for more detailed information.

A well-balanced group of senior executives with functional specialties highlighted…our executive search team is listed in the order in which each joined the firm.

Jim Hicks-Founder & President — New York – HQ Office—General Management:  Jim began his executive search career with the prominent international firm, Egon Zehnder, in the late eighties. As the former C.O.O of Nautica and Executive VP of Polo Ralph Lauren in NYC, he developed the reputation of a strong leader who placed a lot of emphasis on bringing in the best possible talent for key positions.  Jim brings a multi-industry background to the search business as well as well-balanced functional experience in operations and general management.  A former U.S. Coast Guard officer, he earned an engineering degree from Auburn University and an MBA from the University of Hawaii. He began his business career in 1972 with Kurt Salmon Associates, the highly regarded retail & consumer products consulting firm.

Tony Brooks-Managing Director-Chicago Office—–Multi-Purpose Athlete: A two-time Olympian, a former consultant with Arthur D. Little & Kurt Salmon Associates, and a multi-industry generalist, Tony is the most diversified member of our team. Since receiving his AB with honors form Harvard University in 1972, Tony’s career has spanned such industries as financial services, healthcare, environmental services, consumer products, energy, plastics and telecommunications.  Also, just prior to earning his Harvard MBA in 1979, Tony worked in Washington as a management analyst on key projects within the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Bob Wyatt, Ph.D.-Managing Director-Dallas Office—–Human Resources:  As a former principal with Korn/Ferry, Bob brings well over ten years of senior level executive search experience to Ansley Consulting.  With a degree in Psychology from Denison University, he went on the earn an MBA and a Ph.D. from Golden Gate University in San Francisco…doing his dissertation on the employee selection process.  A twenty-year retail veteran, Bob held such positions as EVP of Human Resources for The Broadway Southern California and was the first Corporate VP of HR for The Bombay Company in Fort Worth.  Bob’s educational and subsequent work experience makes him ideally suited to participate in all of our assignments.

Molly Baskin-Managing Director-Chicago Office—–Financial: Molly began her career in the late seventies with Ernst & Whinney, where her audit clients included financial institutions, high technology companies, and consumer products. Next, she spent six years in various financial roles with Coca-Cola followed by six years with the Bank of Montreal. A graduate of Wellesley College and The Harvard Business School, Ms. Baskin brings a diversified financial and multi-industry background to our practice. A resident of Chicago, she freely gives much of her time to a number of charitable causes and is a member of the Board of Directors of Nasdaq-traded American Capital Strategies, Inc.