Company lists · Data refreshed September 2026

Top 25 Retained executive search firms based in Chicago, United States

Name: Retained executive search firms based in Chicago, United States
Creator: RevenueBase
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Compiled by the RevenueBase Data Team Data refreshed Sep 14, 2026 272 companies tracked

RevenueBase identified 272 company matches for retained executive search firms associated with Chicago, United States as of September 2026 and tracks 10,268 professional contacts across them, including 4,603 with verified work emails. Across the United States, New York is the largest hub for this category (675 companies); Chicago follows with 272.

This list covers company matches for retained executive search firms associated with Chicago, United States, found by RevenueBase SmartSearch using the meaning of business descriptions in its company graph at Exact. Ranked by professionals tracked, largest first. Rows show recorded descriptions where available, Exact search membership and the snapshot date. Data refreshed September 14, 2026.

Published by RevenueBase, a B2B data infrastructure company. This list was built with RevenueBase SmartSearch, the natural-language company search RevenueBase customers use to build their own targeted lists and unlock verified emails and direct dials at the companies on them. How these lists are built and judged.

How to read this list RevenueBase SmartSearch · Exact Recorded Sep 14, 2026 How this list was built

272Companies

10,268Contacts tracked

4,603Verified emails

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The 25 largest retained executive search firms based in Chicago, United States

Ranked by team size

Top 25 of 272 company matches for retained executive search firms based in Chicago, United States, ordered by professional contacts tracked in RevenueBase, largest first. Recorded Sep 14, 2026. The RevenueBase SmartSearch column shows Exact match membership in this saved search. Click a contact count to view that company's people. Totals use company locations recorded by RevenueBase; the displayed preview is a smaller selection.
#	Company	RevenueBase SmartSearch	Headquarters	Employees	Contacts
1	Heidrick & Struggles	Exact match	Chicago, IL, United StatesHQ recorded Sep 14, 2026	1,001-5,000	3,376 contacts →
	Exact match “Heidrick & Struggles is the premier provider of executive search, corporate culture and leadership consulting services.” Recorded in the RevenueBase company graph · Sep 14, 2026 · View company records in RevenueBase
2	Spencer Stuart	Exact match	Chicago, IL, United StatesHQ recorded Sep 14, 2026	1,001-5,000	2,889 contacts →
	Exact match Recorded description not available. Recorded in the RevenueBase company graph · Sep 14, 2026 · View company records in RevenueBase
3	DHR Global	Exact match	Chicago, IL, United StatesHQ recorded Sep 14, 2026	501-1,000	656 contacts →
	Exact match “For more than 35 years, DHR has been a leading provider of executive search, leadership consulting and emerging leader search solutions, serving more than 60 markets around the…” Recorded in the RevenueBase company graph · Sep 14, 2026 · View company records in RevenueBase
4	Connect Search, LLC	Exact match	Chicago, IL, United StatesHQ recorded Sep 14, 2026	51-200	310 contacts →
	Exact match “Connect Search, LLC is a boutique staffing firm founded by a group of partners who share the same vision and are all recruiters at heart.” Recorded in the RevenueBase company graph · Sep 14, 2026 · View company records in RevenueBase
5	SBI Partners	Exact match	Chicago, IL, United StatesHQ recorded Sep 14, 2026	n/a	295 contacts →
	Exact match “SBI Partners is a boutique search firm with 50 years of combined recruitment experience specializing in the placement of Accounting, Finance and Supply Chain professionals.” Recorded in the RevenueBase company graph · Sep 14, 2026 · View company records in RevenueBase
6	Synectics INC	Exact match	Chicago, IL, United StatesHQ recorded Sep 14, 2026	201-500	248 contacts →
	Exact match Recorded description not available. Recorded in the RevenueBase company graph · Sep 14, 2026 · View company records in RevenueBase
7	Signium	Exact match	Chicago, IL, United StatesHQ recorded Sep 14, 2026	51-200	156 contacts →
	Exact match “What got us here won’t get us there… Business today is more volatile and unpredictable than ever.” Recorded in the RevenueBase company graph · Sep 14, 2026 · View company records in RevenueBase
8	Hirewell	Exact match	Chicago, IL, United StatesHQ recorded Sep 14, 2026	51-200	134 contacts →
	Exact match “Hirewell is a global talent solutions provider that combines domain expert recruiters with modern hiring strategy to deliver people who make a difference.” Recorded in the RevenueBase company graph · Sep 14, 2026 · View company records in RevenueBase
9	Ferguson Partners	Exact match	Chicago, IL, United StatesHQ recorded Sep 14, 2026	51-200	106 contacts →
	Exact match “As a global talent management boutique serving all industries and with a strong concentration of real assets, healthcare, hospitality, and private equity clients, Ferguson…” Recorded in the RevenueBase company graph · Sep 14, 2026 · View company records in RevenueBase
10	FELIX	Exact match	Chicago, IL, United StatesHQ recorded Sep 14, 2026	51-200	106 contacts →
	Exact match “Felix is a North American-based talent and organizational advisor with over 30 years of successful client engagements.” Recorded in the RevenueBase company graph · Sep 14, 2026 · View company records in RevenueBase
11	Hunt Club	Exact match	Chicago, IL, United StatesHQ recorded Sep 14, 2026	51-200	105 contacts →
	Exact match “Hunt Club is an executive search firm for pre- and post-IPO companies, private equity and venture capital firms, and their portfolio business leaders who require access to…” Recorded in the RevenueBase company graph · Sep 14, 2026 · View company records in RevenueBase
12	Harmer	Exact match	Chicago, IL, United StatesHQ recorded Sep 14, 2026	51-200	89 contacts →
	Exact match “Founded in 1986, Harmer is a trusted recruiting partner specializing in Accounting, Finance, and Information Technology.” Recorded in the RevenueBase company graph · Sep 14, 2026 · View company records in RevenueBase
13	Slayton Search Partners	Exact match	Chicago, IL, United StatesHQ recorded Sep 14, 2026	11-50	80 contacts →
	Exact match “Since our beginning in 1985, Slayton Search Partners' strategy has been to focus on possibilities, not limitations.” Recorded in the RevenueBase company graph · Sep 14, 2026 · View company records in RevenueBase
14	CMC Consultants, INC	Exact match	Chicago, IL, United StatesHQ recorded Sep 14, 2026	11-50	65 contacts →
	Exact match “CMC Consultants Inc.” Recorded in the RevenueBase company graph · Sep 14, 2026 · View company records in RevenueBase
15	JBM Recruitment	Exact match	Chicago, IL, United StatesHQ recorded Sep 14, 2026	n/a	60 contacts →
	Exact match “Your retained source for executive search!” Recorded in the RevenueBase company graph · Sep 14, 2026 · View company records in RevenueBase
16	20 20 Foresight Executive Talent Solutions	Exact match	Chicago, IL, United StatesHQ recorded Sep 14, 2026	51-200	54 contacts →
	Exact match “Founded in 1994, 20/20 Foresight is a national executive search and full-service talent advisory firm that specializes in real estate, financial services, and professional…” Recorded in the RevenueBase company graph · Sep 14, 2026 · View company records in RevenueBase
17	Jobplex	Exact match	Chicago, IL, United StatesHQ recorded Sep 14, 2026	51-200	48 contacts →
	Exact match “Since 1996, Jobplex has served the emerging leader recruiting market, complementing the senior-level retained executive search services provided by our parent company, DHR Global.” Recorded in the RevenueBase company graph · Sep 14, 2026 · View company records in RevenueBase
18	Piercegray	Exact match	Chicago, IL, United StatesHQ recorded Sep 14, 2026	11-50	44 contacts →
	Exact match “As a boutique retained search firm, PierceGray helps clients succeed by finding the right leaders.” Recorded in the RevenueBase company graph · Sep 14, 2026 · View company records in RevenueBase
19	Talentfoot Executive Search	Exact match	Chicago, IL, United StatesHQ recorded Sep 14, 2026	11-50	40 contacts →
	Exact match “Recruit Forward-Thinking Leaders who Accelerate Growth, Unlock Innovation, and Boost Profitability.” Recorded in the RevenueBase company graph · Sep 14, 2026 · View company records in RevenueBase
20	BCI	Exact match	Chicago, IL, United StatesHQ recorded Sep 14, 2026	11-50	35 contacts →
	Exact match “BCI is a boutique recruiting firm that has served the financial services industry nationwide for more than 25 years.” Recorded in the RevenueBase company graph · Sep 14, 2026 · View company records in RevenueBase
21	Blueprint Talent Group LLC	Exact match	Chicago, IL, United StatesHQ recorded Sep 14, 2026	11-50	34 contacts →
	Exact match “We help high-growth companies find, develop, and retain great talent- create people strategy aligned with your values, culture, and business goals - develop the story that…” Recorded in the RevenueBase company graph · Sep 14, 2026 · View company records in RevenueBase
22	Kittleman & Associates, LLC	Exact match	Chicago, IL, United StatesHQ recorded Sep 14, 2026	1-10	29 contacts →
	Exact match “Kittleman is the first national executive recruiting firm dedicated exclusively to recruiting chief executive officers and executive directors for tax-exempt nonprofit…” Recorded in the RevenueBase company graph · Sep 14, 2026 · View company records in RevenueBase
23	Right Choice Resources	Exact match	Chicago, IL, United StatesHQ recorded Sep 14, 2026	1-10	28 contacts →
	Exact match “If you’re like most of our clients, your experience with recruiters is probably one of the following: a) They sent us nobody.” Recorded in the RevenueBase company graph · Sep 14, 2026 · View company records in RevenueBase
24	Sierra ITS	Exact match	Chicago, IL, United StatesHQ recorded Sep 14, 2026	51-200	28 contacts →
	Exact match “Solving Business and Technology Challenges through Talent Solutions for Growing Companies, Associations, and Municipalities \| Contract \| Direct Hire \| Executive Search” Recorded in the RevenueBase company graph · Sep 14, 2026 · View company records in RevenueBase
25	LMB Associates	Exact match	Chicago, IL, United StatesHQ recorded Sep 14, 2026	1-10	26 contacts →
	Exact match “Although the recruitment business can be transactional, LMB Associates believes in a collaborative, personalized approach to recruiting, building valued relationships with both…” Recorded in the RevenueBase company graph · Sep 14, 2026 · View company records in RevenueBase

RevenueBase SmartSearch

Describe a niche business in your own words. RevenueBase SmartSearch compares the meaning of your description with company business descriptions compiled in the RevenueBase company graph. Exact, Similar, Related and Broad control how closely companies must fit.

This list uses Exact for “retained executive search firms”. Each Exact match badge shows membership in that saved search; it is not an individual similarity score or a service-quality rating. Recorded descriptions are shown where available.

Showing 25 of 272 retained executive search firms based in Chicago, United States

See the full list, filter by size, metro and specialty, and access 4,603 tracked professional contacts with verified work emails. Direct dials are available where recorded.

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Retained executive search firms based in Chicago, United States at a glance

As of Sep 14, 2026

44.8%Verified-email coverage

37.8Average contacts per company

1-10Median size (employees)

Sep 14, 2026Page data refreshed

Companies by employee count

1-10

188

11-50

51-200

201-500

501-1,000

1,001-5,000

Email recency for this list is measured across the whole United States list rather than for Chicago, so it is reported there. Company counts and contact totals on this page are exact for Chicago, over 272 companies.

How this list was built

The recorded descriptions help you assess these company matches. Check a company’s website for its current services and locations.

Source: The RevenueBase company graph: 60 million companies and 398.9 million professional contacts resolved from primary sources, queried with RevenueBase SmartSearch, the natural-language company search available to every RevenueBase user.
What qualifies: Company records associated with Chicago, United States whose business descriptions match “retained executive search firms” by meaning at the Exact setting. Descriptions are compiled in the RevenueBase company graph from public websites, profiles and company information where available; they are not guaranteed quotations from the company's website.
RevenueBase SmartSearch: Describe a niche company in your own words to find businesses by meaning. Exact, Similar, Related and Broad control the breadth of RevenueBase SmartSearch. This saved list uses Exact. Each row's Exact match badge shows inclusion in that search, not an individual score or a service-quality judgment.
Public preview: The public preview omits records without a verified work email. Where headquarters information is recorded, preview rows are also filtered to this page’s location. Dataset totals and geographic summaries describe the full matched records before these preview filters.
Match quality: RevenueBase's August 25, 2026 study assessed 4,198 description/company pairs across matching settings. The publisher reports 86% good or better at Exact. This evaluates the method across queries; it does not audit this individual list. Recorded company descriptions, where available, help you judge each match yourself. Read the full methodology: how the lists are built and what the study measures.
Ranking: Team size, largest first: companies are ordered by the number of professionals RevenueBase tracks at each one. Employee ranges shown are reported bands, for context.
Verification: Every displayed company carries at least one verified work email. RevenueBase tracks 4,603 professional contacts with verified work emails across the full matched dataset. Contacts re-verify on a rolling cadence, and each contact's own verification date is shown inside RevenueBase.
Refresh: This page's figures were pulled from the company graph on September 14, 2026. Lists refresh periodically as the graph is re-checked.
Record context: Company records and descriptions can change. Check the company's website for its current services and locations.

Retained executive search firms by metro in the United States

Frequently asked

What is RevenueBase SmartSearch?

RevenueBase SmartSearch finds niche companies by the meaning of their business descriptions in the RevenueBase company graph. Exact, Similar, Related and Broad control how closely companies must fit your description. This list uses Exact for “retained executive search firms”; each Exact match badge shows search membership, not an individual similarity or quality score.

How many retained executive search firms are there based in Chicago, United States?

RevenueBase identified 272 company matches for retained executive search firms associated with Chicago, United States as of September 2026, using the meaning of business descriptions at Exact. This is the recorded matched set in the RevenueBase company graph.

What is the largest company on this list?

Heidrick & Struggles tops the displayed preview by professional contacts tracked in RevenueBase. Recorded headquarters appear in the company rows.

Which city in the United States has the most retained executive search firms?

New York leads the United States with 675 company records, followed by Chicago (272) and Atlanta (233).

How do I get contact information for these companies?

A free RevenueBase account lets you run this exact search and work limited free results with 500 credits to start. Upgrading provides access to the 4,603 professional contacts with verified work emails tracked across these 272 companies; direct dials are available where recorded.

How current is this list?

The list refreshes periodically as the company graph is re-checked. This page's figures were pulled on September 14, 2026.

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About this data

RevenueBase is a B2B data infrastructure company. Its company graph covers 60 million companies and 398.9 million professional contacts, with emails verified on a rolling cadence rather than scraped once and left to decay. These company lists are generated directly from that graph with RevenueBase SmartSearch, the same natural-language company search every RevenueBase user has: describe a market in plain words, get the companies that match, and add verified emails and direct dials for the people at them. It is the same data that powers RevenueBase's B2B data products, and a free account includes 500 credits to start. How these lists are built and judged.