Alison P. Ranney

​Alison Ranney specializes in CEO, board, and C-suite searches. She also consults on leadership and talent. She is often tapped to craft teams of experts to address the needs of clients and manage key client relationships. She is particularly passionate about partnering with clients who are mission-driven. ​

Alison is known for her effective, pragmatic approach that serves a wide range of clients. Her work has been featured in numerous publications. In a cover profile, Crain’s noted: “Alison Ranney is remaking what leadership looks like across the country.” With her clients, Alison focuses on desired leadership qualities, skills and characteristics instead of qualifications. This serves to ‘open the aperture’ with impactful results. ​

Alison found her passion for executive recruiting at Russell Reynolds Associates in 2005. Early on, she was honored to receive the firm’s inaugural award for Excellence in Client Service. She is now a senior partner in Chicago. ​

Alison spent a chapter leading the Chicago Office of a boutique executive search firm focused on mission-driven search. She served as Partner in Charge for a nine-year period of significant growth that culminated in the successful acquisition by a private equity firm. ​

Before executive search, Alison was a corporate attorney at Skadden, Arps, the global law firm. She also served as an executive with AT&T Wireless and Vice President of the firm responsible for Prairie Crossing, the award-winning conservation community. Immediately after graduating from college, Alison taught in Guatemala. ​

An experienced corporate Director, Alison has been involved with Wintrust Financial Corporation for almost two decades. She is on the Board of Directors of Wintrust Bank, where she serves on the Compensation & Nominating and Audit Committees.​

With a deep commitment to civic involvement, Alison has served on numerous boards in her immediate community and well beyond, including the Griffin Museum of Science & Industry, World Business Chicago and Public Radio International, among others. She has sat on the Visiting Committee at the University of Chicago Law School and the Alumni Council of Phillips Andover Academy​

She is a member of The Commercial Club, The Economic Club, the Chicago Club and The Chicago Network, among others.​

Alison was profiled in the book ‘Life After Law: Finding Work You Love with the JD You Have’. ​

Alison received her BA from Brown University, magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa. She earned her MBA from the Booth School of Business and her JD at The Law School, both at the University of Chicago.