The Greater Topeka Partnership is proud to announce that it has selected Winner Partners, a nationally recognized executive search and recruitment firm, to lead the search for its next Chief Executive Officer.
Headquartered in St. Petersburg, Florida, Winner Partners is a certified executive search firm with offices across the country specializing in serving nonprofits, public-private partnerships, and privately owned organizations. Winner Partners brings together elite search consultants and industry-leading subject-matter experts to deliver thoughtful and impactful leadership placements.
The CEO search will be guided by a search committee led by Dr. JuliAnn Mazachek, President of Washburn University and a longtime champion of regional economic development. Dr. Mazachek will work closely with Winner Partners to evaluate internal and external candidates and identify the best leader to continue advancing the momentum the Topeka community has built over the last decade.
“We are fortunate to have exceptional internal talent and will be attracting some of the best in the industry through this national search,” said Dr. Mazachek. “The community can be confident that the candidate ultimately selected will be the one best positioned to sustain and elevate the transformational progress our region has achieved.”
While the search is underway, Stephanie Moran, Senior Vice President of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the Greater Topeka Partnership, will serve as Interim CEO in an administrative capacity. Moran brings a wealth of executive experience to the role, including her time as President and General Manager of Nutri-Shield Preservative and 18 years of leadership with Payless ShoeSource.
“We are deeply grateful for Stephanie’s willingness to step into this interim role,” said Dr. Mazachek. “Her steady leadership will ensure day-to-day operations continue seamlessly as we conduct this important search.”
The search is now active and expected to conclude with an announcement of the new CEO in July 2025.