As CEO of Ellig Group, Janice is dedicated to increasing the placement of women and diverse candidates on corporate boards and in C-suites. In 2000, Janice joined the legacy firm Gould McCoy Chadick Ellig as a Partner and, in 2017, assumed sole ownership of Ellig Group with a focus on “Reimagining Search.”
Prior to her career in search, Janice held executive positions at Pfizer, Citi, and Ambac Financial Group, a Citicorp IPO, where she was responsible for Human Resources, Marketing, and Administration. Heralded by Bloomberg Businessweek as one of “The World’s Most Influential Headhunters,” Janice is often consulted for her expertise and commitment to gender parity, inclusion, and diversity. A sought after speaker and media guest, Janice was published in The Financial Times, Forbes.com, Directors & Boards, Directorship, and Corporate Director. She also coauthored two books: “Driving the Career Highway” and “What Every Successful Woman Knows,”acknowledged by Bloomberg Businessweek as “the best of its genre.”
Janice’s commitment to changing the landscape in corporate America is demonstrated in her professional and personal affiliations. Janice is the former President of the Women’s Forum of New York and the Founder of its Corporate Board Initiative and its signature event, the Breakfast of Corporate Champions. Since 2011, Janice has spearheaded this event to honor companies committed to board diversity and to encourage CEOs to sponsor board-ready women for the Women’s Forum database (LINK: www.womensforumny.org) and Equilar database.
In support of NFP organizations, Janice is the Immediate Past Chair of the University of Iowa Foundation and current Board Director; a Board Member of Girls Inc. of NYC; a Trustee of the Committee for Economic Development (CED); member of The Economic Club of New York; and Women’s Forum of New York Past President and Chair of the Corporate Board Initiative. She is a past Director of the National YMCA, Past Chair of the YMCA Board of Greater New York, and Trustee Emeritus of the Actors Fund.
In recognition of her many philanthropic activities, Janice received the University of Iowa Distinguished Alumni Award, the Association of Executive Search Consultants (AESC) Eleanor Raynolds Award for Volunteerism, the Girls Inc “Strong, Smart, Bold” award, and is a recipient of the Channel 21 “Award In Excellence” for her contribution to “Excellence in the Economic Development for Women.”
“Listening to our clients’ needs, learning their business, and understanding their culture is how we present the best talent and provide a competitive advantage. We place candidates with the character, competencies, commitment, (intellectual) curiosity, and courage to make a difference. Our goal is always to go beyond the expected and deliver valuable advice, measurable results, and great talent!”
– Janice Reals Ellig
- Champion of gender parity, diversity, and inclusion
- Industry expert, speaker, and author
- Founder of the Women’s Forum of New York’s Corporate Board Initiative
- Committed board and committee member and philanthropist