David S. Martin, CEO and Founder of Sterling Martin, is based in Washington, DC, and brings over 30 years of experience to executive search. He started his executive search career in 1989 after eight years in the private business world. For three decades, David has led complex executive search projects throughout the United States, making him one of the most experienced search consultants in the country. As CEO, David guides the firm’s overarching business strategy and takes a lead role on multiple national projects each year.
Before founding SM, David held senior-level positions with prominent global search firms as Korn/Ferry International and Boyden International, where he refined his expertise in recruiting for technical societies, professional associations, and Fortune 500 companies. Beginning in 2000, David began to conduct searches for associations, professional societies and nonprofit organizations and became personally interested in this area as a volunteer Board member. Over the past 20 years, he has successfully conducted Executive Director and CEO searches for associations and nonprofits, interviewing an impressive 500 executives annually and totaling approximately 17,000 interviews over his career.
David remains actively involved in advancing the field of executive search. He serves on the Key Consultants Committee for the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) and is a Strategic Partner with the Council of Engineering and Scientific Society Executives (CESSE), where he frequently contributes as a panelist and moderator.
David holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Vermont and pursued his MBA at the University at Albany-SUNY. Certified in DiSC® and Predictive Index® behavioral assessments, he brings an additional level of insight into the behavioral dynamics that drive successful leadership. His commitment to SM’s clients and industry excellence remains steadfast, ensuring exceptional outcomes across all executive placements.
