Jesse Thompson joined RH Perry and Associates as a Senior Consultant in 2014 and became Director of Community College Searches in 2017. Jesse has led, or participated as a team member on, a wide range of presidential and senior administrative higher education search assignments. He possesses an unusual breadth of experience in higher education, encompassing a combination of more than 40 years in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Michigan of senior level administration, community college trustee service, and college teaching experience.

During his 16 years at Boston’s Bunker Hill Community College, he rose through a series of senior level administrative positions to Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, growing the College’s reserves from less than a half million dollars to more than 14 million dollars. Among the 11 divisions he supervised were Marketing and Communications, Information Technology, and Human Resources and Labor Relations. In this role, Jesse chaired numerous successful national searches for senior administrative positions, such as the Vice-President of Academic Affairs. He ensured that a consistent protocol for searches was used and that search committees appropriately represented college constituencies.

In Michigan, Jesse won a countywide election to the Mott Community College Board of Trustees and served as Board Treasurer and Chair of the Board’s Personnel and Finance Committees. He also participated in two presidential searches that resulted in successful hires. Jesse was also employed as CEO of a large non-profit community service organization and later as the Chief Human Resources and Labor Relations Officer for the City of Flint. For 15 years as an adjunct professor, he taught college management courses, such as human resources and labor relations.

Jesse earned a Master’s Degree in Education from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor and a second Master’s Degree in Human Resources and Labor Relations Administration from Central Michigan University. Benefitting from both his wide ranging experience in the public, private and municipal sectors, and academic expertise, Jesse brings a unique perspective and skill set to the critical task of recruiting candidates, evaluating their qualifications, and assessing their “fit” to ensure successful search outcomes.

Use the form below to contact Jesse.