Study From Top Gun Ventures Analyzes Presidential Candidates Using Executive Search...

Study From Top Gun Ventures Analyzes Presidential Candidates Using Executive Search Methodologies

DALLAS--(Business Wire)--
Each of the front-running presidential candidates has generated
considerable popular enthusiasm; however businesses never hire leaders
based on popularity. If we were to judge the political candidates
using the same methodology that executive search firms use to pick top
performing CEOs and executives, what might it reveal?

In a just released study from Top Gun Ventures, Executive Search
Specification for the Position of President of the United States of
America, the "search profile" for the President is laid out just as it
would be for a corporate job. The three front-runners and several
other well-known figures are rated against the profile--the results
are not pretty.

"If I presented this slate of candidates for the top job at a
corporation they would politely kick me out the door," said Don
Tuttle, a managing partner at Top Gun Ventures. Top Gun is an
executive search firm with expertise in placing top performing CEOs
and executives for venture capitalists and corporations.

In the Top Gun paper Executive Search Specification and
Recommendations for the Position of President of the United States of
America the "search profile" for the President is laid out just as it
would be for a corporate job. Ten key criteria appear on the profile,
including:

-- Ability to influence Congress to pass legislation

-- Has the ear of the people

-- Able to pick the best people and create a high-performance
team

In its recommendations the report warns that none of the
candidates are Top Performers (90%-plus suitability for the role). At
best the front-runners are an average fit (60%-70%) for this position.
"Of most concern," says Peter Donovan, a managing partner at Top Gun
Ventures, "is that each candidate rates low in one or more of the key
criteria areas. A weakness in any one of these critical areas is not
acceptable and will have a negative impact on their performance at
some time during their four-year tenure."

Overall Ratings of Front-Runner Candidates

-0-
*T
Front Runners John McCain Barack Obama Hillary Clinton
---------------------- --------------- --------------- ---------------
Suitability for Role 70% 57% 60%
---------------------- --------------- --------------- ---------------
Recommendation Not recommended Not recommended Not recommended
---------------------- --------------- --------------- ---------------
*T

All three leading Presidential candidates, including John McCain,
got unacceptable scores on "Manage the economy." Clinton scored poorly
on "Has the ear of the people." Barack Obama scored low on "Proven
ability to be commander-in-chief."

While McCain came out with the highest suitability score he still
falls far short of the 90% threshold that would be required for a
candidate seeking a senior corporate job. While Obama out-scored the
other candidates on "Has the ear of the people," his lack of past
experience on budgets and international diplomacy showed up as a clear
disadvantage.

Broadening the search to a wider pool of candidates generated some
leaders with higher suitability scores.

Overall Ratings of Alternative Candidates

-0-
*T
Alt. Candidates Mitt Romney Jack Welch Bill Richardson
---------------------- --------------- --------------- ---------------
Suitability for Role 77% 73% 67%
---------------------- --------------- --------------- ---------------
Recommendation Not recommended Not recommended Not recommended
---------------------- --------------- --------------- ---------------
*T

Jack Welch, while an icon in the business world, scored low on a
number of factors due to his lack of political experience. Mitt
Romney, who has been eliminated from the race, fits the profile better
than any of the current front-runners but still falls short of the
fit-to-role that corporations seeking an "A" player would demand. Bill
Richardson, while rating higher overall than Obama and Clinton, rates
low on "Has the ear of the people,"--a critical selection criteria for
staying in the race.

The Top Gun paper points out that the wise thing to do would be to
extend the search for candidates. With a professional search process
there would be an opportunity to find several "A" players with a 90%
suitability score. While a few highly capable Presidents have been
elected in the course of the country's history, this has been more due
to luck than to an effective selection process.

Another recommendation notes that the position of President
requires skills developed from experience as a professional politician
and from skills developed from experience as a business executive. The
authors argue that it is more likely for a skilled business executive
to learn political skills than for a career politician to learn
business skills. Hence, they suggest that to build a strong talent
pipeline the country should encourage the most successful business
people to seek political experience.

For details reporters can download Executive Search Specification
for the Position of President of the United States of America at
www.topgunventures.com or call Donald Tuttle or Peter Donovan at
972.980.1616.

About Top Gun Ventures

Top Gun Ventures (www.topgunventures.com) is a retained executive
search and high-performance team-building company with offices in
Dallas, Austin, Boston, and Palo Alto. Top Gun Ventures specializes in
recruiting top-performing CEOs and executives for corporate, venture
capital, and private equity clients.

THIS PRESS RELEASE IS INTENDED AS AN ILLUSTRATION OF THE PROCESSES
USED BY TOP GUN VENTURES IN DOING EXECUTIVE SEARCHES AND NO ACTUAL
SEARCH PROFILE OR ANALYSIS WAS PERFORMED WITH REGARD TO ANY OF THE
PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES. THIS PRESS RELEASE IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE
TO YOU LEGAL, POLITICAL OR ANY OTHER ADVICE. NOR IS IT INTENDED TO
PERSUADE OR INFLUENCE YOUR POLITICAL VIEWS OR POSITIONS. NOTHING IN
THIS PRESS RELEASE SHOULD BE INTERPRETED AS AN ENDORSEMENT OF,
OPPOSITION TO, OR AFFILIATION WITH ANY CANDIDATE AND/OR THEIR VIEWS,
POSITIONS OR POLICIES. THIS IS NOT CAMPAIGN MATERIAL.

Top Gun Ventures, LLC
Donald Tuttle, 972-980-1616
or
Peter Donovan, 972-980-1616

Copyright Business Wire 2008