Dayton Ogden
Succession Advisory Services
Dayton Ogden is the global leader of Spencer Stuart’s CEO Succession advisory services and a member of the Board and Industrial practices. His search consulting work focuses on senior executive and board recruiting for a broad range of international clients.
History of search and leadership excellence.
Three years after Dayton joined Spencer Stuart, he became manager of the firm’s New York and Stamford offices. In 1987, he was elected chief executive of the firm and in 1993, became the first CEO in the firm’s history to be re-elected to a third term. He served as chairman of the firm from 2003 to 2006, having served as joint chairman for the previous four years.
He is a frequent commentator on key trends and issues affecting CEOs and boards, both in the United States and internationally. In 2000, Oxford University Press published a book, titled CEO Succession, which Dayton co-authored.
Dayton draws from direct board experience for client work, currently serving on the board of the American Business Conference, an organization that includes the CEOs of emerging growth companies. He also serves on the international board of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and chairs the Talent & Compensation Committee. After 20 years, he recently stepped down as a director of Project HOPE and received a lifetime achievement award. Project HOPE is a leading healthcare foundation based in Washington, D.C. He previously served seven years on the board of Advanced Tissue Sciences, a NASDAQ biotech company.
Before joining Spencer Stuart, Dayton was a principal of an executive search firm located in Washington, D.C. Additionally, his military career included two years as gunnery officer on a U.S. Navy destroyer followed by a tour in Vietnam, where he served with distinction as officer in charge of a swift boat in the Mekong Delta.
Dayton is a graduate of Yale University.
Curt Hamilton, Founder and President
Welcome to the story of Design Design and my journey.
In the winter of 1980, I took a leap of faith, leaving the security of a steady paycheck. With partner and against the advice of my parents, I rented a small office on Main Street in Evanston and launched Stripes Visual Communications. We invested our life savings, paid a month’s rent, acquired a few drawing boards and stat camera, and opened our doors in January 1981 with nearly no clients. After a year of slow beginnings, things began to change, leading me to go solo and rebrand as Design Design Communications in 1984. I relocated to a warehouse on N. Sangamon St. in Chicago, close to a photographer I knew and a I had previously visited for a punk rock party.
Initially working with firms like Rockwell International, we moved again in 2007 to a spacious loft filled with quirky art (my own) and vibrant green walls with only a couple of half walls for privacy. After ten successful years at 311 North DesPlaines, we upgraded to a fully customized office at 1333 North Kingsbury St., accommodating about a dozen employees, conveniently located near the Matchbox Tavern.
In 2004, we moved to an office near Wrigley Field, featuring our logo on a vintage brownstone awning. Realizing a long-held vision, after a few years, we evolved to a virtual office model, with team members and partners across the city and beyond. However, craving personal interaction, we opened a satellite office on Paulina Street in Chicago's West Loop in2016.
Throughout the years, we've had amazing clients, dedicated employees, tight deadlines, and hard work—but also fun and passion. Now, 40 years later, I’m still pursuing my passion with enthusiasm and pride. Thank you.
