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Korn/Ferry lures key Heidrick & Struggles staff

Headhunter giant Korn/Ferry Whitehead Mann has hired several key staff members from Chicago-based rival Heidrick & Struggles. One senior source described it as part of an escalating battle between the two companies: “It’s like Coke going after Pepsi’s players.” Get the full story>>

Hewitt Associates 3Q earnings up 14%

Hewitt Associates Inc.’s fiscal third-quarter earnings rose 14 percent on an income-tax gain, but adjusted results dropped amid lower margins. The human-resource services company’s performance has improved modestly of late, though charges have weighed on results. It cut costs as unemployment pressured revenue during the recession. Get the full story »

Former Deloitte exec charged with insider trading

A former Deloitte and Touche LLP partner and his son were charged with insider trading in securities of Best Buy Co. Inc. , Sears Holdings Corp. and other companies, the Securities and Exchange Commission said Wednesday.

Thomas Flanagan, a former Deloitte vice chairman, used inside information obtained through his duties at the accounting firm to reap more than $430,000 in illegal profits, the SEC said. Get the full story »

Hewitt Associates sued over Aon acquisition

Lincolnshire-based Hewitt Associates Inc. was sued in an Illinois state court by investors who claimed that the $4.9 billion acquisition of the company by Aon Corp. is “inadequate.”

Aon agrees to buy Hewitt Associates

Aon Center

Aon headquaters in Chicago. (AP)

By Bruce Japsen and Becky Yerak | After talking for a “reasonably long period of time,” Aon Corp. is taking over Hewitt Associates for $4.9 billion in cash and stock to expand its offerings to global employers navigating the complexities of health care reform and employee benefits.

The announcement Monday has pushed stock in the stock in the Chicago-based insurance brokerage and consulting firm  down 7 percent in in late-afternoon trading. Get the full story »

Herencia leaves Midwest Banc Holdings payroll

Roberto R. Herencia has left Midwest Banc Holdings Inc., whose Midwest Bank unit failed last month, but has signed a consulting agreement that could pay him $25,000 a month.

In May, Midwest Bank, a $3.17 billion-asset lender that was among the first community banks to get federal bailout funds, was seized by regulators  after failing to raise capital it needed to stay independent. Get the full story »

Goldman Sachs, others to advise BP on spill

From The New York Times | BP has hired several investment banks, including Goldman Sachs, the Blackstone Group and Credit Suisse, to advise on its options as it faces financial and political pressure over the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

United hires Bain in Continental merger

From Bloomberg | United CEO Officer Glenn Tilton said the airline has hired consulting firm Bain & Co. to help plan its integration with Continental Airlines Inc.

Get the full story: businessweek.com.

Booz & Co. eyeing A.T. Kearney

Dow Jones Newswires-Wall Street Journal | Booz & Co. is
exploring a possible merger with rival management consultancy A.T.
Kearney Inc., according to people familiar with the situation, in a
deal that would give the two midsized companies greater scale but still
leave them smaller than the market leaders in a highly competitive
industry.

The merged concern would form the world’s 14th-biggest management
consultancy and seventh-biggest management strategy consultancy,
according to Tom Rodenhauser, an industry analyst and editor of
newsletter Consultants News.

Get the full story »

Huron rebrands health consulting business

By Bruce Japsen | Chicago-based
Huron Consulting Group said its Wellspring Partners and Stockamp
businesses will come under a new “unified brand” to be called
“Wellspring+Stockamp.”

Get the full story »

Former Kellogg dean will be DLA Piper consultant

By Ameet Sachdev | Dipak Jain, the former dean of Northwestern University’s Kellogg School
of Management, will become a consultant to a major law firm.

DLA Piper said Thursday that it has hired Jain to serve as a resource to
the firm’s clients as well as help with business development and
strategy.

Get the full story »

Huron Consulting names non-executive chairman

Associated Press | Business adviser Huron Consulting Group Inc.
said Wednesday its board had elected John McCartney to become its
non-executive chairman, subject to his re-election to the board at the
May 3 annual shareholders meeting.

McCartney had served as an independent director and chairman of its
audit committee.

Get the full story »

Huron Consulting sees 4Q profit triple

By Julie Johnsson | Huron
Consulting Group saw a strong finish to a chaotic year that included a
corporate restructuring after its former CEO amid left the company amid
an accounting scandal.

Huron, a Chicago-based consulting and restructuring firm, Tuesday
reported net income of $14.4 million, or $0.71 per share, for the
fourth quarter 2009. That’s a three-fold increase from prior-year
results, even though its quarterly revenues of $168.6 million decreased
slightly from 2008 levels.

Get the full story »

Unitrin declares dividend, appoints director

Tribune staff report | Unitrin Inc. said its board of directors declared a quarterly dividend of 22 cents per share, an increase of 2 cents over the prior quarter. The dividend is payable on March 1 to its shareholders of record as of Feb. 12.

The company also named Julie M. Howard, president and chief operating officer of Navigant Consulting, Inc., a Chicago-based specialty consulting firm, to its board of directors.

Navigant appoints chief innovation officer for health care

Tribune staff report | Navigant Consulting Inc. announced Marc Bard has been appointed Chief Innovation Officer of the company’s Healthcare practice.

In the role, Bard will work with healthcare payers and providers to design and implement solutions for improving clinical outcomes, care processes and business performance.

See announcement: tradingmarkets.com