Jerry Gorss

Jerry Gorss is a partner in Heidrick & Struggles’ Boston and Washington, D.C., offices and leads the firm’s global Aerospace & Defense and Industrial Goods & Technology sectors. He advises boards, investors, and executive leadership on talent strategy, with expertise at the intersection of advanced technology, manufacturing, and aerospace and defense. Jerry also chairs the firm’s global Veterans Employee Resource Group.

Jerry specializes in board and C-suite recruiting across aerospace and defense and industrial technology. He works at the convergence of these markets, where autonomy, robotics, software-enabled hardware, advanced manufacturing, and other emerging technologies are creating new leadership requirements. His cross-sector perspective enables him to identify executive talent beyond conventional boundaries.

Jerry advises established global companies, emerging technology leaders, and private equity-backed businesses on a variety of business priorities, including growth and transformation. As a trained organizational psychologist, he brings an assessment-oriented approach to executive search, considering both experience and the leadership dynamics needed to build high-performing teams and deliver sustained business results.

Before joining Heidrick & Struggles, Jerry served as an active-duty U.S. Army officer for more than a decade. 

Most recently, he was an organizational psychologist at the United States Military Academy, focusing on leadership development, team effectiveness, and culture. Earlier, he served as a unit commander and helicopter pilot in Afghanistan, helping develop early use cases for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and drone technologies.

University of North Carolina, MBA

Columbia University, MA in Organizational Psychology

United States Military Academy, BS

Jerry continues to serve as a U.S. Army Reserve officer and West Point liaison, identifying, recruiting, and mentoring future cadets. He also serves on the Board of Governors of the West Point Society of New England, a nonprofit organization supporting the mission of the Academy.