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A Waukee, Iowa firm handed its president title to a new leader last week through what it called succession planning, the deliberate, advance preparation of a candidate for a senior role before the seat goes empty.
Holmes Murphy announced on July 15, 2026, that Jay Reavis has been named President of both Holmes Murphy and HMA Group Holdings. The company linked the appointment to its stated commitment to independence.
Why planned succession is the signal worth reading Succession planning is not reactive by design. It is the practice of identifying who leads next before the question becomes urgent, before a departure forces a scramble.
Companies that frame a promotion this way signal to the people who work with them or rely on them that the transition was managed rather than improvised. For a privately held firm, that distinction carries weight.
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