Pedersen & Partners, an international executive search firm with offices in 50 countries, named COO and partner Darcie Murray as head of North America. She will be based in the firm’s new Houston office, its first in the US. Murray will also manage the Pedersen & Partners office in Canada and will be responsible for the firm’s development in North America. Murray joined Pedersen & Partners in 2006.

Executive search firm ZRG Partners added Richard Morford as managing director for the firm’s global industrial practice and life science efforts. He has 12 years of retained search experience with Korn/Ferry International and a European boutique search firm. Morford will work out of ZRG s corporate offices in New Jersey.

Futurestep, a division of Korn Ferry (NYSE: KFY), announced Bret Fishkind joined as a managing consultant and will launch its sports practice focusing on mid-level and emerging talent. Fishkind most recently was a senior associate with Korn Ferry’s global sports practice and its board and CEO services practice for the past seven years. Prior to joining Korn Ferry, Fishkind was director of corporate partnerships for the National Hockey League’s Phoenix Coyotes.

Lucas Group, an Atlanta-based executive search firm, hired Ken Martin as managing partner in its IT division to develop the IT branch for the company’s newly opened Cincinnati office. He most recently was senior executive recruiter and account director with a Cincinnati-based IT staffing and recruitment firm. Sara Luther, Cincinnati branch lead and MP for human resources, and Andrew O’Neill, Cincinnati MP for accounting and finance, also lead Lucas Group’s Cincinnati expansion efforts.

Executive search firm Korn Ferry International Inc. (NYSE: KFY) announced John Collett joined the firm as senior client partner in its energy practice, while also working with private equity and industrial-focused clients. He will be based in Korn Ferry’s Houston office. Collett most recently worked for another global executive search firm, targeting the private equity, energy and industrial sectors. Bambang Soendoro also joined the Korn Ferry as senior client partner, based in the firm’s Jakarta office in Indonesia.