Searchlight Newsletter – Q1 2020 | Pearson Partners International

Searchlight Newsletter – Q1 2020

Q1 2020

A Message from Keith Pearson, CEO & Vice Chairman

Stronger Together

As we have recently faced unprecedented times together, I am reminded of the adage that necessity is the mother of invention. I have been continually impressed by the resilience, innovation, courage and strength exhibited by our community, clients, friends and families. The world’s innovation engine has certainly cranked up, and at record pace. The healthcare industry and its people on the front lines are sacrificing and working around the clock to develop treatments, vaccines, testing methods and genealogical breakthroughs. Many businesses have pivoted to reimagine their product and service delivery models and others have rapidly spun up new products and services to meet the needs of their communities and ensure their business continuity. As we all begin to return to normalcy, I believe that we will come out of this stronger—together—and see dramatic growth in global demand that has been pent up and eager to be quenched.

While we are not out of the woods just yet, I have reflected on what we have learned so far. The most important thing seems to be that, with very few exceptions, difficult times bring out the best in people. Around the world, we have seen charity, collaboration, communication and a massive coming together of people reaching out to help their fellow citizens—from all walks of life.

Here at Pearson Partners, the value that this diversity of culture and thought brings to our communities and organizations was the topic of our first-quarter 2020 Spotlight Series^TM breakfast, where our panel of business leaders discussed the importance of diversity and inclusion and why getting it right not only increases employee engagement and performance, but indeed company success. Read a summary of our discussion in this issue.

Like many of you, our team worked from home for the last several weeks, and although we were well prepared to work from anywhere at full efficiency, we are all excited to be returning to the office and enjoying the in-person collaboration that our firm was founded on almost twenty years ago. Our clients have continued to execute their talent acquisition and development plans, even if in-person onboarding has been a bit delayed. Most have continued to interview and assess potential new leaders for their organizations, aided by video technology that couldn’t have availed itself at a better time. We expect that when we climb out of this, the new normal will reflect the demand that has been building and we will see a resurgence of hiring, productivity and innovation.

Meanwhile, I wish you and yours safety, health and prosperity.

In This Issue

Quarterly Spotlight Series^SM Breakfast:
Diversity & Inclusion: ROI, Business and Cultural Impacts

Diversity and inclusion strategies can deliver return on investment beyond just numbers, increasing both productivity and profitability. Yet, many organizations approach diversity initiatives by simply “checking off the boxes” for recruitment and reputation management. To explore best practices for inclusion and diversity strategy, we invited a panel of diversity and inclusion leaders to share their thoughts and experiences at our March 3, 2020, Spotlight Series^SM breakfast.

White Paper:
How to Attract and Retain Top Talent at Not-For-Profit Organizations

Talent strategy at not-for-profit organizations has long been a challenging prospect. It takes an accomplished leadership team to craft a brand, culture and compensation package to attract and retain talented leaders amidst tight budgets, public scrutiny and fierce competition for talent. How do they do it? Together with our global partners at IIC Partners Executive Search Worldwide, we asked senior executives at leading not-for-profit organizations to share their challenges and successes. Learn more and read the white paper in this issue.

Tips from the Leadership Coach:
Keep Your Job Lead Funnel Full

One of the mistakes we frequently see executives in transition make is to work on one promising job lead at a time. This not only extends the length of the job search, but often leads to disappointing setbacks when the opportunity does not pan out. Rather, you should continually build your job lead pipeline by sourcing your contacts and new opportunities—right up until your first day on the new job. Read 10 tips to help you to keep your job lead funnel full and land the right job.

Pearson Partners Profile:
Cortland Kelly Grynwald, Vice President, Legal, Risk & Compliance Practice

Our newest vice president, Cortland Kelly Grynwald, excels in legal, risk and compliance search for public, private and municipal enterprises. As an attorney herself, she understands the nuances of how legal and quasi-legal leadership succeeds in corporate environments. She leverages this insight in serving her clients and has been doing so nationally for over a decade, building a broad national network of contacts. Learn more about how Cortland lends her expertise to our team by reading her Profile Q&A in this issue.

Featured Search

We are partnering with the market leader in the agricultural aviation industry on a national search for a Chief Financial Officer. Our client, Air Tractor, produces the industry’s most capable line of aircraft that are used in over 40 countries around the world for agricultural aerial applications, firefighting, narcotic crop eradication, fuel hauling, fighting locust plagues and cleaning oil spills in coastal waters, among other applications.

With the upcoming retirement of the incumbent Chief Financial Officer in the fall of 2020, our successful candidate will have big shoes to fill. He or she will serve as a strategic partner to the CEO, responsible for maintaining the financial integrity of Air Tractor as well as planning, implementing, managing and controlling all financial-related matters for the corporation. This is a high-impact position in a well-run, ESOP-owned company.

Learn more or provide a confidential referral.

View more featured searches.

Recent Placements

President & Chief Executive Officer, Electrical Wholesale Company
Chief Financial Officer, Leading Financial Institution
Controller, HVAC and Plumbing Services Company
SVP, Bank Operations, Financial Services Advisory Firm

VP, Human Capital, Regional Transportation Company
Industrial Division Manager, Commercial Construction Company
Managing Principal, Research & Development, Leading Securities Firm
Senior Manager, Tax, Accounting and Tax Preparation Firm

Other news

Pearson Partners is teaming with professors from TCU Neeley School of Business and Texas A&M University Mays Business School on a groundbreaking survey of board directors. The resulting study will reveal trends in board leadership during times of crisis. Watch for the study results in our newsletter later this year.

Pearson Partners is conducting a study of C-Suite leaders on executive hiring trends and industry outlook during and beyond the COVID-19 global crisis. If you are a C-Suite or board member and would like to participate in this study and see a preview of the results when complete, please email Lori Latimer. Watch for our study results in our next newsletter.

Stephen Konstans was a panelist at a virtual discussion in May for the Wharton Club of Dallas/Fort Worth, discussing executive career-related issues in the local and national job markets, retained executive search and the North Texas business climate.

Renee Arrington continued her national speaking circuit, this time virtually, at the HMG Live! 2020 Houston CIO Virtual Summit on May 1. HMG Live!, part of HMG Strategy’s national CIO Summits, is a series of virtual interviews and virtual summits focused on key aspects of courageous leadership during times of global crisis. Renee participated in a virtual panel centered in Houston, discussing Leading Courageously Through a Crisis. The event drew a record-breaking 367 participants.

Cortland Kelly Grynwald hosted and moderated virtual monthly planning meetings in April and May for Attorneys Serving the Community (ASC), a group of 400 Dallas-area women lawyers and students that supports local non-profit organizations whose programs benefit women, children and families. Cortland has served in many leadership positions and committees for ASC and has been co-chair of its Meeting Arrangements Committee since 2018.

Renee Arrington was a panelist in May at a SIM Dallas/Fort Worth Chapter virtual meeting discussing Job Searching During Quarantine and Beyond.

Stephen Konstans spoke at an April meeting of the Accomplished Executives Forum, a group of senior leaders, entrepreneurs and executives in transition who are interested in meeting and networking with their peers. Stephen discussed Working with Recruiters in Today’s Turbulent Times.

In March, Renee Arrington was a presenting speaker for the Dallas Software Lunch Bunch Meetup group (of which she is a member), an informal group of current and former C-level software executives in Dallas. The panel discussed Joining Corporate Boards of Directors.

Renee Arrington was a panelist in a March webinar hosted by AESC’s BlueSteps, discussing Could You Earn More? The How-To’s of Salary Negotiation. BlueSteps is a career service of the Association of Executive Search and Leadership Consultants (of which Pearson Partners is a member), offering career resources and strategies for senior-level executives.

In February, Renee Arrington led a panel discussion at the inaugural meeting of the newly formed Dallas chapter of the Private Directors Association. The organization serves the needs of private companies interested in forming boards of directors and individuals interested in joining private company boards.

In January, Stephen Konstans joined the Advisory Board Council of Dallas Summer Musicals.

Our global partnership, IIC Partners Executive Search Worldwide, one of the world’s top 10 global executive search organizations, announced the acceptance of Visindi into membership. Visindi’s Oslo office is the 24th IIC Partners office in Europe and the 48th worldwide.

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