Renee Arrington, President & Chief Operating Officer of Dallas-based global executive search firm Pearson Partners International, has been honored as one of Dallas-Fort Worth’s most powerful business leaders in the 2021 D CEO Dallas 500.
According to D CEO Editor Christine Perez, the business leaders featured in the 2021 edition represent the most powerful executives in more than 50 business categories and play an integral role in driving the vibrant North Texas economy, making it such a vibrant place to work and live.
“I am honored to have earned a place among such an inspirational group of Dallas-Fort Worth business leaders,” said Ms. Arrington. “In my executive search career at Pearson Partners International, I have been fortunate to meet many of these women and men, and I am proud to be in such good company. Alongside my business partner Keith Pearson, CEO of Pearson Partners, I hope to continue to help our firm make a meaningful impact on the North Texas community and beyond.”
Keith Pearson, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of Pearson Partners, said, “I am very proud of Renee’s recognition in the Dallas 500. I have known Renee for nearly 20 years and can attest to her substantial impact on our growth at Pearson Partners. She led the charge on our commitment to diversity and inclusion as an integral part of our mission, and her personal involvement in her clients’ success and her contributions to the Dallas-Fort Worth community have shaped not only her own success but that of our firm.”
Renee excels in recruiting board and executive talent for Fortune 500 companies, private-equity-backed businesses and not-for-profit organizations. She serves on Pearson Partners’ board of directors and provides leadership to its technology practice, working across industries including technology, retail, financial services, business services, manufacturing, distribution and R&D. She is a frequent speaker at national events including HMG Strategy’s national CIO/CISO Summits and Pearson Partners’ quarterly Spotlight SeriesTM events. Renee serves on numerous North Texas boards and committees, including as vice chair, Americas for Pearson Partners’ global search organization, IIC Partners, and gives her time generously to charitable and civic organizations throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex including Rethink Results, National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) North Texas Chapter, Foundation for the Young Women’s Leadership Academy and Dallas Executive Women’s Roundtable (EWR). She has earned many industry and professional awards in recognition of her contributions to her profession and the community. Renee lives in Fort Worth with her husband, Michael, with whom she enjoys cooking, traveling and entertaining with friends. Learn more about Renee in her bio.
Which piece of advice has had the most significant impact on your career?
Early in my career when I was struggling to establish my identity among my older colleagues, a mentor (who happened to be a woman) assured me that I would find my own clients in due time because people will work with people they like. Further, it would not be necessary to conform to a stereotype to be successful.
Is there a nonprofit cause that has special meaning to you? Please tell us about it.
My time and treasure are devoted to The Foundation for the Young Women’s Leadership Academy of Fort Worth, which is part of Young Women’s Preparatory Network. This public, all-girls school serves grades 6–12 and provides a STEM-focused curriculum. In my search career, my clients always seek women and women of color for leadership positions. To deepen this talent pipeline, we must start in middle school, and that’s what YWLA provides.
What is one thing you would change about Dallas to make it even better?
In a typical year, I would say improve the traffic problem, particularly on 75. However, given the current circumstances, traffic has been a breeze. On a more serious note, Dallas needs to find a solution for the homeless population. So many major cities authored 10-year plans to end homelessness in the early 2000s, and it would be great to better understand the progress against those ambitious goals and what needs to be done on an ongoing basis.
About Pearson Partners
Pearson Partners International was founded in 2002 by executive search industry veterans Robert Pearson and Keith Pearson and is ranked among the top 40 retained executive search firms in North America. Pearson Partners serves clients on a global basis across all industries and disciplines from the senior management level to the boardroom. The firm is a member of IIC Partners (one of the world’s top 10 global executive search organizations) and is active on its board of directors. With over 450 independent, international consultants in 44 countries, Pearson Partners’ global reach gives clients access to the highest-caliber executive talent around the world. As a member of the Association of Executive Search & Leadership Consultants (AESC), with active participation on its leadership councils, Pearson Partners is engaged in shaping the executive search and leadership consulting industry and its trends.
