Across North Texas, companies are promoting and hiring people to take on leadership positions within their organizations. Dallas Innovates covers prominent personnel moves in Dallas-Fort Worth businesses and nonprofits—from the newest startups to well-established companies. Here are people moves tied to innovation and technology in the region.

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Pearson Partners names Arrington president, COO

Renee Baker Arrington

Renee Baker Arrington has been promoted to president and the newly-created role of chief operating officer by Dallas-based executive search firm Pearson Partners International.

Arrington has been with Pearson for 13 years, and is a member of the board of directors. Most recently, Arrington was senior vice president.

The company said that founding partner Keith Pearson will remain as chief executive officer.

Founded in 2002, Pearson Partners International helps organizations across varied industries recruit and retain top talent, from C-level and senior management to the boardroom. 

January Digital promotes Dallas-based VP, partner

Megan Jones

Megan Jones has been promoted by January Digital to the newly created role of vice president of marketing, partner, and she will be based in Dallas.

An award-winning full-funnel digital marketing agency and consultancy, New York City-based January Digital has worked with such brands as TUMI, Fenty Beauty, NARS Cosmetics, David’s Bridal, Peapod, and others.

Jones joined January Digital in 2012, and she will provide marketing strategy and business positioning focused on January Digital’s rapid growth, the agency said in a release. While based in Dallas, Jones will divide her time among all the firm’s offices and will be working with other executive team members. 

Solera Holdings founder Tony Aquila announces retirement

Tony Aquila

Westlake-based Solera Holdings Inc. announced that founder and former Chairman and CEO Tony Aquila is retiring from the company.

The company announced recently that Jeff Tarr was taking the company’s reins as CEO.

Solera Holdings is a global leader in risk and asset management data & software and has a leading service-as-a-solution offering for the automotive and insurance industries. 

During Aquila’s tenure beginning in 2005, the company grew into a global giant employing over 7,000 employees in 93 countries.

DoctorLogic names Riley as chief revenue officer

Andre Riley

DoctorLogic, a Plano-based provider of a patient acquisition platform for doctors, dentists, and healthcare providers, announced that Andre Riley has been promoted to chief revenue officer.

Most recently, Riley was vice president of sales and marketing at DoctorLogic. He joined DoctorLogic in 2015.

Riley will focus on all revenue generation operations, including innovating and integrating marketing, sales, and delivery solutions that address customer requirements and drive business growth, the company said in a release.

Noble named managing director of OneSource Virtual

Simon Noble

OneSource Virtual, the Dallas-based provider of deployment, application, support, and Business Process as a Service (BPaaS) for Workday software has appointed Simon Noble as its new managing director.

He brings more than 25 years of experience in IT software, consulting, and cloud HR. Previously Noble held positions at Core HR, KDS, SAP, and Oracle, the company said in a release.

Noble, who joined the company on June 3, will report to CEO Trey Campbell, and will become a member of the company’s leadership team. He will work out of the company’s London, England office.

Holland takes new role as VP of government affairs at Signify Health

Kim Holland

Kim Holland has been appointed as senior vice president of government affairs by Signify Health, a Famers Branch-based provider of technology-enabled, in-home care and complex care management services.

She brings almost 25 years of experience in health care to her new position. 

Previously, Holland was vice president of state affairs at the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association.

Tarrant County College District names Alanis as COO

Susan Alanis

Susan Alanis, a longtime Fort Worth assistant city manager has been named chief operating officer with Tarrant County College District.

Her new role takes effect on July 1. Alanis has served the city of Fort Worth since 1996, holding leadership roles in high-profile projects such as Dickies Arena, Sundance Square Plaza, Fort Worth Zoo, a gas drilling ordinance, transportation funding, collective bargaining, and pension and healthcare reform, the Fort Worth Business Press reported.

Most recently, Alanis was involved in transforming the Fort Worth Botanic Garden and a partnership with Trinity Metro to improve public transit.

BRIT announces 2 changes in its Advancement Department

Chris Chilton

Chris Smith

Fort Worth-based Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT) has announced staff changes in its Advancement Department to support increased institutional programming and strategic planning efforts:

Chris Chilton will take on the newly-created role of corporate relations manager, from his current position as marketing director.  Chris Smith has been promoted to marketing director from her current position as marketing manager.

In this role, Chilton will be responsible for planning and managing the logistics of wine-related business for BRIT and annual special events, soliciting corporate gifts, and other advancement activities as appropriate. 

Smith will be responsible for raising public awareness of BRIT’s mission, raising revenue through annual membership purchases and select public outreach programs, BRIT said in a release. 

Norman joins Mutual of Omaha Bank as commercial real estate managing director

Ted Norman

Ted Norman has joined Mutual of Omaha Bank as managing director in the Commercial Real Estate Banking group and will work from the bank’s locations in both Dallas and Fort Worth.

Norman will be responsible for national permanent placements and marketing of derivative products, as well as developing a strong commercial real estate business in Dallas-Fort Worth, the bank said.

Norman brings more than 25 years of experience in commercial real estate finance to his new position.

Grace takes the helm at Catholic Charities Fort Worth

Michael Grace

Michael Grace has been named as the new president and CEO of Catholic Charities Fort Worth.

Grace replaces Heather Reynolds who left for a position with the University of Notre Dame. Grace began working with Catholic Charities on May 16.

Grace is a serial entrepreneur with 25 years of experience in business development and leadership roles in industries such as oil and gas, social media, music production, mining equipment, and food processing, Catholic Charities said.

Cantey Hanger elects Newby as managing partner

Brian Newby

Brian Newby has been elected managing partner-Fort Worth for the law firm Cantey Hanger LLP.

Newby replaces Michael Appleman, who had been managing partner since August 2015, the law firm said in a release. Appleman will continue with his practice areas focusing on estate planning, trusts & estates, and tax.

Cantey Hanger said that Newby joined the firm in 1991 and became a partner in 1996. Newby became then Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s general counsel in 2004, and was named chief of staff on July 1, 2007. 

Mass Luminosity adds Kreeger to board of directors

Craig Kreeger

Craig Kreeger has been added to the board of directors of Mass Luminosity, a Dallas-based research, technology, and experiential company.

Kreeger served as the chief executive officer of Virgin Atlantic Airways Limited and Virgin Atlantic Ltd. from 2013 to 2019, and previously held a variety of positions within Fort Worth-based American Airlines.

Bretschneider appointed president of Tucker Powersports

Sebastian Bretschneider

Sebastian Bretschneider has been appointed as president of Fort Worth-based Tucker Powersports, a top distributor of motorcycle and off-road parts, accessories, and clothing.

Bretschneider is an experienced leader of businesses going through transformations, the company said in a release. Previously, he was CEO and chief transformation officer of private-equity owned companies in several U.S. industries.

As a stand-alone business owned by a private equity group operating as Motorsport Aftermarket Group, Tucker Powersports distributes the top brands in the motorcycle and off-road industry, as well as its own brands including Answer, BikeMaster, Burly, First Gear, Dragonfire Racing, ProTaper, QuadBoss, Roland Sands Design, Speed and Strength, Tucker V-Twin, and Twin Power, according to a release.

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