DI People: Boeing Global Services, Six Flags Entertainment, Michaels Make CEO Announcements

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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Colbert takes the reins at Boeing Global Services

Stan Deal

Ted Colbert

Ted Colbert has been named chief executive officer of Plano-based Boeing Global Services, replacing Stan Deal who has been appointed as president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes.

Previously, Colbert was chief information officer and senior vice president of Information Technology & Data Analytics at Boeing. He is being replaced in that position on an interim basis by Vishwa Uddanwadiker.

Last year, a deal detailed Boeing Global Services’ move to Plano.

Six Flags appoints Spanos as new president and CEO

Mike Spanos

Former PepsiCo CEO Mike Spanos has been appointed president and chief executive officer of Grand Prairie-based Six Flags Entertainment Corp., effective Nov. 18.

Spanos, who had been with PepsiCo since 1993, will take command of the world’s largest regional theme park company and the largest operator of waterparks in North America. Six Flags Entertainment is the parent company of Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington.

Six Flags, which recently announced it was moving its headquarters from Grand Prairie to the center field office complex at Globe Life Park, said that Jim Reid-Anderson, its chairman, president, and CEO, will resign as a director and officer of the company on Nov. 18. On that date, Richard Roedel, a board member since 2010, will be appointed non-executive chairman of the board, according to a statement.

Critical Start appoints Kaufman as its first CFO

Andrew Kaufman

Andrew Kaufman has been appointed as the first chief financial officer at Critical Start, a Plano-based provider of managed detection and response (MDR) services.

Kaufman is expected to report to CEO Rob Davis and oversee the finance team and management of all aspects of the company’s financial operations, according to a statement. The continued expansion of Critical Start’s senior management team comes as its MDR business grew by more than 300 percent last year while maintaining a 99 percent customer retention rate.

According to a statement, Kaufman has an extensive background in software, technology, and cybersecurity.

OrderMyGear hires Unruh for HR leadership post

Jaclyn Unruh

Human resources veteran Jaclyn Unruh has joined OrderMyGear, an e-commerce platform, as its Head of People.

Unruh is expected to continue to build a growth-oriented, customer-centered environment across the organization, which has more than 120 employees.

Unruh brings eight years of HR leadership experience to her new position, according to a statement. Most recently, Unruh strategized and implemented talent solutions essential to Gartner’s salesforce expansion in the company’s new Irving location following its acquisition of CEB.

EarthXFilm appoints Levatino as executive producer

Paul Levatino

Paul Levatino has been appointed executive producer of EarthXFilm as the Dallas-based film festival starts its six-month countdown to the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, which will be noted with ten days of environmental films from April 17 to 26, 2020.

Levatino brings more than 20 years of entertainment and marketing experience to his new position, including over a decade of working with Grammy-winning singer and actress Erykah Badu, as well as a host of production credits for activations, concerts, festivals, events, commercials, and videos, according to a statement. Levatino was the director of marketing and publicity as well as the live production manager for Badu, eventually serving as general manager of her company, Badu World Inc.

He supervised marketing and project management for Universal/Motown releases NEW AMERYKAH PART I & II, and executed tour and production management for all of Badu’s live performances, including five world tours.

Recently, he was the executive producer for Suzy Batiz, co-founder of Addison-based Poo-Pourri, where he led marketing and product launches, conceptualized, and produced innovative content, and coordinated high-profile event productions, according to a statement.

Hill+Knowlton hires Bouldin as principal in Dallas office

Caroline Bouldin

New York-based global public relations consulting firm Hill+Knowlton Strategies has hired Caroline Bouldin as a principal in its corporate advisory practice in Dallas.

Previously, Bouldin was director of marketing and communications at Napali Capital, a Southlake investment company.

With more than 80 offices around the world, Hill+Knowlton has over 2,000 strategists, content creators, and master storytellers, according to its website.

Michaels Companies taps Cosby as its new CEO

Mark Cosby

The Michaels Companies Inc., North America’s largest specialty retailer of arts, crafts, framing, floral, wall decor, and seasonal merchandise, has named Mark Cosby as its chief executive officer.

Cosby is an experienced consumer goods and retail executive with operations expertise, who has served as interim CEO and as a member of the board of directors since February.

His appointment comes after a comprehensive search process conducted by a special committee of the board, according to a statement.

The Irving-headquartered company operates more than 1,260 Michaels stores in 49 states and Canada.

Sally Beauty appoints Holt as vice president

April Holt

Denton-based Sally Beauty Holdings Inc., an international specialty retailer and distributor of professional beauty supplies, has appointed April Holt as group vice president, stores for its Beauty Systems Group.

Holt joins Sally Beauty from Victoria’s Secret, where she has worked for the past 16 years, according to a statement. Holt’s most recent role was executive vice president, stores and operations at Victoria’s Secret.

Before Victoria’s Secret, Holt worked for GAP and Old Navy for ten years in a variety of leadership positions.

KidKraft names Whitbeck as chief financial officer

Todd Whitbeck

Todd Whitbeck has been appointed as chief financial officer by KidKraft, a Dallas-based provider of traditional play products.

Whitbeck brings more than 30 years of experience in finance and corporate development to his new position, according to a statement.

KidKraft’s mission is to inspire imaginative play for children through toys. The company’s products are available at more than 2,800 retailers in more than 90 countries worldwide.