DI People: Match Group, KDC, BenefitMall, and More Make Moves

Across North Texas, companies are promoting and hiring people for leadership positions.

Dallas Innovates covers prominent personnel moves in Dallas-Fort Worth businesses and nonprofits—from the newest startups to well-established companies. Here are the people moves tied to innovation and technology in the region.

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Match Group names new CEO of Tinder

Renate Nyborg

Dallas-based online dating giant Match Group has appointed Renate Nyborg as the new chief executive officer of Tinder, its leading brand. She will be Tinder’s first-ever female CEO.

Nyborg originally joined the Tinder team last year as the general manager of Europe, Middle East, and Africa. In that role, she is credited with breaking new ground in marketing across Europe and leading global initiatives across the company. She came to Match Group from Headspace, where she built its first international product and marketing organization. Before that, Nyborg spent more than four years at Apple.

“Throughout her career, Renate has demonstrated a keen instinct for how to develop and market mobile products, grow subscription businesses, expand in new markets, and appeal to younger users,” Match Group CEO Shar Dubey said in a statement. “Running Tinder’s European business, she’s demonstrated true leadership, and is relentlessly focused on accelerating growth and developing experiences based on what our members—particularly women—are looking for.”

IOMAXIS announces new chief executive

John Castles

IOMAXIS, a technology company that builds a range of communications and computing technologies, has named John Castles as its new CEO.

Castles has more than 35 decades of leadership experience. In 2008, he retired from the U.S. Army as a colonel after 25 years of service, and went on to work as a senior executive with A-T Solutions. He then spent several years as the COO of a private company that supported the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

“John is an incredible leader with tremendous business operations expertise,” Brad Buhr, owner and managing partner, said in a statement. “He will set the innovative foundation of the organization and prepare us for accelerated growth as a rapidly evolving technology company. John’s extraordinary experience will be of paramount value as we move our remarkable company into a future full of opportunities and change.”

BenefitMall appoints new CFO

Mark Trivette

Dallas-based BenefitMall, a provider of next-gen broker services, has named Mark Trivette as its chief financial officer, effective immediately.

Trivette most recently was the CEO of Aspira, where he led its turnaround and eventual exit earlier this year. He also previously held CFO roles at ACTIVE Network, SourceHOV (now Exela), and BancTec. At BenefitMall, Trivette will lead all functions within the finance and accounting divisions, helping the company to launch a number of new internal processes, initiatives, and offerings.

“Mark comes to us with more than 20 years of strategic leadership and insight in the finance realm,” said Scott Kirksey, CEO of BenefitMall. “With a focus on building private equity-backed companies, he will be instrumental in propelling our growth and expediting the momentum we’ve already experienced this year. I am proud to welcome him to the BenefitMall family.”

Priority Power names a CFO

Jim Loner

Arlington-based Priority Power Management, an independent energy services provider that offers smart energy solutions to streamline a transition to carbon neutrality, has named Joe Loner as its chief financial officer.

Loner has more than 15 years of experience working with private equity-owned businesses in the power industry. He joins Priority Power from GridLiance, where he was directly involved in its sale to NextEra Energy this year. Before that, he held numerous roles at AES, Nexeo Solutions, Panda Power Funds, and General Electric.

“Being on the frontlines of the energy transition, we need people who know the power industry inside and out and can help us guide our customers into this new world,” Priority Power CEO Brandon Schwertner said in a statement. “Joe fits that description exactly, and we’re thrilled to be able to benefit from his expertise as we expand our client base and build on our strong financial position.”

Lux Amber names new company president

Walton Ashwander, Jr.

Frisco-based international specialty chemical company Lux Amber Corp. has appointed Walton A. Ashwander, Jr., as its president and a member of the board of directors.

Walton began his career in the construction industry in financial positions, eventually moving into areas of general management through a series of promotions. He brings a vast experience in marketing and product placement concepts to Lux Amber. In his new role, he will help enhance growth and position the company to expand further.

“I have known Walton for several years and I am confident our customers and shareholders will recognize and appreciate that Walton is the right person and has joined at exactly the right time,” Chairman and CEO E. Thomas Layton said in a statement.

Propelled Brands appoints a new brand president of NerdsToGo

Jim Howe

Carrollton-based Propelled Brands, the corporate umbrella for a number of service industry franchise brands, has named Jim Howe as the president of NerdsToGo.

Propelled Brands acquired NerdsToGo, which acts as the IT department for small- to medium-sized businesses and residential customers, last year with the intent to grow profitability for existing franchisees. Howe brings more than three decades of franchising experience to the brand, having been part of the FASTSIGNS International team for the past 11 years. Before that, he was with The Coffee Beanery, Wicks and Sticks, and Hallmark.

“We’re proud of Jim Howe and all he has accomplished in his time here at FASTSIGNS International, Inc., and we look forward to all of the incredible growth he will achieve with the NerdsToGo brand,” Catherine Monson, CEO at Propelled Brands and chair of the International Franchise Association, said in a statement. “As our world continues to shift in the way people live and work, we know that this need will only expand. We are thrilled to have Jim at the helm.”

KDC gets a lead for its new leasing division

Aarica Mims

Dallas-based KDC, a developer and acquirer of mixed-use projects and corporate build-to-suit campus projects, has brought Aarica Mims onto its team as the senior vice president and director of leasing.

Most recently, Mims was the leasing manager at Granite Properties, where she oversaw leasing for mixed-use projects and Class A/AA office space. She was also involved in the design, implementation, and leasing of speculative office projects throughout Dallas-Fort Worth. At KDC, Mims will lead the new leasing platform and build the leasing team, focusing on acquisitions, multi-tenant office leasing, and ground-up builds.

“Following on the heels of our July announcement about our first fund, we’ve hit the ground running and are preparing for the growth opportunities ahead,” Eric Hage, KDC’s executive vice president of development, said in a statement. “We know leasing and acquisition activity will ramp up, and we feel Aarica has the experience and talent to lead the effort and build a top-notch team.”

Weitzman brings on a veteran research and data professional

Rob Darnell

Texas-based retail-focused commercial real estate services firm Weitzman has hired Rob Darnell to serve as the new VP of research for its statewide operations.

Darnell has experience in offering insight and location intelligence via spatial, demographic, and psychographic analyses. In his new role, he will enable Weitzman to provide meaningful contributions to local, regional, and national tenant representation clients and project representation packages and pitches. He will also direct the activities of a team that specializes in location intelligence.

“Rob brings a wealth of experience to Weitzman, having previously served more than 14 years as Director of Research for a statewide retail real estate firm,” Marshall Mills, president and CEO of Weitzman, said in a statement. “Research and data innovation are critical to the success of our business and the growth of our market share, which requires a professional with Rob’s expertise in commercial real estate research and customer analytics.”