Carrington & Carrington Names Business Development Leader
July 11, 2017 – Sydney L. Parks has joined executive search firm Carrington & Carrington as its new senior director, strategic search operations and business development. Reporting directly to Willie and Marian Carrington, principals of the Chicago-based firm, Mr. Parks is charged with managing executive search engagements, business development and executing strategic operational projects.
Mr. Parks is expected to play a key role in a number of plans the diversity-focused recruiters are looking to put into effect. “His diverse experiences, especially in risk consulting, global fraud investigations, and solution selling, will help us execute our short and long-term strategies,” said Ms. Carrington. “Sydney joins our organization at a pivotal time as we are realigning staff and implementing new initiatives to enhance our clients and candidates’ experience.”
Before his new job, Mr. Parks was part of the Verizon Wireless National Indirect Compliance team. His experience also includes stints as a manager with Protiviti, the management consulting firm, and senior consultant for Arthur Andersen Business Consulting.
Ms. Carrington said Mr. Parks’ two decades of work in both establishing and building client relationships as well as exceeding customer expectations played a big part in his selection.
Mr. Parks, a certified fraud examiner, earned a bachelor of science degree in accountancy from DePaul University.
With offices in Washington, D.C., and Memphis, Carrington & Carrington specializes in the recruitment and placement of African Americans, Latinos, women, LGBT and other diverse professionals. The firm places middle management and senior level executives across various industries and functional areas. Founded by Mr. Carrington 37 years ago, it now ranks as one of the most respected African American-owned search firms in the nation.
Hunt Scanlon Media recently caught up with Mr. Parks and asked him some questions about his new role.
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Sydney, what got you interested in executive search?
I have had the pleasure of working with Carrington & Carrington on various search assignments for many years. My interest in executive search has increased with each of my assignments. I have seen the positive impact that we are making on the candidates lives as well as the client-corporations that we are serving. I believe that most of my professional work experience from forensic accounting, business fraud investigations to solutions selling has prepared me for success in executive search. I understand the importance of listening and making every client interaction an exceptional experience.
What are the biggest challenges of your new job and how best to overcome them?
I believe the biggest challenge for any executive search firm continues to be demonstrating to our clients that we have a great pool of diverse and skilled professionals that can make a significant contribution to their organization and to candidates that we have relationships in places where they would want to build their career. When we execute this well, it’s a win-win-win.
“I am very excited to now be in a position where I can have a significant impact on helping companies shape their culture, improve the lives of candidates and ultimately make our communities stronger.”
What are your goals for your new job?
My goal is to establish myself as a strategic resource that can help hiring executives find candidates to fill key roles and help candidates find opportunities that they may not be aware of or not considered for.
Your firm is well known for finding diverse candidates. Do you feel that you’re serving a greater purpose beyond just helping fill positions?
I truly believe, and the data supports this, that hiring a diverse workforce offers a competitive advantage, increases employee engagement and productivity, brings new and better vetted ideas, and increases revenue, just to name a few. I am very excited to now be in a position where I can have a significant impact on helping companies shape their culture, improve the lives of candidates and ultimately make our communities stronger.
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor; and Chase Barbe, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
