Hanold Associates Recruits CHRO for Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium

September 25, 2024 – Hanold Associates HR & Diversity Executive Search has assisted in the recruitment of Megan Rachal as the new chief human resources officer and senior vice president of people and culture of Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium. Hanold Associates’ Val Lopez, Meg McElroy and Catie Nelson led the assignment. The search, selection and hiring process was facilitated through a partnership with Hanold Associates. Ms. Rachal rose to the top among a pool of qualified candidates, as a proven and energetic, people-first leader, with expertise within and outside of the zoo and aquarium industry.
“Megan brings fresh perspectives, industry best practices, and experience supporting the needs of a mission-based workforce,” said Luis Padilla, president and CEO of Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium. “Megan will be instrumental in advancing workplace culture initiatives to elevate the impact of our organization. The zoo looks forward to Megan’s leadership as we navigate this exciting period of transformational change for our organization.”
Ms. Rachel most recently served CHRO of Jewish Community Center in Chicago. Her reputation within the zoo and aquarium industry comes from a decade of progressive leadership in human resources at Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, supporting the needs of aquarium professionals at one of the largest indoor aquariums in the United States.
In her new position with Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, Ms. Rachal will lead the strategy and vision for all aspects of an employee’s work experience for the organization and will be a catalyst for initiatives to enhance workplace culture and support being an employer of choice in the region and within the zoo and aquarium industry.
“I am thrilled to be joining the leading zoo in the country to have the opportunity to support its dedicated staff,” said Ms. Rachal. “My experience in the zoo and aquarium space, and within executive leadership, will lend itself well as I dive in. From my very first visit, it was evidently clear that this zoo is a special place for both locals and tourists, and I am honored to become a part of this team and institution.”
Consistently ranked as one of the top five zoos in the U.S. and recently ranked as the number one zoo in the United States by USA Today, Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, with a mission to inspire, educate and engage people to serve as lifelong stewards for animals, their habitats and their conservation. Based in Omaha, Nebraska, the zoo has more than 1,415 different species and more than 30,000 animals across 162 acres, hosting 1.5-2.0 million visitors a year. The zoo relies on a team of 350 full-time and 650 part-time staff members or more to support its mission.
Finding HR Leaders
Hanold Associates is a boutique executive search firm focused on HR and diversity and inclusion officers. Its client list is diverse across industries, geographies, and business scenarios, and culture is at the core of everything the firm does. Jason Hanold, CEO and managing partner, founded the search firm in 2010. Previously, he served as a managing director with Russell Reynolds Associates, where he led the firm’s global human resources officer practice and was a member of the board of directors and CEO practices. Before that he held talent and recruiting positions with Whirlpool, McKinsey & Company, Deloitte, and State Farm.
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Hanold’s clients include the National Football League, Zoom, Domino’s Pizza, Under Armour, Gucci, Tom Brady’s TB12, Kohler, REI, Live Nation Entertainment, Dick’s Sporting Goods, McDonald’s, Major League Baseball, Kellogg, Apollo, Big Ten Conference, Blackstone, TPG, L Catterton, Northwestern University, Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Electronic Arts, Fiat-Chrysler, SC Johnson, eBay, Moderna, Hillrom, Great Place To Work, Fossil, Vail Resorts, AbbVie, Carnival Corp., Biogen, Allstate, Bridgestone, Wikimedia, ClubCorp, Nike, Abercrombie & Fitch, Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, and Ford Motor Co., among others.
Ms. Lopez is a partner and head of Hanold Associates’ diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) practice. She specializes in recruiting executive level DEI, human resources and talent leaders. Ms. Lopez has over a decade of experience in rapid-growth, private equity-backed SaaS businesses, specializing in M&A integrations and change management. Prior to joining Hanold Associates, she spent 15+ years in progressive operational roles at Cision.
Ms. McElroy is an associate with Hanold Associates and focuses on recruiting human resources and diversity, equity, and inclusion leaders across multiple industries and functions. Previously, she was director of recruitment and selection for Northwestern Mutual. There, she grew from developing and expanding the organization’s campus program to recruiting full-time professionals in the financial services industry.
Ms. Nelson is an associate with Hanold Associates where she focuses on recruiting chief people officers, talent, HR and diversity, equity and inclusion leaders and their respective teams across industries. Prior to joining Hanold Associates, she worked as an investment banking analyst in the cross markets group at Goldman Sachs in Chicago where she focused on M&A advisory work.
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Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media