Nexus Search Partners Names Leader of Private Equity Practice
December 15, 2025 – Nexus Search Partners, an executive search and advisory firm in Charlotte, NC, has appointed Allison Worthington as partner and leader of its private equity practice. “Allison’s background as both a private equity talent leader and retained executive search expert gives her a unique perspective as she works with our existing PE clients and creates new opportunities for growth across Nexus,” said Thaddeus V. Jones, founder and managing partner. “She understands how talent drives value creation within private equity environments and has cultivated a national network of executive leaders over the past two decades. Her addition reinforces Nexus’ commitment to helping private equity firms secure leaders who align with their investment strategy, cultural priorities, and long-term vision.”
Ms. Worthington brings more than 20 years of experience in executive search and talent acquisition, focused on helping investment managers and operating companies secure high-impact leadership. Her background spans both retained search and in-house talent management for private equity. Most recently, she oversaw talent acquisition at private equity firm Summit Park, partnering directly with deal teams and portfolio company management through leadership transitions and broader strategic human capital initiatives. In this role, she led direct candidate placements and also collaborated with retained search partners to place senior, high-impact leaders while serving as a trusted thought partner on recruiting, culture evaluation, and talent assessment.
Prior to her in-house work, Ms. Worthington spent more than a decade with The Prince Houston Group, a New York-based retained executive search firm acquired by Egon Zehnder in July 2025. The firm specialized in recruiting C-suite and senior leaders for blue-chip institutional asset managers, including hedge funds and private equity. Throughout her career in search, she has taken a deeply consultative approach to recruiting, successfully placing influential leaders who drive value creation through cultural and operational enhancements.
“What drew me to Nexus is the shared belief that search is most successful when it operates as a true partnership far beyond a candidate’s placement,” Ms. Worthington said. “The firm’s work reflects the high-touch relationship that private equity teams need to make confident leadership decisions.”
Nexus Search Partners was launched in 2022. The firm’s executive search process is built on four comprehensive pillars: in-depth cultural assessments, transparency and accountability, diverse candidate slates, and SVP+ executive coaching. Nexus Search Partners places cross-functional executives in consumer products and services, energy, financial and professional services, life sciences, private equity, and technology.
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Mr. Jones has spent nearly two decades leading human resources talent management teams for some of the world’s largest companies, including Amazon, Lowe’s Home Improvement, and Target. He most recently served as executive vice president and chief talent officer for Red Ventures, a multibillion-dollar operating private equity company with more than 21 companies in its portfolio. Red Ventures is also one of the largest digital media companies in the U.S.
Growth in Financial Services
Nexus Search Partners recently added Alison Summerville as partner, financial services. “Alison’s ability to navigate complexity, build consensus, and anchor business success in purpose-driven leadership makes her an incredible addition to our team,” Mr. Jones said. “She has lived the challenges of organizational transformation and understands the critical role leadership plays in creating both business results and community impact. Summerville’s appointment reflects Nexus’ continued expansion into financial services and its commitment to delivering exceptional, values-aligned leaders who drive long-term organizational success.”
Nexus Search Partners Appoints Managing Director, Human Capital
Nexus Search Partners expanded with the addition of Sam Worobec as managing director, human capital. “Sam has a rare ability to scale culture and capability at the same time,” said Thaddeus V. Jones, founder and managing partner of Nexus Search Partners. “His vision and values are tightly aligned with how we serve our clients—and where we’re going as a firm.” Mr. Worobec is a nationally recognized leader in people strategy and organizational design. He brings more than two decades of experience helping companies scale performance while preserving the cultural elements that make them unique. Most recently, Mr. Worobec served as senior vice president and head of central talent at Red Ventures, where he led global executive recruiting, leadership development, talent management, and analytics.
A respected leader with more than two decades of executive experience across banking, corporate strategy, and civic leadership, Ms. Summerville has both financial expertise and a deep commitment to community impact to her new role. She most recently served as business administration executive and head of corporate citizenship at Ally Financial, where she launched and scaled the Ally Charitable Foundation to an $80 million endowment and built a $20 million annual grant-making program focused on economic mobility. She also held senior leadership roles at Bank of America, including chief operating officer of corporate treasury, where she guided the company through periods of significant transformation.
“Seeing that process up close, I witnessed the impact of Nexus’ thoughtful and intentional approach,” Ms. Summerville said. “Joining the firm is an exciting opportunity to bring that same purpose-driven vision to financial institutions navigating transformation. I believe leadership in financial services must balance results with resilience and cultural alignment, and Nexus is uniquely positioned to deliver on that.”
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Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
