Scion Executive Search Recruits CEO for the Historic Trust
September 12, 2019 – Scion Executive Search, which specializes in the non-profit sector, has placed David Pearson as president and CEO of the Historic Trust, a Vancouver, WA preservation group. Gregory Goode, who served in the role less than four months, abruptly stepped down and board member Mike Williams had been serving as interim president and CEO.
The Historic Trust was seeking a visionary business leader skilled in driving organizational success and empowering a high performing staff. Mr. Pearson fit that bill. For 22 years, he served in professional museum management at the Columbia River Maritime Museum in Astoria OR. Most recently, he was the executive director at the World of Motorsports Museum in Wilsonville, OR.
Mr. Pearson has led mission-based organizations in fundraising, strategic planning, building community partnerships and expanding STEM-based educational opportunities. He has served as president of the Council of American Maritime Museums and was exclusively invited to join Getty Museum Leadership Institute in 2010 for a professional development program. Mr. Pearson has been a Northwest resident for more than 20 years. Most of his professional career has been in the non-profit sector.
“We are very excited to welcome David,” said Stacey Graham, board chair. “He brings a wealth of historic knowledge and leadership experience to the Historic Trust. His work in developing new local and regional partnerships, and commitment to expanding preservation and historic property management efforts are critical to our future.”
“David has a deep understanding and connection with the Pacific Northwest. His civic leadership, combined with his extensive non-profit experience, uniquely position him to support our mission and vision,” said Mr. Williams.
Reporting to the board of directors, Mr. Pearson will have overall management responsibility for a growing organization with an operating budget of more than $5 million and $9 million in net assets, 15 to 20 full-time equivalent staff and a volunteer base of 40 (peaking at 250 for certain events each year).
Hunt Scanlon Top 50 Non-Profit & Higher Education Search Firms
Hunt Scanlon presents its first ever roundup of leading recruiters in the non-profit / higher education sectors. Check out these top 50 trailblazers – ranging from the largest recruiting and talent leadership solutions firms to the leading boutique specialists.
| Top 50 |
“I am honored and privileged to be joining the Historic Trust,” said Mr. Pearson. “I look forward to getting to know my new community and continue building on the strong success of this organization. Vancouver is at the very center of the history of the Pacific Northwest, and the work of the Historic Trust has been vital in preserving that history. I am anxious to start sharing our story, and helping the Trust grow regionally and nationally, as well.”
Respected Recruiters
Established in 1998 as the Vancouver National Historic Reserve Trust, the Historic Trust is a regionally recognized 501(c)(3). The organization plays an integral role in cultivating a community that preserves and celebrates its history while shaping its legacy, said Scion Executive Search. The Historic Trust operates a portfolio of education programs, including the regionally recognized Pearson Field Education Center. The non-profit also preserves and manages many of the most treasured and iconic properties in southwest Washington including the City of Vancouver’s Officers Row and West Barracks, and the Historic Trust’s own Providence Academy. Additionally, the Historic Trust plans and produces significant commemorative, patriotic and celebratory events in the community for groups ranging in size from a few hundred to tens of thousands.
Scion Executive Search, founded in 2006, conducts searches for non-profit clients that range from large foundations, universities and government employers, to social services and art organizations. Headquartered in San Francisco, the firm has regional offices in New York; Chicago; Portland, OR; Seattle; Dallas; Denver; and Charlotte, NC.
The firm counts among its clients: Make-a-Wish America, Silicon Valley Community Foundation, the American Lung Association, the Native Arts and Cultures Foundation, Ronald McDonald House Charities and the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights, among others.
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor; and Andrew W. Mitchell, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
