SearchWide Global Recruits Executive Director for the Alaska Raptor Center
September 12, 2024 – After an extensive six-month national search, SearchWide Global has assisted in the recruitment of Carol Bryant-Martin as the new executive director of the Alaska Raptor Center. Nicole Newman, the search firm’s vice president, led the assignment. “We conducted a national search and are thrilled to welcome Carol and her family from Tallahassee, Florida,” said Roger Hames, board chair. “She has the right mix of skills, energy, and ideas to lead the Alaska Raptor Center to new levels of excellence.”
With a robust background in non-profit management, public service, resource development strategies, fiscal administration, and cultural resource and preservation advocacy, Ms. Bryant-Martin brings a diverse set of skills to the position. She most recently served as development director for the Florida Department of State’s Division of Historical Resources and worked at various prestigious institutions, including the Florida Department of Legal Affairs, Getty Images and the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History.
In her new role with the Alaska Raptor Center, Ms. Bryant-Martin is responsible for the overall strategic direction, leadership, and management of the Alaska Raptor Center’s multi-faceted programs and business operations. “I am honored to join the Alaska Raptor Center and serve its vital mission to rehabilitate injured raptors and promote avian conservation,” she said. “I look forward to working closely with the dedicated team at the Alaska Raptor Center to further scale our efforts in education, research, and community engagement.”
The Alaska Raptor Center was established in 1980 in the backyard of two concerned Sitkans, starting with one injured bald eagle. The effort grew, and volunteers treated eagles at their homes until 1983 when they moved to a small shed on the campus of Sheldon Jackson College. In 1991 the Center moved to its present location on 17 acres bordered by the Indian River. The mission of the Alaska Raptor Center is to promote and enhance wild populations of raptors and other avian species through rehabilitation, education, and research.
Serving Clients Nationally
SearchWide Global, based in St. Paul, MN, is a full-service executive recruitment firm primarily for companies in the travel, tourism, hospitality, convention, trade association, venue management, and experiential marketing industries. The firm specializes in C-level and director-level executive searches for companies ranging in size from Fortune 500 corporations to mid-sized public and private companies and associations.
Related: SearchWide Global Recruits CEO for the Boise Metro Chamber of Commerce
Ms. Newman works in all sectors of the hospitality and travel industry. Her experience in group sales, catering, and event planning, according to clients, gives her a unique perspective on executive level recruitment.
Past Work
SearchWide Global has assisted in the recruitment of Herschel Herndon as chief diversity officer for the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority (MCCA) in Boston. Executive recruiter Donna Thornton led the assignment. “We are thrilled to welcome Herschel and have him join the leadership team at the MCCA,” said David Gibbons, executive director of the MCCA. “After a comprehensive search process, it was clear that Herschel’s leadership capabilities, experience, and knowledge of the DEI landscape makes him the perfect person to lead our efforts in truly making the MCCA an employer of choice.”
SearchWide Global Seeking New Leader for Visit Florida Keys
SearchWide Global has been selected by Visit Florida Keys to lead in its search for a new president and CEO. Senior vice president Kellie Henderson is spearheading the assignment. The CEO of Visit Florida Keys oversees the use of the tourism development taxes (TDT) collected in Monroe County, FL, through the Tourist Development Council (TDC) by developing and executing effective marketing, sales, and community engagement strategies as well as providing strategic leadership for and oversight of every aspect of the organization’s operations. Visit Florida Key’s annual budget is fully funded by TDT dollars.
This leader will report to the nine-member TDC board of directors, who serve as volunteers and are appointed by elected board members of the Monroe County Board of County Commissioners. The CEO provides the vision and leadership required to sustain the Florida Keys & Key West as Florida’s premier travel destination and the county’s economic welfare.
SearchWide was looking for candidates with a demonstrated ability to create and execute effective organizational strategies and transformations, as well as prior service building a diversity function and strategizing for organizations with diversity initiatives. Mr. Herndon fit the bill. He is a well-respected diversity and inclusion thought leader with over 20 years of experience in a number of different industries. Mr. Herschel most recently served as chief diversity officer for Thrivent, a Fortune 500 not-for-profit financial services organization, and since 2012 has led a consulting firm offering strategic guidance focused on global diversity and inclusion, market development, and community engagement.
Related: SearchWide Global Assists the International Association of Exhibitions and Events with CEO Search
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
