Slayton Search Partners Adds Veteran Private Equity Recruiter

October 8, 2020 – Chicago-based executive search firm Slayton Search Partners has expanded with the addition of Dan Dunn as executive vice president. He will be focused on driving value for industrial manufacturers, including private equity-backed mid-market portfolio companies and Fortune 500 organizations.

“Dan’s impressive skill-set, deep background and positive attitude make him a perfect fit for this company,” said Richard Slayton, managing partner and CEO of Slayton Search Partners. “His ability to build long-term relationships and exceed expectations will help our industrial clients thrive.”

Previously, Mr. Dunn was a managing partner for Chicago-based boutique search firm Banister International for over five years. With aggressive growth goals, he designed and implemented talent acquisition strategies across the enterprise. Before entering the executive search industry, Mr. Dunn spent 15 years in sales at Quad Graphics. There, he had many accomplishments, including increasing revenue by 68.6 percent over a three-year period and enabling 99 percent customer retention.

“It’s an honor and a privilege to join one of the most respected companies in executive search,” said Mr. Dunn. “Not only is Slayton a leader in the industry, but it’s an organization that truly cares about its employees. I’m thrilled to join such a welcoming team.”

Veteran Search Firm

Established in 1985, Slayton Search Partners focuses on finding executive talent in the following industries: consumer, retail, financial services, insurance, industrial and private equity. The firm said that its “network of industry leaders and influencers inevitably leads us to opportunities outside of our core practice areas.” Evolving markets, emerging technologies and changing consumer habits have impacted all industries, said the search firm, and that the need for strong executive talent is far-reaching.

There is a seismic shift occurring in the consumer-facing sector of the financial services industry. “While the exponential increase of digital and mobile technology is transforming services and products, financial institutions are also caught up in the growing demand for regulatory and risk management functions,” said Slayton Search Partners.


Getting on with Hiring in the Face of a Crisis

Companies are far from operating in “business as usual” mode, but there are still business imperatives and targets that must be met. The current crisis, in fact, has highlighted areas in businesses where there are “cracks” – processes or functions that were acceptable before, but now must be changed or improved. “It is this dichotomy that is forcing executives to ask, ‘What’s next?’” said Richard Slayton, managing partner and CEO of Slayton Search Partners, in a new report. “In many cases, what’s next is a recognition that the company must get on with business while making accommodation for the ongoing impact of the crisis.”

“We are now having frequent and substantive conversations with our clients, many who have seen these ‘cracks’ appear, about upgrading talent or creating new functions that are now required in the life after COVID,” said Mr. Slayton.


Slayton leverages its deep consumer expertise to build a wide network of executives to tackle these growing challenges and trends. Areas of expertise include banking, consumer finance, credit card and financial technology/payments.

Recent Growth

Earlier this year, Slayton named Charles Southwick to the position of senior vice president and principal. He is expanding his efforts, continuing to develop impactful client relationships and recruit key leaders in sectors such as food and beverage, manufacturing, retail, technology and more. “Through his ability to achieve tangible results for clients and contribute to the Slayton culture, Charles has proven himself more than capable of fulfilling the duties of a senior role on our team,” said Mr. Slayton.

Slayton also appointed Stuart T. Smith as senior vice president and principal. He is a key member of the financial services practice, supporting commercial banking, private banking, wealth management and real estate partners. Mr. Smith has a track record of providing community and regional banks, real estate firms, REITs and private equity firms with senior management talent. Previously, Mr. Smith was a principal with Dallas-based search firm Chartwell Partners.

Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media

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