ZRG Partners Recruits CEO for the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Foundation

March 22, 2023 – ZRG Partners, a leading search firm backed by private equity firm RFE Investment Partners, recently placed David V. Trulio as the new CEO of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Foundation. Managing director Diane Charness led the assignment. Mr. Trulio succeeds John Heubusch who is retiring after 14 years of leading the foundation. The appointment marks the conclusion of an extensive search for a new leader of the foundation, which is the sole non-profit organization created by President Reagan charged with continuing his legacy.

“The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Foundation is one of the 12 presidential libraries in the U.S., and is the most visited,” said Ms. Charness. “These organizations provide a window into history– perspective on the life, contributions, and challenges of each President and presidency.  In the case of President Reagan, he is remembered for the timeless principles of individual liberty, economic opportunity, global democracy, and national pride. David’s appointment marks a renewed opportunity to expand outreach and the impact of the President’s legacy to today’s and future generations via digital and other strategies.”

“David has that unique combination of experience that provides the training and perspective of a transformational leader,” Ms. Charness said. “His passion for the work of Ronald Reagan’s presidency, along with his experience in the federal government during the George W. Bush administration, in the defense sector, and within the digital news media makes David an excellent choice to lead the foundation and institute at this important time in its history.”

“With David at the helm, we look forward to propelling the Reagan Foundation and Institute into a new digital age and expanding our reach to those Americans who are unable to visit Simi Valley,” said Frederick J. Ryan Jr., chairman of the foundation’s board. “David is the perfect person to lead this important initiative and guide us into a new era of growth.”

Most recently, Mr. Trulio was managing editor, head of strategy and editorial operations, at FOX News Digital, which is a news, analysis, and opinion platform operating FoxNews.com and FoxBusiness.com.  In 2022, FOX News Digital averaged 82.7 million monthly multiplatform unique visitors, was the top-performing news brand with multiplatform views, and was the most engaged news brand on social media. Mr. Trulio came to FOX News Digital with extensive experience as a leader in both the U.S. government and aerospace and defense industry.

In the Donald J. Trump administration, Mr. Trulio served at the Export-Import Bank of the United States as counselor to the chairman and senior vice president for the program on China and transformational exports.  He was responsible for leading a program focused on supporting U.S. companies competing against Chinese state-backed competitors in 10 key technology areas.

Earlier, at the Department of Defense, Mr. Trulio served as senior advisor and chief of staff to the under-secretary of defense for policy, playing a key leadership and management role atop a vast and diverse team; his responsibilities included serving as executive director of the Defense Policy Board, and he also performed the duties of principal deputy assistant secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs.

Previously, Mr. Trulio was vice president of international government affairs, operations, and regional executive for Latin America at Lockheed Martin International in its Washington, DC-area headquarters.  He joined Lockheed Martin from Raytheon Co., where he held multiple senior roles, including director of operations at Raytheon International, Inc. Earlier in his career, Mr. Trulio was appointed by President George W. Bush to be a special assistant to the President and the executive secretary of the Homeland Security Council (HSC) at the White House.  He held additional roles earlier on the HSC staff and in the office of the Secretary of Defense. During the 2004 presidential campaign, Mr. Trulio was a member of the President’s policy team at campaign headquarters.  Prior to his government service, Mr. Trulio practiced corporate transactional law at O’Melveny & Myers LLP in Los Angeles.

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Mr. Trulio will start his new position on April 3. He is charged with guiding a planned expansion of the foundation and institute’s digital offerings, revenue streams, and brand. “Especially in challenging times, one cannot overstate the importance to America – and the world – of securing and advancing Ronald Reagan’s legacy, his timeless principles, and his elevating leadership example,” he said. “I am deeply honored to lead the Reagan Foundation and Institute, and am grateful to the trustees for this opportunity.  I look forward to working closely with them, the dedicated staff in Simi Valley and Washington, D.C., generous donors around the country, and the local and online communities, to build on the many achievements of the Foundation and Institute.”

ZRG Partners Assists the Government of the District of Columbia with CFO Search
Diane Charness and Tim Ward led the search firm’s efforts in recruiting Glen Lee, former finance director for the city of Seattle, for this key role. “It was important to me that we hire a CFO with strong integrity who was ready, on day one, to build on the District’s financial success,” said Washington, D.C. mayor Muriel Bowser. “I am confident that Glen Lee is the right leader for the job.”

The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute is a non-partisan organization which sustains the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in Simi Valley, CA, the Reagan Center for Public Affairs, the Presidential Learning Center, The Air Force One Pavilion, the award-winning Discovery Center and the Reagan Institute, which carries out the Foundation’s mission in Washington, D.C.  The Reagan Library houses over 55 million pages of gubernatorial, presidential and personal papers and over 60,000 gifts and artifacts chronicling the lives of Ronald and Nancy Reagan. It also serves as their final resting place.

Proven Search Consultants

ZRG, founded in 1999, is a mid-sized global executive search firm and one of the fastest growing in the search industry. It provides a full suite of executive, middle management, and customized search solutions through its offices in North America, Europe, South America, and Asia. The firm finds leaders across a broad spectrum of business markets, including aerospace, consumer, education, healthcare services, and solutions, industrial, life sciences, non-profit, private equity and venture capital, and technology.

Ms. Charness specializes in partnering with leading organizations in education, healthcare, government, and those advocating for the arts, research, and sustainability. She serves as a strategic partner to institutions seeking to cross-populate leadership teams who inspire innovation and operational excellence in both the public and private sectors. Having served over 100 non-profit, governmental, and industry clients throughout the U.S. and beyond, Ms. Charness facilitates consensus around organizational design and leadership development, working with boards and leadership on C-suite and senior management talent selection. She’s been recognized as one of the top 40 Education recruiters in the U.S. by Hunt Scanlon Media two years in a row, and as a top 60 non-profit recruiter.

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