Lewis W. Arend

Lewis W. Arend (Lew), Co-Managing Director, has built a loyal clientele for over twenty years serving organizations in the United States and foreign countries.  Clients continue to retain Mr. Arend to identify, evaluate and recruit key personnel for assignments requiring successful experience in high technology, engineering & construction, environmental, energy, consumer packaged goods, chemicals, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, specialty products, petrochemicals, refining, scientific, and/or process industries organizations. 

Prior to entering the search profession in 1984, Mr. Arend had a successful sixteen year career with two Fortune 500 companies:  Dow Corning Corporation and Armco, Inc.  He attained senior management positions in sales, product marketing and human resources, all of which included responsibility for evaluating and selecting key personnel.  Mr. Arend's unique combination of technical skills, line management experience and exposure to corporate human resource functions allow him to provide consulting based on firsthand experience.  Further, his work in human resources management affords him valuable experience in training, management development, organizational development and outplacement consulting.  Mr. Arend is currently a member of the TECH organization and played a key role in the development of the Houston Technology Center, a 501c corporation dedicated to the commercialization of new technology.  Mr. Arend is an active member of the Rotary Club of Houston, British American Business Council, and BioTechnology Club of Houston.

Mr. Arend earned both a B.S. in Chemical Engineering and an M.B.A. in Marketing from Michigan State University.  He spent two years in the U.S. Army as a systems analyst for the North American Air Defense Command following completion of his M.B.A.  Mr. Arend is married with two sons in the software business and continues to be active as a competitive tennis player with two National titles.

Jim McKinley

Jim is the Co-Founder and Co-Managing Director of the firm. Jim's background includes extensive involvement in manufacturing and energy/chemicals. His career prior to executive search was in Human Resources Management and Labor Relations – his last assignment was as Senior VP, Human Resources for a Fortune 50 energy company. Mr. McKinley spent a number of years living and working in Europe, Africa and the Middle East and has led successful executive searches on six continents and in space exploration.

Jim maintains long term consulting arrangements and leads specialized recruiting for many clients in Natural Gas supply & gas liquids, marketing/trading of hydrocarbons, refining/processing, equipment manufacturing, process and/or project engineering disciplines, co-generation, utilities and power production, operations and maintenance, chemicals, human resources, and research & development.

"I look forward to our next 25 years with our current clients who have been instrumental in our growth and expansion in South America, Western Europe and Africa and our services in North America. We invite principals and senior management of prospective new clients to contact us for a confidential consultation on business needs."