Mary Matthews is an accomplished executive search professional and certified executive coach who has worked successfully across industries for the betterment of all stakeholders. She has focused on recruiting senior leaders and board members.
Mary has worked with clients primarily in the software technology, consumer (food and agriculture) and real estate verticals. She has recruited world renown senior leaders and board members for U.S. and European corporations, private companies and private equity investors to drive growth and execute turnarounds. She has also worked with European companies to recruit American board members to strengthen and broaden market understanding, as well as recruited divisional leaders for North American operations and transformation.
Mary partners with and serves Of Counsel to Sudduth Search whenever beneficial to our clients. Mary founded CovenantES Partners in 2010 and, simultaneously, has been a strategic alliance partner and advisor to other notable search firms. CovenantES was the New York member of Agilium Worldwide, as Sudduth Search is the Houston member. Agilium is a global network of owner-led boutique search firms. Earlier Mary contributed to the growth of KornFerry International as a Senior Client Partner working with global clients and private equity investors. She was the first woman in Kaiser Aluminum and Chemical Corporation’s management trainee program and held Product Marketing positions in California and New York. During college, she worked in Private Banking for Florida National Bank. Her career has been strongly influenced by corporate training.
A West Florida native, Mary graduated in business administration from Florida State University and studied for her master’s in organizational psychology at Columbia University. She has served on numerous boards for arts and music institutions. She is on the Vestry of her church and volunteers in the Louie Matthews’ Teaching Garden, which she helped establish in 2022 in Old Saybrook, CT. As a mother, she was an active volunteer for Dartmouth College, Deerfield Academy and The Chapin School. Mary enjoys reading, gardening, the fine arts and music–especially chamber, gospel and jazz.