David P. Smith, Founder & CEO
Dave is the President and Founder of HRS, Inc., a client-centric executive search firm headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. For over thirty-years, Dave has served as a trusted advisor to boards and CEOs. He has conducted successful search engagements for Fortune 500 corporations, start-ups, and emerging growth firms, nonprofits, professional associations and, a diverse range of public-private partnerships.
Dave has personally led an array of transformational CEO leadership engagements for public-private partnerships including: national and statewide professional associations, regional economic development organizations; urban development and placemaking entities, innovation districts; technology-based economic development organizations and, workforce initiatives.
As a thought leader in the industry, Dave co-authored two ground breaking behavioral leadership studies. The studies were conducted on behalf of the International Economic Development Council (IEDC), and the IDA. Dave has also authored several articles focused on board governance and executive leadership.
Dave maintains professional relationships with numerous professional economic development organizations, e.g., American Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE), International Economic Development Council (IEDC), International Downtown Association (IDA), the American Planning Association (APA), the Association of University Research Parks (AURP), National Association of State Venture Funds (NASVF), the State Science and Technology Institute (SSTI), Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), Urban Land Institute (ULI), and the National Association of Regional Councils (NARC).
As a sought-after speaker and presenter, Dave’s professional presentations include:
- International Downtown Association’s 47th Annual International Conference — “Essentials of Personnel Management;”
- National Association of Regional Council’s 37th Annual Conference — “Understanding Strategic Human Capital Issues;”
- American Association of School Administrators Annual Conference & Exposition — “Recruiting Women and Minorities;”
- International Downtown Association’s 51st Annual International Conference — “The Swirling Maelstrom— Urban Leadership.”
- International Economic Development Council – Annual Conference — “Opportunities Abroad for Economic Developers: Internationalizing Your Career.”
- International Economic Development Council – Leadership Summit – “The Total Leader – Managing the Leadership Gap”
Prior to entering the executive search field, Dave was a career Army officer where he served in numerous command and staff leadership positions. He is a decorated combat veteran having served two years in the Republic of Vietnam with the 101st Airborne Division and, the United States Army Special Forces “Green Berets.”
Dave was born and raised in the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains in New York State. He studied Liberal Arts at the State University of New York at Brockport and the University of South Carolina. Active in numerous professional and community organizations, he has served on the Board of the Pittsburgh Chapter of the American Red Cross and the Board of the Pittsburgh Chapter of the American Heart Association. Dave is past president of his Parish Council, a former Co‐Chairman of the Reorganization and Revitalization Task Force, and a member of Serra International. As a Serran, he has served as president and district governor.
David Ginsburg, Partner
David previously served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Downtown Cincinnati Inc (DCI) since 2002, working to achieve the non-profit organization’s mission “to build downtown Cincinnati as a dynamic metropolitan center valued as the heart of the region.” He joined Downtown Cincinnati Inc. near its inception in 1994 as Vice President of Retail Development. Since retirement from DCI in 2018, Ginsburg serves as Senior Advisor to Gilman Partners in Cincinnati. David also serves as Partner with HRS, Inc. and has contributed to several successful searches in community and economic development.
Prior to working with DCI, David spent more than 23 years in the retail industry. He began his career with Marshall Field’s in Chicago, holding a variety of management positions including Buyer and Assistant General Manager – Merchandising of the flagship State Street store. A native of Chicago, David moved to Cincinnati, Ohio in 1987 to take a position as Director of Independent Concept Programs for US Shoe. This position provided national exposure to both urban and rural areas. As a writer, David penned the forward to Fountain Square and the Genius of Water by Greg Rogers.
David serves or has served on the Board of Directors of Forward Cities (CEO’s for Cities), International Downtown Association, Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber, Greater Cincinnati Convention and Visitors Bureau, Cincinnati Arts Association, REDI Cincinnati, and OKI Regional Council of Governments, Downtown Ohio Inc., Crayons to Computers and the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA). He is on the Advisory Board of Urban Land Institute Cincinnati. David was an original member of the Cincinnati Police Chief’s Advisory Board and is a member of the Steering Committee of the League of Animal Welfare Capital Campaign Committee. He sits on the Ohio Advisory Board of the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition and is a graduate of Leadership Cincinnati Class XX in 1996.
David has built a national reputation for building effective collaborations between business, government and grassroots stakeholder groups.
Weida Tucker, Partner
Thirty-years of experience in executive search with a strong focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion. Clients include Fortune 500 companies and large national nonprofits. Experience as a board member of several economic development organizations including Penn Southwest, Pittsburgh Regional Alliance, and the Minority Enterprise Corporation. Strong communications expertise including public relations and government relations. Provides candidate identification including DEI support, and candidate evaluations. Office: Gainesville, Florida