Testimonials
Gene Phillip, President
DYMAX Service
Member since 1999
It is difficult to put an exact dollar amount on the ideas I've
gained from Executive Group over the years, but the investment of
approximately a half a day a month is well worth the rewards from
the meetings. The information and knowledge I've gained from other
executives has been fabulous and I have been able to apply this
information directly to my business.
I particularly enjoy the monthly forums. They give me a great
opportunity to highlight my company and I use the group of 10 or 12
executives as my outside advisory board, challenging my ideas and
thoughts and helping dissect problems that arise from time to
time.
Executive Group membership is a "no-brainer" for me!
Matt Keller, President
Capstone Press
Member since 2003
Executive Group has helped me see possibilities and challenged me to act. Capstone Press is now tapping into new funding sources in our current market and entering new markets that hold great promise. Executive Group was instrumental in making this happen.
Sanjay Kuba, President
GCI Systems, Inc.
Member since 2003
The Executive Group benefit that is most important to me is the
interaction with other business members. When you become an
Executive Group member, you have an immediate common bond with the
group. When you talk to them, you don't have to give a lot of
background information, you just get right to the issues.
We also get together in a large setting once a quarter and nearly
every one has been very valuable. From small consultancies to
subsidiaries of large multi-national companies, you get a diverse
set of experiences from those people. It's a great opportunity to
learn different ways of looking at my business including marketing,
positioning, strategic planning, branding and other topics key to
the success of any business.
I look at membership as an investment and I look forward to the
meetings.
Kent Forsland, President
Designer Doors
Member since 1996
Frankly, we would not be near the size we are or as far along in
the business if we had not been members of The Executive Group. The
quarterly sessions are particularly valuable and I often bring
other people from my executive team. The sessions are focused
cutting-edge concepts that provide great insight and often lead to
major initiative changes within the company.
One of the things I've recently come to appreciate is learning to
not let the business run the business owner! Instead, you can run
the business in such a way that adds to the owner's life and
fulfillment of what they want out of life. Going to these sessions
and always finding something new - a new insight, a new tip - it's
just been a great experience.
Executive Group membership is an investment that has paid off very
well. Every year we feel very good about what we get back out and
wouldn't consider not making that investment.
While I enjoyed the wide variety of speakers TEC/Vistage offered, Executive Group has taken out the non-value elements and replaced them with a program that directly focuses on elements essential to growing our business. Executive Group is a terrific value.
-- President, manufacturing company
I was a member of a premier international CEO group for 10 years. It was expensive, but I enjoyed the high caliber people it attracted. After 10 years my business was flat. I was frustrated, and it was increasingly difficult to justify my involvement. Now, after just one year with Executive Group, we've doubled our profits, uncovered our true value proposition and we are pursuing a high growth, high margin strategy. In the meantime our competition is still playing the low price commodity game. I have an excitement and enthusiasm for my company I haven't felt in years and I now see a path to fulfill the dreams I had when I bought the company!
-- CEO/Owner, manufacturing company
Jackie Mylnarczyk, President
Kaposia
Member since 1996
I'm always looking to challenge myself to be a better leader and
a better person. Executive Group focuses on how to run our
businesses and find balance in our personal lives so we have a
meaningful job and a meaningful personal life. I always like to
leave with just one concept that I'm going to implement or think
about. That challenges me to open my way of thinking and try
different things so I don't fall into the paradigm routine that I'm
always thinking of things in the same way.
Every business has key components of leadership, strategic
planning, sales and marketing, and business results. It doesn't
matter if you're a non-profit. We're in a competitive market too.
We face the same challenges and Executive Group helps us stay one
step ahead.
Like anything else, you have to take some time out to invest in
yourself as a leader. That's what you do through Executive Group. I
get a lot of energy from the focus group meetings and after being
in a job for more than 30 years, I can use all the energy I can
get! I've been in many, many trade association and other groups
where they just zapped energy from me, so I really appreciate the
energy I get from listening to others' stories as well as
presenting my own story as we work together to be more
successful.
John Miller, President
Superior Consulting Services
Member since 1997
Executive Group is not a club. Instead, it's a camaraderie that provides an opportunity for people of similar backgrounds with diverse experience to develop alternative ways of looking at a problem and how to deal with it.
Carol Rydell
Manager, Kaposia inc.
Thanks for the opportunity to attend last week's [Market Busting] session. Since I work on a lot of projects associated with "change" at Kaposia, I found the information to be extremely helpful. I can see now why one of the projects I've worked on recently has had less than desirable results! I certainly learned lessons I will apply in the future.
Steve Duncan, President
Princess Marble
Member since 2003
When you have to make the tough decisions, many of the other
Executive Group members have had to slay the same dragons. They
know the sleepless nights; they know what it's like to put your
house up to get money for the company. So you have to be really
honest with yourself and present your thoughts honestly. If you're
full of baloney, someone is going to tell you.
I've found that an Executive Group membership tends to take on a
life of its own. It's been fun finding out all the elements we have
in common then taking a look at our businesses and market
conditions and becoming a participant in one another's thought
processes. It's also been challenging and I am constantly amazed at
the creativity, drive and scope of what many are doing.
Ken Johnson, CEO
CMS Direct
Member since 1983
I enjoy developing relationships with other executives who
understand what it takes to run a company, someone you can bounce
ideas off of. CEOs and presidents think alike and know you have to
look at all the pieces, not just one area and how that
performs.
I think of Executive Group as a great forum for the interchange of
the latest trends and learning what other executives are finding
works well. Over the years, I've been able to take what I've
learned and adapt it to situations that work for me.
