Vistage International

Vistage International is a Peer-to-peer membership organization for CEO's, business owners and executives of small- to mid-size businesses. Members meet once a month in groups with 15 other executives from non-competing businesses. The groups typically begin with a speaker who presents a three-hour seminar on business strategy. The rest of the day-long meeting is devoted to issue processing, where members air their business problems and other members offer solutions.

In 2006, Vistage underwent a name change, prior they were known as TEC (The Executive Committee). During the name change, however, not all of the company’s licensees adopted the new name. Currently the company operates under the name Vistage and several of its licensees operate under the name TEC, but both provide identical services.

The company was founded in 1957 by a Wisconsin businessman named Robert Nourse, who met with four chief executives to share knowledge and experiences. Nourse had found it difficult to find other peers to talk to about business issues without compromising himself. He brought together executives from similarly-sized companies in non-competing industries for the sole purpose of learning from each other. Soon, Nourse turned the model into a business, TEC.

Nourse expanded TEC by creating additional groups. As TEC grew, it began to include the following elements in its monthly meetings: professional development coaching, business-practice sharing, confidential help with critical business issues, and debates on factors impacting small and mid-sized businesses. TEC later added a facilitator (known as a “Chair”) to lead each group meeting and serve as confidential, personal coach to each member.

For the past five years, the company has conducted quarterly economic surveys of its CEO members. The results of this survey, known as the Vistage CEO Confidence Index, offers a barometer of CEO confidence in U.S.

A number of organizations offer similar services to Vistage, including Young Presidents Organization, The Alternative Board, SBA's SCORE program, Family Office Exchange, Family Office Association and TIGER 21.

References

[http://www.vistage.com Official Website] [http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=56232 CEO Peer Group Provides Support, Feedback] [http://www.startribune.com/business/12270836.html CEOs can learn from each other] [http://www.biztimes.com/news/2008/1/25/corporate-leadership-take-control-of-your-companys-finances-now Corporate Leadership: Take Control of Your Company’s Finances Now] [http://www.coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080211/BUSINESS/80211002 Vistage a place to sharpen leaders] [http://www.kansas.com/business/on_the_job/story/339857.htmlGroup offers advice to the top, from the top]