ChairWaves

When your members name the group “The Refinery” and plan their own retreat, you know something special is happening. Vistage Chair Jim Ristuccia shares how a retreat full of logos, laughter, and cross-talk turned his CE group into something deeper. From career Navy officer to award-winning COO to full-time Chair, Jim brings a systems mindset and deep emotional intelligence to his work—including a...

When a career banker walks away from the industry without a plan, the next chapter isn’t usually “Vistage Chair of five groups and best practice leader for all of Chicago.” But that’s exactly how Aimee Daniels rewrote her story. In this episode, Aimee shares the moment she stepped away from corporate life and stepped into something entirely new—eventually becoming a Vistage Chair, mentor, and trus...

Before Monty Montoya was a biotech CEO or a Vistage Chair, he was a 22-year-old harvesting corneas from cadavers—an intense, hands-on start to a career in ophthalmology that would eventually earn him the Visionary Award from the Ophthalmology World Leaders. After nearly two decades as a Vistage member, Monty stepped into a new role: Chair of the very same group that had shaped him. That transition...

San Diego-based Vistage Chair Mark Fackler didn’t always see himself as a leader. In fact, for much of his early life, he coasted—doing just enough to get by. That changed one day, mid-career, when a crisis with a client forced him to ask a hard question: Was he willing to keep failing quietly—or finally try his hardest and risk failing loudly? That moment became a turning point. In this episode,...

Ramona Wink is a fan of the F-word. Feelings that is. As a trained mental health professional, Ramona encourages the members of her Des Moines, IA based Vistage group to explore their feelings, trust in the process, and be an active part of the network of support that lifts each other up in times of both personal and professional need. Her group’s motto is “We are better together,” and it’s not ju...

A person can be inspired by something or they can be inspired to do something, and according to San Diego Vistage Chair and Speaker, Danielle Baldwin there is a difference. What inspires people and what gets them to turn that inspiration into action is of profound interest to her. So much so that, in addition to running her own business, chairing three Vistage groups, working as a Vistage Speaker,...

Not all peer groups look the same, and that’s a good thing. San Antonio, TX, Vistage Chair, Delise Simmons leads two very different groups of executives. After decades of work in the airline industry helping to develop and cultivate positive corporate culture, Delise has taken her talents to the next level, leading one group of private equity members from around the country in virtual sessions, an...

Fairfield, CT based Vistage Chair Mike Tetreau has followed a unique and impactful path—beginning in engineering and consulting, growing through international sales and turnaround leadership, and eventually serving two terms as First Selectman (mayor) of his hometown. A true believer in giving back, Mike now leads multiple Vistage groups and finds deep fulfillment in helping CEOs and advisors grow...

Sometimes losing your job comes as a surprise. But what do you do when you’re the one in charge of phasing out your department? When faced with that exact scenario, Christine Pouliot, longtime global leader in IT, started her own business. During her 35 year career with one company, Christine learned that she loved the “people development” aspect of her job. So on the advice of a friend who worked...

The year 2020 was a transformative one for Lori Halverson in more ways than one. As the world was shutting down for a pandemic, Lori was also losing another source of global connections when she retired from her corporate job after twenty plus years. But Lori knew that she wasn’t ready to stop working, and becoming a Vistage Chair was just the transition she needed. As a co-chair of two groups in...

When you meet Brant Houston, the first thing you need to know is that his name is pronounced “House-ton” and not “Hue-ston” like the city. But if you meet Brant Houston, you’ll likely be in or adjacent to Houston because that’s where he lives and where the Vistage Chief Executive group that he has chaired for a decade is based. Brant has great stories and a lot of wisdom. He’s going to tell you ho...

According to Central Wisconsin Vistage Chair, Bridget Wenman, good news travels fast. That would explain how an area that only had one Vistage peer group for 30 years exploded to six in the past decade. In 10 years she has added four Chief Executive groups, one Key Executive group, and one Advancing Leaders group to a vibrant and close knit community. Bridget draws on her childhood experiences, as...

What is it that makes businesses successful? According to Hershey, PA Vistage Chair, Kirsten Yurich, it is both the head and the heart. Being technically accurate can only get you so far, after that it is the human connection that gets you across the finish line. Kirsten wasn’t formally educated in leadership, she learned while on the job. As a board certified behavioral analyst, she worked her wa...

Raleigh, NC area Vistage Chair, Chris Quinn and his wife, Ana, are taking “family business” to the next level. As Co-Chairs of 12 groups with nearly 200 members, Chris describes their teamwork as ideal, with him being the visionary and Ana being the implementor. Together they not only lead their groups, but also help other Vistage Chairs with business development and recruiting. Their two adult so...

Anyone can get FOMO. Even longtime CEOs who have completed multiple exit strategies. Just ask Dallas/Ft. Worth area Vistage Chair, Dwain Farley . Having never heard of CEO level peer groups, Farley was first introduced to them when he was recruited to be a Chair, and suddenly wondered what his career would have been like if he had been part of a peer group. Six years and three groups later, this f...

As the youngest of 10 siblings, Jesse DePriest learned early on about “good, productive conflict,” especially when it came to working on the family dairy farm in Alaska. Years of collaboration and teamwork helped him as he transitioned into his time in the Army, first as a helicopter pilot and then as an officer in aviation leading others. After completing his service, and moving into the private...

Nashville native, but also first generation American, Rod Thurley learned that he had a gift for talking and selling while attending college in Tennessee. He used those skills while working in the automotive industry and then when he transitioned into the RV industry. Six months after starting work at an RV dealership, at just 31-years-old, he bought the business and dedicated himself to running i...

Bloomington, IN Vistage Chair, David Quick’s life changed one day while eating lunch in the “middle of nowhere.” That day, he met with a Master Vistage Chair and was inspired to take his career in a new direction. After serving in the Navy and then having three different CEO gigs by the age of 42, David was wondering “now what?” He says he can’t remember if he found Vistage or Vistage found him, b...

Inspirational. Hard-working. Fearless. Just a few of the words I would use to describe THE Pete Thomas. Based in Ann Arbor, Pete’s first group launched in January of 2025, but his story didn’t start out in Michigan. As a child, he lived in 13 cities in his first 13 years, experiencing a lot of hardship during those early days. At 13 years-old, that all changed, and Pete was ready for it. An avid r...

On this week’s episode of ChairWaves I spoke with cross-town Vistage Chair, Dan Hogan. Dan chairs two groups in the Denver metro area, one of which he co-chairs with previous podcast guest, Karen Kemerling PhD. Our chat covered everything from his transition to Vistage after 25 years in the corporate sector, his varying roles in Vistage, what inspires him when working with business leaders and CEO...

It’s more than an art, it’s a business. As the former founder of three tech start-up companies, two with successful exit strategies, Colorado Chair David Lyon knows all about the business side of Vistage and what it takes to run a successful group (or two). But, there have been a lot of surprises along the way. David claims that he learned more from his failed venture than his two profitable ones...

Leading comes naturally to St. Louis, MO area Vistage Chair, Linda Goldstein. From running a family business to running the business of a town, this former Mayor believes strongly in building up those around her in order to strengthen the community as a whole. Sitting outside, in a neighborhood park, Linda met with prospective members to form her first group during the height of the pandemic. And...

Working as a Vistage Chair can be a humbling experience. According to Cincinnati, Ohio Chair Peg Moertl, forming her Chief Executive (CE) group ranks only below child rearing on the difficulty scale. As a former CEO and longtime economic business development specialist, Peg was used to getting way more yeses than nos. But doing anything worthwhile means doing it right, and today Peg’s group has bo...

Colorado native Catherine Wicklund is the type of person that people want to know and work with. So it’s not surprising that several members of her Vistage group fly in from out-of-state every month to attend her meetings. Based in Colorado Springs, CO, Catherine is a veteran in the world of leadership development and executive coaching, having both the experience and the certifications to back it...

Chuck Alvey is a man of many talents, from having a successful career in broadcast media that spanned three decades to saving lives as a part time EMT to being the CEO of a non profit organization focused on economic development. Despite that, he claims he still doesn’t know what he wants to be when he grows up. Luckily for Vistage, and the multiple groups that he chairs in the Reno, NV area, he i...