For Manufacturing CEOs Only

Take Your Company to the Next Level with CEN

You Don’t Have To Do It Alone

Benefit from the insights of other CEOS who have been down a similar path already

Chief Executive Network has been the premier networking source for Manufacturing CEOs and Presidents for 30 years. Our manufacturing CEO members participate in professionally facilitated and confidential peer group meetings with non-competing manufacturing CEOs who are of comparable scale to share their real-world experiences about what has worked (and pitfalls to avoid) to take their businesses and leadership teams to the next level.

CEN provides uncommon wisdom combined with real-world experience that only fellow CEOs can provide. This allows members to receive actionable takeaways from each meeting to improve company performance and avoid costly mistakes.

Here are a few samples of topics our members have discussed at recent meetings:

  • The Impact of New Technologies (IoT, Automation, Additive Manufacturing) on Your Factory Floor, Your Customer and Your Product
  • Strategic Planning & Executing Long-Term Operational Plans
  • Preparing for Alternative Global Trade and Tariff Outcomes
  • Preparing for a Recession: What to Do Now
  • M&A Landscape, including Best Practices for Integrating Acquisitions
  • Pros and Cons of Performance Evaluations
  • Succession Planning for your C-Suite (Including CEO)
  • The Impact of eCommerce on Traditional Manufacturers
  • Talent Acquisition, Engagement and Retention Best Practices
  • Building a High-Performance Sales Team: The Power of the Sales Playbook
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Upcoming CEN Peer Meetings
  • Regional/National In-Person and Online Peer Group Meetings
    • July 22-23, 2021 - Stevenson, WA
    • Sept. 30-Oct. 1, 2021 - Chicago, IL
  • Peer Advisory Board Sessions
    • June 17, 2021 (Online 3 hour Advisory Board Call)  
    • December 9, 2021 (Online 3 hour Advisory Board Call)  

  • Conferences

Learn More About CEN


Fill in the form below and we’ll send you our brochure and a sample meeting agenda or call us today at (785) 832-0303.

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What our members think about Chief Executive Network:

  • “In one year I have come to rely on CEN as an integral part of my management decision making process. I can discuss issues in my business here that I cannot discuss anywhere else.”

    Bob Merrill
    CraftMaster Manufacturing, Inc. (CMI)

  • “CEN offers me a chance to interact with peers – to compare views and experiences. We are from different businesses, but we all have the same problems – human nature, demanding customers, power buyers, government restrictions, etc.”

    Bob Maskrey
    Moog Inc.

  • “Great learning experience and great sounding board for my current business issues.”

    Ron Stibich
    President & CEO, ITW Fibre Glass-Evercoat Co., Inc.

  • “CEN has helped me focus on the key issues I need to drive the business; along with providing resources for execution. One other key element I get from CEN is valuable feedback on what we are doing right, what we can improve on, and what we can do more of.”

    Mike Borner
    CEO, Spraylat Corporation

  • “Breakout and Ex-Officio – priceless. Good presentations – valid and timely.”

    Judy Kathman
    President, Post Glover LifeLink

Proven ROI: Member Case Studies

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Matt Riddle

CEO, Walbro LLC.

(A $500MM Manufacturer of engine management systems for lawn and garden, recreational, marine, outdoor power equipment, and two-wheel small engine markets)

  • What impact has CEN had on your company from a financial perspective

    While I have too many demands on my time, I prioritize attending the CEN meetings as I always leave with pages of good ideas that help us address the various issues that it seems all of us have with growing our companies. In virtually every occasion I have received advice from both my peers and from the facilitators. The ex-officio boards are great!

  • What impact has CEN had on your own personal executive development

    Tapping into the breadth and depth of seasoned leaders facing some of the same issues that I have accelerated my learning as a first time CEO. The “disposable advice” (advice freely given with no expectations that it be taken) in a private environment is phenomenal. I liked the program so much that I have my entire leadership team attending the various SEN groups.
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Andrew Warrington

President, United Conveyor Corporation

(A $150MM global leader in ash handling & pollution control solutions for the power generation industry and a preferred supplier for dry sorbent injection and reagent handling systems)

  • What impact has CEN had on your company from a financial perspective

    Over the years at the peer group meetings and between using the on-line side of CEN I have been able to get advice and input that has literally saved or generated millions of dollars. The ability to find a set of executives who have faced the same challenges in usually the same circumstances and learn what works and equally valuably what does not has been priceless CEN participants have no axe to grind and give you the straight facts – what they did well and what they wish they had done better. This has been crucial to the companies that I have worked for over my 15+ years association at SEN and then CEN.

  • What impact has CEN had on your own personal executive development?

    I started in the VP of Operations group and transitioned through the VP of Sales group. I learned so much from the other participants as a result of the best facilitation in the country that CEN insists on. After getting promoted to President of my former company I joined CEN. The experience of being in a group with many more seasoned executives with decades of President/ CEO experience was the key enabler to my success running a company. Now, 11 years later at a new company, I still lean heavily on CEN through the peer network and the annual conferences that are all first class. CEN takes up 3 days a year to work “on” versus “in” your business. It’s the best 3 days worth of ROI in the whole year!
I would like to learn more about CEN for Manufacturing CEOs

Click the button above to fill in the form on this page and we’ll send you our CEN brochure and a sample meeting agenda.