"I didn't have the time to join a group like this—simply too busy"

"My concern was time, not the money. I refused offers to join other CEO groups simply because I didn't have the time. I heard about UIC's program from another member, and given the little money involved, decided to give it a try. That was ten years ago, and I've never looked back Shortly after I joined, my company was on the verge of failing, given all the changes taking place in our industry. My group gave me all the resolve I needed to sort out the issues, the support I needed on the big decisions, and my company now is four times its size, and totally out of debt. When I think back—that time I gave was my best investment. And I've heard the same from others –it's the best time investment they've ever made".

"Things are so tight now, we simply can't spend the money"

"When I took over our Company as President, there was no money—and certainly not enough to justify meetings with other CEO's. But the owner of my company knew someone that was one of the first members of UIC's program, and actually encouraged me to just try it for one year, since strategy was important to him. He felt it might help us both in learning how other CEO's strategize. I am a specialist in operations, not strategy, so I joined. What happened over the years can't be put in words—since we are one of the few survivors in our industry. No doubt, this was the cheapest, most productive investment we've made, and the reason I am still in my group, after ten years!! I am more than happy to share this with you"

"I was concerned that the size of the company made a difference"

"My biggest concern, looking back over the years, was measuring up. I started my own home improvement business at 17, and had no idea what a CEO was supposed to do, even though I felt comfortable in what I did—but that couldn't possibly compare to those running huge companies, knowing some had businesses 50 times larger than mine! But I decided to join anyway, and if I couldn't measure up, I'd simply leave. To my surprise, no matter how large the Company, or how accomplished the CEO, we all suffered the same concerns—the same issues.

'Whether me personally, our families or our business, our problems were the same. And through it all, I was as contributive as the others were to me, and we all ended up bonding as equals.

"That's why we've been together so long. My business is still small compared to the others, but we're all equally successful—and we look forward to continuing our relationship for the rest of our lives."

"I thought our problems were so unique, no one could relate to them, much less provide any help, since we were so different"

"We have a family business, started by my father, and now involving four brothers. I was picked to serve as President, then Chairman, and during our own evolution, we had many family issues to deal with, and all unique to us. Or so I thought. When I joined UIC's CEO program years ago, I had no idea how universal our problems were to other family businesses. I have had the same advisory board over all these years, totally committed to serving me, and my family's best interests, including personal and business issues. We would have never survived without learning the how's and why's from others that have been there before. I can't express in words what my group has done for me, or what we have done for each other. All I know is that this has become a life time commitment for me, and to most others I know that are in similar UIC advisory boards. There has been no downside. None."

"None of my frinds were CEO's, and our group ended up being best friends from learning so much from each other"

"I joined because I thought it would be an interesting experience, since none of my friends were CEO's, and I thought this would allow me to understand how others manage, strategize, and lead. I felt I could learn from other CEO's. I also wanted to find out how good I was compared to them! In reflection it was a great learning experience over the years, but what I didn't know was me—what I did best, and what I didn't do well at all. That was my greatest learning experience, because when I began focusing on what I did best, and delegated the rest, I began living a better life. I felt better about myself, by forgetting about what I didn't do well at all. I also found out that what I did do best was actually much better than others, and that became my success—and my better contribution to the group. I would have never known this without them, and for that reason, I've never left them. This has become, without question, the most enriching experience of my life".

"I joined because I wanted to know the best way to buy a business"

"I became President of my family business during a period when the Company faced huge challenges, the owners were reaching retirement age, and looked for a buyer. They never considered me. I met one of the CEO's from the UIC program, and he shared with me the many options for buying a Company. I ended up choosing to buy the business with leveraged debt, some from the banks, the rest from the family.

"I had no idea how it would end up, but owning this business was my life's dream since I was eight years old. Soon after, I joined a UIC CEO group, and over the years, I was able to increase our performance, pay of all our debt, and ended up with a much stronger company.

"None of this would have happened without the full support of my fellow CEO's and that all took place eight years ago. I'm still with the same Group. We've become as thick as brothers, and I'm their favorite sister!"

"I joined to develop our family business—make it stronger—from the experiences of other CEO's"

"I was the founder of our family construction company many years ago, and I always wanted it to become a family business. I had so many concerns, given the high failure of most family businesses that I decided to join the UIC Family Business Council. Over the years, and after studying many variations and options, we formulated our own plan, and tested it over the years, I installed my younger brother as President/COO, and had him join his own Group at the UIC Family Business Council. When I heard about the formation of the new PdEI CEO group, I decided to join them as well, hoping it would enhance my leadership skills, since I wanted to become a better Chairman. The results speak for themselves. I've remained a member in our PdEI group for ten years, and will continue being a member as long as I am able. It's been my best leadership experience, as it has been for the rest of my Group. We never stop learning, and the bond we have is the best of all."

"Forum taught me how to be a better chairman and a better dad"

"I served as one of the first CEO moderators for the Young Presidents Organization following the start up of my first company at age 30. I became very active in the national CEO education programs at YPO. When I retired from business, I formed the UIC Family Business Council to expand that experience to smaller companies. I have two sons, and both own large companies that employ more than 10,000 employees. They both became members of YPO and joined their own CEO Forums. Both attribute that learning experience as their life time best, and I did as well. I have since developed the PdEI program at UIC as an accelerated learning experience from what I've learned in over forty years moderating other CEO's, and continue as a member of the first PdEI group I formed nearly twelve years ago. That group continues to educate me on the transition issues CEO's deal with today, and taught me how to better relate to my younger sons as a better, more informed dad. In reflection, my most efficient education has come from personally observing the failures, and copying the successes, of other CEO's.