Guiding Principles and Core Values
Our core values describe how we should act in order to accomplish the tasks leading to achieving our mission of significantly increasing the success of CEOs, their families and their companies. They create our desired culture and are the principles that guide our behaviors
Core Value #1: Confidentiality
We regularly receive confidential information as part of our normal CEO relationships. To breach a confidence or to use confidential information improperly or carelessly would be unthinkable.
Core Value #2: Success
Our clients' interests always come first. We help CEO's and Executives succeed by understanding their definition of success and creating opportunities for them to succeed.
Core Value #3: Integrity and Honesty
Integrity and honesty are at the heart of our business. We expect our people to maintain high ethical standards. We hold ourselves accountable and meet commitments. We give honest and candid feedback because we care. We demonstrate "win-win" behavior.
Core Value #4: Excellence
We take great pride in the professional quality of our work. We have an uncompromising determination to achieve excellence in everything we undertake.
We make an unusual effort to identify and recruit the very best person for every job.
We continuously look to improve our products, services, relationships and internal capabilities.
Core Value #5: Trust and Teamwork
We nurture an environment of open, collaborative and connected relationships. We listen for learning and understanding, to our CEO Group Leaders, CEO and Executive Members, Advisory Board, employees, and suppliers. We encourage input and promote openness to ideas.
We stress teamwork in everything we do. While individual creativity is always encouraged, we have found that team effort often produces the best results.
Core Value #6: Execution
We develop and maintain
- A clear and focused strategy and ensure clear communication of goals and priorities
- A performance oriented culture within a flexible, fast and flat organization
- Superior operational execution
Company Leadership
John Wilson
- President & CEO
John is the founder of CEO Global Network Inc. He is driven by his passion for business and his belief that it is people who form the heart and soul of any organization. John has carried that belief into his vision for CEO Global Network Inc. and is unconditionally supportive of the organization's members, who he believes are the essence of what CEO Global Network Inc. is about. John is dedicated to fulfilling the organization's mantra "To significantly improve the success and lives of CEOs, their families and their companies". John is an active owner of CEO Global Network Inc. and as a result, has shaped the values of the organization. His commitment to making CEO Global Network the best of its kind is his motivation for focusing on quality above growth.
John is an experienced entrepreneur, business owner and leader. With thirty-five years of experience building shareholder value with companies such as W.R. Grace Inc., Ultramar Canada Ltd., Ultramar Inc. and TEC (The Executive Committee) Canada Ltd, John has demonstrated his ability to build and lead successful companies in both Canada and the United States.
John is the Owner, President and Chief Executive Officer of CEO Global Network Inc., and he is the Chairman of The Centre for CEO Enrichment Inc.
How is CEO Global Network different?
1. CEO Global Network Advisory Board
The purpose of the Advisory Board is to provide a forum in which John will have trusted advisors who challenge him and ensure we are always looking to the future and the improvement of our company.' The Board is compiled of a diverse group of CEOs and Presidents with vast experience in most business segments who share the values of John and those of CEO Global Network.
The Board is also involved in the selection the CEO Group Leaders.' Although John has set our culture, it is his belief that the key to protecting it is the creation of outstanding CEO Group Leaders and outstanding CEO and Executive Members.
We are not a perfect organization, but we care, listen and are committed to continuous improvement and not accepting the status quo.
The Advisory Board Members are:
Rick Fitzgerald , Retired from Diageo Canada Inc. in June 2008, having served as Chairman of the Company since 2006 and as Executive Director of Diageo Global Sales and Customer Initiatives.
Prior to this, he served as President & CEO of the Company since 1998, with the merger of United Distillers Canada and Gilbey’s Canada.
He is currently on various boards including the Ontario Power Authority.
Chris Gower , Regional Vice President, Central and Eastern Canada PCL Constructors Inc.
Chris is responsible for all operations in Southern Ontario and Atlantic Canada, in addition Chris oversees the regional support team that manages safety, finance, labour and legal relations, building information modeling (BIM), human resources, and professional development for Manitoba, Ontario, and Atlantic Canada.
Jim Greenwood , Vice President for Gordon Food Service Canada Company Inc. and is currently responsible for all of the Gordon Food Service operations in Canada.
Gordon Food Service (GFS) is a regional food distributor serving schools, restaurants, and other institutions in the US and Canada. The company primarily operates in the US and Canada. It is headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan and employs about 7,050 people.
Wendy Hayes , Wendy Hayes spent 25 years in the information technology sector in a career spanning sales, marketing, distribution and general management. Most recently she held the position of Managing Director for Apple Canada, a leading subsidiary of Apple Inc.
Hugh MacKinnon , Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Bennett Jones LLP. Hugh is also a member of the firm’s partnership board.
Hugh's memberships include the Royal Canadian Military Institute, the Ranchmen's Club, the Toronto Club, the American Bar Association and a number of other social, professional and business organizations. He is also chairman of the Chesterton Institute based at Seton Hall, New Jersey.
Carolyn Robertson , The Founder, President and CEO of The Centre for CEO Enrichment Inc. In this capacity, she helps CEOs and Executives, from some of Canada’s leading companies, gain a higher level of self knowledge so they can more successfully lead their companies and live their lives.
2. CEO Group Leaders
Although the baseline for our Group Leaders is that they have been successful CEOs and Presidents, the most important characteristic is that our Leaders are driven by the desire to unselfishly contribute to the growth and success of our Members both from a personal and business perspective.
A comprehensive process has been created to evaluate potential Group Leaders to ensure these traits and levels of experience are met.
First, the candidates are interviewed by Members of the Advisory Board plus two CEO Members; then EQ and Myers Briggs testing is completed and finally John will meet with each leader on an individual basis.
We have a disciplined approach to the training of each Group Leader with the emphasis on the values and culture of our organization.' CEO Global Network believes that this process ensures that we have a high quality and supportive leader.
3. CEO and Executive Members
It is critically important that all potential Members share the values of our organization and are committed to significantly improving the success of their lives, their families and their companies.' As mentioned, CEO Global Network does not want to be the biggest organization... we want to be the best.' Therefore, in order to be a Member of CEO Global Network there must be a shared vision of our goals and culture before Membership is accepted.
As we tread through unchartered economic territory, being able to draw on the wisdom of other CEOs on similar journeys and having CEO Global Network helping with the navigation is extremely helpful