Elders Circle Council

Those entrusted with holding the vision and mission of the Heartland Circle

 
Doug Baker Top   

Doug BakerDoug Baker, Sr.
Co-Founder, The Legacy Center

Doug is an executive coach, board member, volunteer, teacher, and writer. In past lives he was an executive, consultant, educator, and executive director of a non-profit. His main interests lie in legacies, legends, and spiritual search. Learn more about Doug.

 
Peter Barnes Top   

Peter BarnesPeter Barnes
President, Corporation for Enterprise Development

Peter is Founder of CFED's Sky Trust Initiative to reduce global warming. He is Founder of the Mesa Refuge, a writing retreat in Point Reyes, California, Co-founder of Working Assets, a Board member of Greenpeace International, Noise Pollution Clearinghouse, TV-Turnoff Network and is writing a book called Who Owns The Sky? Peter lives in San Francisco with his two sons.

 
John Christensen Top   

John ChristensenJohn Christensen
Playground Director, ChartHouse Learning Corporation

John guides ChartHouse as “Playground Director” (CEO in business-speak) with an inspiring vision of an engaged workplace or school that can be developed through The FISH! Philosophy. Learn more about John.

 
Jodie Evans Top   

Jodie EvansJodie Evans
Founder, Bal-Maiden Films

Jodie has been a political, social, economic and community activist with a radical will for 25 years. Among her recent productions are the film Stripped and Teased: Tales of Las Vegas Women and the World Festival of Sacred Music at the Hollywood Bowl. As an ecopreneur Jodie has started or partnered a number of ventures including Pacific Sensuals, China Treasures, Terra Verde and Heartland Institute. She is an active board member of Americans for a Safe Future, Peacebuilding in the 21st Century and 7th Heaven. Most importantly, she is the beamingly proud mother of two bright and compassionate young men.

 
Tom Gegax Top   

Tom GegaxTom Gegax
President, Gegax Enterprises

Through fast and affordable business management guidance, Gegax Management Systems helps growing organizations raise profits and reduce stress. Tom Gegax's groundbreaking business practices have been featured in the New York Times, Fast Company and American Way Magazine, as well as on CNN, CNBC and PBS. Inc Magazine and Ernst & Young named Gegax a 1995 Midwest Entrepreneur of the Year. Learn more about Tom.

 
John Gisler Top   

John GislerJohn Gisler
President, SPIRE (formerly Twin City Co-ops) Federal Credit Union
SPIRE has flourished under John’s unique leadership style since he was named CEO in 1989. John implemented a people first philosophy. Employees are part of a learning community, which includes personal growth as well as improving technical skills. Learn more about John.

 
Richard Leider Top   

Richard LeiderRichard Leider
Partner, The Inventure Group
Ranked by Forbes as one of the "Top 5" most respected coaches, Richard is a best-selling author with thirty years experience in coaching people to live. Richard is a founding partner of The Inventure Group, a training and coaching firm. Learn more about Richard.

 
Will Raap Top   

Will RaapWill Raap, Sr.
Founder and CEO, Gardener's Supply

Gardener's Supply's motto is "Improving the World Through Gardening". Will founded Gardener's Supply in 1983 after a successful career with several large corporations. Gardener's Supply is proud to be employee-owned, with an innovative management philosophy that supports over 200 employees in a corporate structure that stresses a participatory management style. Learn more about Will.

 
Michael Ray Top   

Michael RayMichael Ray
Professor of Creativity, Innovation and Marketing, Stanford University Graduate School of Business

Michael is the first John G. McCoy-Banc One Corporation Professor of Creativity and Innovation and of Marketing (Emeritus) at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business. Learn more about Michael.

 
Paula Ray Top   

Paula RayPaula Ray
Transition Coach/Life Design Consultant

Paula Ray is a professional certified coach, specializing in transitions. She maintains a national practice based in Del Mar, California. Because the rate of change has accelerated, Paula’s expertise focuses on coaching those who desire to stay ahead of the curve while living a balanced, purposeful life. Learn more about Paula.

 
Betsy Sanders Top   

Betsy SandersBetsy Sanders
Principal, The Sanders Partnership

Betsy Sanders is a business consultant specializing in improving organizational and individual effectiveness. As a director, consultant, mentor, speaker and writer, she partners with senior executives around the world who are committed to leading meaningful companies and meaningful lives. Her message is encouraging - and challenging. She leads her seminars and workshops by example, speaking from her own remarkable experience with warmth, humor, intelligence, candor and integrity. Learn more about Betsy.

 
Joseph A. "Sandy" Sanders Top   

Sandy SandersJoseph A. "Sandy" Sanders
The Sanders Partnership

Sandy spent seven years in Europe in sales and sales management with financial and real estate organizations. He met and married Betsy there and they returned to the U.S. with sons Chris and Jeff. Sandy worked with IBM and CB Commercial, then formed his own company, welcomed daughter Allison, built and ran restaurants and began consulting and developing real estate. After studying Human Capital in college, his commitment has always been to work with individuals to find their personal power and move forward with their lives. Sandy is in transformation, working toward service leadership in freeing individuals to live their purpose. He is loving the single-minded purpose he shares with Betsy, the exciting growth of their children and the blossoming of grandaughter Bridgette.

 
Marilyn Tam Top   

Marilyn TamMarilyn Tam
Executive Director and Co-founder, US Foundation
Born in Hong Kong to a traditional Chinese family, Marilyn Tam was an unlikely candidate for corporate stardom. Her background includes executive roles at numerous of companies, including Aveda, Reebok, Nike, May Department Stores, Britannia Sportswear and Miller’s Outpost. Learn more about Marilyn.

 
Mark Thompson Top   

Mark ThompsonMark Thompson
Founder, Realtime Venture Design Lab, Stanford University
Mark Thompson has produced unique programs on leadership. He has hosted more than 200 interviews with prominent leaders around the globe. He is former host of the Schwab CEO series, an interview program featuring business leaders for active investors. Learn more about Mark.

 
Meg Wheatley Top   

Meg WheatleyMeg Wheatley
Principal and Co-founder, Berkana Institute
Margaret writes, teaches, and speaks about radically new practices and ideas for organizing in chaotic times. She works to create organizations of all types where people are known as the blessing, not the problem. Learn more about Meg.

 
John Wood Top   

John WoodJohn Wood, Sr.
Elder, Dimension 4 Consulting Pty Ltd

John's vision was (and still is) a loving and understanding society that exists beyond the limited concepts of tolerance and acceptance and as a natural consequence, truly embraces all. In this society, economics and environment sustainability go hand in hand. Learn more about John.

 
Ray Yeh Top   

Ray YehRay Yeh
Senior Research Fellow, IC2 Institute at the University of Texas
Ray is a senior research fellow at IC2 Institute at the University of Texas at Austin. He taught at various universities for 20 years and led two Computer Science departments to top ten national rankings. He was also the Control Data Corporation Distinguished Professor at the University of Minnesota. Learn more about Ray.

              

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