BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Joseph Grenny
Cochairman, Cofounder
Joseph is an acclaimed keynote speaker and business strategy expert. For the past 25 years, he has designed and implemented major corporate change initiatives. He has advised thousands of leaders on every major continent, from the board rooms of Fortune 500 companies to the slums of Nairobi, Kenya. Joseph was formerly president of California Computer Corporation and an executive for the Covey Leadership Center. He is coauthor of the New York Times bestsellers Influencer: The Power to Change Anything, Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High and Crucial Confrontations: Tools for Resolving Broken Promises, Violated Expectations, and Bad Behavior. Joseph cofounded Unitus, a nonprofit organization that helps third-world poor achieve economic self-reliance.

Al Switzler
Cochairman, Cofounder
Al has directed training and management initiatives with hundreds of organizations worldwide. He has served as president of two consulting firms, vice president of marketing for an information firm, and director of training and management development for a healthcare organization. Al is on the faculty at the University of Michigan Executive Development Center. He has taught at the Marriott School of Management at Brigham Young University, at Auburn University, and also at the University of Kentucky. Al is coauthor of the New York Times bestsellers Influencer: The Power to Change Anything, Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High and Crucial Confrontations: Tools for Resolving Broken Promises, Violated Expectations, and Bad Behavior. Al has received numerous teaching awards, including the first Innovation in Teaching Award from the Marriott School of Management at Brigham Young University.

Kerry Patterson
Cofounder
Kerry is a prolific writer who has coauthored numerous articles and award-winning training programs. Kerry taught at Brigham Young University's Marriott School of Management and then cofounded Interact Performance Systems, where he worked for ten years as vice president of research and development. Kerry is coauthor of the New York Times bestsellers Influencer: The Power to Change Anything, Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High and Crucial Confrontations: Tools for Resolving Broken Promises, Violated Expectations, and Bad Behavior. Kerry has completed doctoral work at Stanford University. He is a recipient of the Mentor of the Year Award and the 2004 William G. Dyer Distinguished Alumni Award from Brigham Young University.

Ron McMillan
Cofounder
Ron has taught and advised executives and leaders on topics such as team development, personal vitality, quality, communication, and results-oriented leadership for more than 25 years. He cofounded the Covey Leadership Center, where he served as vice president of research and development. Ron has worked with a broad variety of groups, ranging from union and first-level managers, to CEOs and corporate executives. He is coauthor of the New York Times bestsellers Influencer: The Power to Change Anything, Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High and Crucial Confrontations: Tools for Resolving Broken Promises, Violated Expectations, and Bad Behavior. He holds advanced degrees in sociology and organizational behavior from Brigham Young University and the University of Utah. Ron serves on the Board of Directors for the American Family Institute.

Andrew Shimberg
Chief Executive Officer
Andrew Shimberg is a respected consultant and advisor to some of the world’s most powerful executives. Working across the Global 1000, Shimberg has helped leaders in organizations such as Johnson & Johnson, Merck, ConocoPhillips and Daimler, drive complex behavior change to secure bottom-line results. Prior to his role as Chief Executive Officer at VitalSmarts, Shimberg served as President of nGen Talent, a division of nGenera Corporation. Shimberg has also led dozens of large-scale research projects. His latest research on increasing influence to solve entrenched problems was named the 2009 Change Management Approach of the Year by MIT Sloan Management Review.

Mike Carter
Cofounder, Executive Vice President
With more than 20 years of experience, Mike has cofounded eight business start-ups in which he specialized in leading sales channel development among other leadership positions. Volunteering as a business and career mentor, Mike has advised more than 200 individuals and business start-ups. He studied business at the University of Texas and Brigham Young University. Under Mike's leadership, the VitalSmarts sales team won a 2007 American Business Awards in the Best Sales Team category. Mike also received the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2007 Award in the Utah region.