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Vistage Welcomes Secretary Maria Contreras-Sweet and General (R) Robert B. “Abe” Abrams to Its Board of Directors

CEO peer advisory organization’s board rounds out its depth of experience with former U.S.┬áSmall Business Administration (SBA) Administrator and Retired U.S. Army General

SAN DIEGO, Aug. 17, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Vistage, the world’s largest CEO coaching and peer advisory organization, today announced that Secretary Maria Contreras-Sweet and General (R) Robert B. “Abe” Abrams have joined its board of directors.

Vistage CEO Sam┬áReese expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “We are thrilled to welcome Secretary Maria Contreras-Sweet and General Robert Abrams to our board. Each member of the board is committed to Vistage’s purpose of helping high-integrity leaders make great decisions that benefit their companies, families, and communities. Secretary Contreras-Sweet’s extensive background, including her leadership at the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), combined with General Abrams’ esteemed military leadership expertise, will provide tremendous insight to Vistage. We continue to focus on empowering CEOs to become better leaders who make better decisions and deliver better outcomes.”

In over three decades of service in the public and private sectors, Secretary Maria Contreras-Sweet has remained dedicated to promoting America’s competitiveness and global leadership. Her mission-driven career has focused on empowering the small and medium-size business community and ensuring their access to capital. As the 24th administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration, she played a pivotal role in supporting small businesses. She also served as the cabinet secretary of the California Business, Transportation, and Housing Agency and founded ProAm├®rica Bank, a Latino-owned community financial institution in Los Angeles. Moreover, Contreras-Sweet served as a founding director of The California Endowment, a philanthropic foundation aiming to improve the health status of Californians. She brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to Vistage and has been recognized with five Honorary Doctorates from renowned institutions.

Secretary Maria Contreras-Sweet expressed her alignment with Vistage’s vision, saying, “Vistage’s vision and purpose immediately stood out to me, as I too have dedicated my life to supporting and advocating for small businesses. Throughout my career, I have witnessed the incredible potential of small businesses to innovate, disrupt, and scale with their entrepreneurial spirit and resilience. Small and medium enterprises serve as the driving force behind our nation’s innovation, global competitiveness, and job growth. I believe there is enormous potential and possibility in how Vistage’s peer advisory groups and executive coaching can help support America’s entrepreneurs in their heroic efforts to create jobs and uplift their communities.”

With a remarkable 39-year career in active duty service, General (R) Robert B. “Abe” Abrams led combat troops in various countries, including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, and Afghanistan, during multiple combat tours. Serving as the Commander of the Army’s largest formation, US Army Forces Command, Abrams oversaw hundreds of thousands of soldiers and Department of the Army Civilians across all components. As the Commander of the United Nations Command, the ROK-US Combined Forces Command, and US Forces Korea, he made significant contributions to Korean Peninsula affairs. General (R) Abrams is currently involved in various advisory roles and public speaking engagements surrounding leadership and strategic matters. With his board membership, General Abrams aims to continue his lifelong passion for developing leaders who are instrumental to organizational success.

General Robert B. “Abe” Abrams emphasized the importance of leadership coaching, stating, “By joining Vistage’s board of directors, I have the opportunity to continue my life’s passion for developing and helping leaders become better. Throughout my career, I’ve witnessed how leadership, character, and integrity play pivotal roles in an organization’s success. It comes as no surprise to me that Vistage’s peer advisory model drives best-in-class results in the business world, as we experienced the benefits of bringing small groups of leaders with diverse perspectives together in the Army. As the business environment becomes increasingly challenging, I believe there is a tremendous desireÔÇôand needÔÇôfor the leadership coaching Vistage provides.”

In addition to Secretary Contreras-Sweet and General Abrams, Vistage’s board of directors includes:

• Vistage CEO Sam Reese, who has been leading the company since 2016.
• Gridiron Capital Co-founder and Managing Partner Tom Burger, Senior Managing Director Will Hausberg, Principal Doug Rosenstein, and Vice President Nick Weido
• Colibri Group Founder and Executive Chairman Mike Duran, who previously served as a Founding Partner of Alpine Investors.
• Dean’s Executive Professor at Santa Clara University’s┬áLeavey School of Business Robert Finocchio. Prior to this, he held executive positions in various companies and served on several public and private company boards.

With the addition of Secretary Contreras-Sweet and General Abrams to its board of directors, Vistage further strengthens its collective expertise and commitment to helping CEOs navigate challenges, make better decisions, and achieve superior outcomes. To learn more about Vistage’s board of directors, please visit vistage.com.

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About Vistage Worldwide, Inc.
Vistage is the world’s largest CEO coaching and peer advisory organization for small and midsize businesses. For more than 65 years, Vistage has been assisting CEOs, business owners, and key executives in overcoming their biggest challenges through confidential peer groups and one-to-one executive coaching sessions. With over 45,000 members in 35 countries, Vistage serves as a trusted resource for making better decisions that benefit companies, families, and communities. A study based on Dun & Bradstreet data revealed that Vistage CEO members achieved an average annual revenue growth of 4.6% in 2020, while non-members with comparable businesses experienced a revenue decrease of 4.7%. To learn more about Vistage and its services, visit vistage.com.

SOURCE: Vistage Worldwide, Inc.