EXECUTIVE PEER ADVISORY GROUPS: WHO THEY ARE? WHAT ARE THEIR BENEFITS? WHY DO MEMBERS JOIN AND STAY?
type: CreativeWork
description: Executive peer advisory groups (EPAGs) are exclusive organizations in which chief executive officers (CEOs) and presidents of businesses can problem solve business challenges, discuss business strategies, share best practices, and solve critical growth and performance issues. Executive peer advisory groups are based on the premise that the collective experience and resources of peer groups empower like-minded executives to solve challenges more effectively and more rapidly than they could do on their own. A key component of EPAGs is the forum, in which six to 16 members meet, typically monthly, in small-group sessions to function as each other’s personal advisory boards. Other components of EPAG membership can include educational events, social events, leadership development opportunities, and opportunities for coaching. The earliest account of a formal peer advisory groups can be traced to Benjamin Franklin’s Junto group, also known as the Leather Apron Club, founded around 1727 (Franklin, 2019). The Junto, at the time, consisted of 12 men who met with the purpose of mutual improvement and discussed topics ranging from politics to business to philosophy. Modern EPAGs have existed since 1950, when the Young President’s Organization (YPO) was established in Rochester, New York. The three largest EPAGs—YPO, Vistage, and the Entrepreneur’s Organization (EO)—collectively have over 70,000 members with job titles such as CEO, president, director, and managing partner. Executive peer advisory groups operate under nondisclosure and confidentiality standards; consequently, little is known about them beyond what can be found on the organizations’ websites. Executive peer advisory groups are seldom discussed in academic literature, and empirical studies examining EPAGs are limited. A search of the literature on CEO networking through EPAGs, executive isolation, and outcomes associated with joining an EPAG revealed few studies. Given the number of business leaders who participa…
abstract: Executive peer advisory groups (EPAGs) are exclusive organizations in which chief executive officers (CEOs) and presidents of businesses can problem solve business challenges, discuss business strategies, share best practices, and solve critical growth and performance issues. Executive peer advisory groups are based on the premise that the collective experience and resources of peer groups empower like-minded executives to solve challenges more effectively and more rapidly than they could do on their own. A key component of EPAGs is the forum, in which six to 16 members meet, typically monthly, in small-group sessions to function as each other’s personal advisory boards. Other components of EPAG membership can include educational events, social events, leadership development opportunities, and opportunities for coaching. The earliest account of a formal peer advisory groups can be traced to Benjamin Franklin’s Junto group, also known as the Leather Apron Club, founded around 1727 (Franklin, 2019). The Junto, at the time, consisted of 12 men who met with the purpose of mutual improvement and discussed topics ranging from politics to business to philosophy. Modern EPAGs have existed since 1950, when the Young President’s Organization (YPO) was established in Rochester, New York. The three largest EPAGs—YPO, Vistage, and the Entrepreneur’s Organization (EO)—collectively have over 70,000 members with job titles such as CEO, president, director, and managing partner. Executive peer advisory groups operate under nondisclosure and confidentiality standards; consequently, little is known about them beyond what can be found on the organizations’ websites. Executive peer advisory groups are seldom discussed in academic literature, and empirical studies examining EPAGs are limited. A search of the literature on CEO networking through EPAGs, executive isolation, and outcomes associated with joining an EPAG revealed few studies. Given the number of business leaders who participa…
author: Feghali, Andrew
keywords: CEO, Networking, Peer Group, Executive Peer Advisory Group, Executive Isolation, Business Administration, Management, and Operations, Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations, Leadership Studies
date published: 2022-05-22T07:00:00Z
date modified: 2026-07-24T05:41:35Z
provider: University of San Diego
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: University of San Diego