Comparison · 19 material differences
AM&AA vs Chief Executive Network
This comparison was generated on request from the records. It carries no editorial verdict and is not indexed. The published comparisons are listed on the compare page.
Read down each column for one organization, across a row for the difference. A bronze mark at the left of a cell means the organizations differ on that row. A dash or “not published” means the organization does not disclose the fact; it is not a zero.
Verified September 2026
Professional association
Verified September 2026 AM&AA
Middle-market M&A advisers: investment bankers, CPAs, attorneys, valuation specialists, corporate financial investors and business advisers
Peer advisory
Chief Executive Network
CEOs, presidents and owners of privately held and mid-market US companies, grouped with non-competing peers in the same industry and revenue band
What the records say
- Maximum age at joining: AM&AA: Young Professional membership is limited to those aged 35 and under in the early stages of an M&A career; Chief Executive Network: No published maximum age at joining.
- Role or title: AM&AA: No published role or title; Chief Executive Network: Must be a CEO, President or Business Owner.
- Minimum company revenue: AM&AA: No published minimum company revenue; Chief Executive Network: Networks span roughly $5 million to $2.5 billion in company revenue.
- Geographic restriction: AM&AA: No published geographic restriction; Chief Executive Network: United States.
- Annual dues: AM&AA: $545 a year; Chief Executive Network: $5,500–12,280 a year.
Side by side
| AM&AA | Chief Executive Network | |
|---|---|---|
| Profile | ||
| Type | Professional association | Peer advisory |
| Founded | 1998 (Established in 1998 to bring together CPAs, attorneys and corporate financial advisers working in middle-market M&A) | 1990 (CEN's own history page dates the launch to 1990, following work by Dr. Ronald E. Wiley leading CEO groups in the 1980s. CEN publishes no separate corporate address; the postal address in its own privacy policy is that of its parent, Chief Executive Group, LLC, 105 West Park Dr., Suite 400, Brentwood, Tennessee. Member enquiries route to a Lawrence, Kansas telephone number.) |
| Headquarters | Dallas, United States | Brentwood, United States |
| Geographic footprint | Chapters are all in the United States plus a virtual chapter; the membership network spans 25 countries | United States: national industry groups meeting at airport-hub cities, plus local boards in roughly ten metro areas |
| Members | 1,100as of September 2026 | 1,000as of September 2026 |
| Chapters | 24 | CEN does not publish a total count of peer groups. Its 'By Location' page names local board markets and its 'By Industry' page names eight industry networks. |
| Primary audience | Middle-market M&A advisers: investment bankers, CPAs, attorneys, valuation specialists, corporate financial investors and business advisers | CEOs, presidents and owners of privately held and mid-market US companies, grouped with non-competing peers in the same industry and revenue band |
| Typical member | Members are M&A and supporting trade professionals: accountants, lawyers, investment bankers, valuation and due diligence specialists, and corporate financial investors working in the middle market. Individual membership is aimed at those who practise independently; corporate membership covers teams of five or more from one firm. | CEN says most members run companies with roughly $10 million to $1 billion in revenue, with networks spanning $5 million to $2.5 billion. The industry concentration is in manufacturing, distribution, technology and software, architecture/engineering and construction trades. |
| Qualification | ||
| Maximum age at joining | Young Professional membership is limited to those aged 35 and under in the early stages of an M&A careerIdentification and proof of age are required during the application processverified September 2026 · source ↗ | No published maximum age at joining |
| Role or title | No published role or title | Must be a CEO, President or Business OwnerCEN's 2026 member guide states the personal membership criterion verbatim.verified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Minimum company revenue | No published minimum company revenue | Networks span roughly $5 million to $2.5 billion in company revenueCEN's guide says it "has networks from $5 Million to $2.5 Billion" and that most members run $10 million-$1 billion companies. There is no single published floor.verified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Geographic restriction | No published geographic restriction | United StatesCEN describes itself as a US-based network for US CEOs.verified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Industry restriction | Individual membership is for M&A and supporting trade professionals who practise independentlyverified September 2026 · source ↗ | Industry networks cover architecture, biotechnology, engineering, general contracting, lodging/hospitality, manufacturing, software/technology and sub-contractingCEN does not run an industry network for every sector.verified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Invitation required | No | No |
| Sponsor required | No | No |
| Application process | Applicants complete an application through AM&AA's membership portal at amaa.wildapricot.org, or contact the association directly. Young Professional applicants must supply identification and proof of age. Corporate memberships are arranged by email with custom pricing. There is no published interview, sponsorship or committee review, but all members must accept the ethics and standards rules and the no-solicitation condition. | Prospective members request a member guide and meeting agenda through the website or by phone, then speak with CEN staff about fit. CEN places the candidate in a group matched by industry, revenue band and region, checking that no direct competitor is already in the room. There is no published application form or committee vote. |
| Selectivity | Not publicly disclosed: AM&AA publishes membership categories and conditions but no acceptance data | No acceptance rate is published. CEN says groups are "intentionally kept small" and that members are vetted for comparable scale and competitor-free status. |
| Cost | ||
| Annual dues | $545 a yearIndividual membershipverified September 2026 · source ↗ | $5,500–12,280 a yearNational industry networks; CEN's own 2026 guide gives "$5,500 to $12,280 (Based on co size)". Includes benchmark research and a conference.verified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Initiation fee | Not publicly disclosed | Not publicly disclosedverified September 2026 |
| Local chapter dues | Not publicly disclosed | $6,400–9,500 a yearLocal boards: "$6,400 for core membership ($9,500 option includes benchmark research and a conference)" per CEN's own 2026 guide.verified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Programme fee | $5,200 one-timeCertified Merger & Acquisition Advisor (CM&AA) programme fee, which includes first-year membership and materialsverified September 2026 · source ↗ | CEN's public web pages do not carry prices and direct enquirers to request a brochure; the figures above come from CEN's own downloadable 2026 guide. A third-party summary of that guide describes membership as "less than $1,000 per month" for most categories, which is consistent with the industry-network range. |
| Membership term | Annual | Annual |
| Structure | ||
| Meeting frequency | Monthly chapter events plus two annual conferences (Summer and Winter), and CM&AA certification courses run in person and virtually | National industry groups meet twice a year for two days; local boards meet quarterly for half a day; plus national summits and online masterclasses |
| Peer forums | No confidential peer forums; members organise through chapters, including a virtual chapter, and deal-sourcing tools | Groups of roughly 8-12 non-competing CEOs matched by industry and revenue band, professionally facilitated |
| Confidentiality | Members agree not to solicit fellow members without written board permission; no broader confidentiality policy was found | CEN describes meetings as confidential with a strict no-sell rule and no vendors in the room |
| Time commitment | Not documented | Roughly four to six meeting days a year plus quarterly mentor calls, per CEN's published meeting cadence |
| Organized as | Chapter-based, Event-focused, Virtual | Forum-based, Chapter-based, Event-focused |
| Confidential peer forums | No | Yes |
| Local chapters | Yes | Yes |
| Virtual membership | Yes | Partial |
| Online community | Partial | Partial |
| Member directory | Yes | Not documented |
| Events | Yes | Yes |
| Programming | ||
| Educational programming | Yes | Yes |
| Leadership development | Partial | Yes |
| Retreats | No | No |
| Travel | No | No |
| Family programming | No | No |
| Spouse and partner programming | No | Not documented |
| Next-generation programming | Yes | No |
| Investment discussions | Yes | Partial |
| Investment opportunities | Yes | No |
| Philanthropic component | No | No |
| Networking emphasis | High | High |
| Social emphasis | Medium | Low |
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Sources
Drawn from the sources listed on each page: AM&AA · Chief Executive Network