Comparison · 15 material differences
C12 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
Peer advisory
Verified September 2026 C12
Christian chief executives, business owners and executives of growth-stage companies with at least ten employees and more than US$2 million in annual revenue.
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
- Role or title: C12: CEO, business owner, president, managing partner, executive director or business-unit general manager; Chief Executive Network: Must be a CEO, President or Business Owner.
- Minimum company revenue: C12: Greater than US$2,000,000 in annual revenue; Chief Executive Network: Networks span roughly $5 million to $2.5 billion in company revenue.
- Minimum employees: C12: 10 or more employees; Chief Executive Network: No published minimum employees.
- Geographic restriction: C12: No published geographic restriction; Chief Executive Network: United States.
- Annual dues: C12: C12 publishes no dues schedule; amounts are set locally.; Chief Executive Network: $5,500–12,280 a year.
Side by side
| C12 | Chief Executive Network | |
|---|---|---|
| Profile | ||
| Type | Peer advisory | Peer advisory |
| Founded | 1992 (Founded in October 1992 by Buck Jacobs, reportedly in Florida, to bring Christian business owners and chief executives together in small peer groups.) | 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 | United States | Brentwood, United States |
| Geographic footprint | More than 160 metropolitan areas across five continents, with named operations including Brazil, South Africa, Kenya and Malaysia | United States: national industry groups meeting at airport-hub cities, plus local boards in roughly ten metro areas |
| Members | 4,900as of September 2026 | 1,000as of September 2026 |
| Chapters | Not publicly disclosed as a forum count. C12 states it operates in "more than 160 major metropolitan areas" and is guided by "over 250 full-time Chairs", but publishes no total number of Forums. | 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 | Christian chief executives, business owners and executives of growth-stage companies with at least ten employees and more than US$2 million in annual revenue. | 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 Christian CEOs, owners, presidents, managing partners, executive directors and business-unit general managers. C12 reports an average member tenure of five to seven years, with some members of several decades' standing. | 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 | ||
| Role or title | CEO, business owner, president, managing partner, executive director or business-unit general managerKey Player Forums exist separately for senior executives and managers below CEO level at member companies.verified September 2026 · source ↗ | 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 | Greater than US$2,000,000 in annual revenueStated in C12's FAQ; C12's apply-to-join page states the employee test without repeating a revenue minimum.verified September 2026 · source ↗ | 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 ↗ |
| Minimum employees | 10 or more employeesverified September 2026 · source ↗ | No published minimum employees |
| Geographic restriction | No published geographic restriction | United StatesCEN describes itself as a US-based network for US CEOs.verified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Industry restriction | No published industry restriction | 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 | Yes | No |
| Sponsor required | Not documented | No |
| Application process | Candidates complete an application covering personal, business and financial information, and agree to a membership covenant on attendance and doctrine. C12 describes membership as invitation-only but open to any qualifying Christian CEO, owner or executive who meets the employee and revenue tests. | 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. C12 publishes no acceptance rate. | 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 | C12 publishes no dues schedule; amounts are set locally. | $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 ↗ |
| Monthly dues | Not publicly disclosed. C12 states it is "a dues-based membership paid monthly" and that "dues amounts are determined locally based on market economics and dynamics". Dues cover monthly meetings, materials and one individual coaching session.verified 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. |
| Initiation fee | C12 publishes no dues schedule; amounts are set locally. | Not publicly disclosedverified September 2026 |
| Local chapter dues | C12 publishes no dues schedule; amounts are set locally. | $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 ↗ |
| Membership term | Dues paid monthly; C12 reports average member tenure of five to seven years | Annual |
| Structure | ||
| Meeting frequency | Monthly in-person Forum plus a monthly one-hour FOCUS60 coaching session; C12 states the total commitment is less than 100 hours a year | 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 | Monthly invitation-only Forums of Christian CEOs, owners and executives led by a full-time C12 Chair, described as sitting with around a dozen proven leaders. C12 does not publish an exact average Forum size. | Groups of roughly 8-12 non-competing CEOs matched by industry and revenue band, professionally facilitated |
| Confidentiality | Forums are described as confidential and invitation-only; C12 does not publish the text of its confidentiality terms. | CEN describes meetings as confidential with a strict no-sell rule and no vendors in the room |
| Time commitment | Less than 100 hours a year per C12 | Roughly four to six meeting days a year plus quarterly mentor calls, per CEN's published meeting cadence |
| Organized as | Forum-based, Event-focused | Forum-based, Chapter-based, Event-focused |
| Confidential peer forums | Yes | Yes |
| Local chapters | Yes | Yes |
| Virtual membership | No | Partial |
| Online community | Partial | Partial |
| Member directory | Not documented | Not documented |
| Events | Yes | Yes |
| Programming | ||
| Educational programming | Yes | Yes |
| Leadership development | Yes | Yes |
| Retreats | Partial | No |
| Travel | No | No |
| Family programming | No | No |
| Spouse and partner programming | No | Not documented |
| Next-generation programming | No | No |
| Investment discussions | No | Partial |
| Investment opportunities | No | No |
| Philanthropic component | Yes | No |
| Networking emphasis | Medium | High |
| Social emphasis | Medium | Low |
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Sources
Drawn from the sources listed on each page: C12 · Chief Executive Network