Comparison · 14 material differences
Chief Executive Network vs MacKay CEO Forums
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 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
Peer advisory
MacKay CEO Forums
Canadian CEOs, business owners and senior executives, split into forums by role and company size
What the records say
- Role or title: Chief Executive Network: Must be a CEO, President or Business Owner; MacKay CEO Forums: CEO Membership: CEO, business owner or founder.
- Geographic restriction: Chief Executive Network: United States; MacKay CEO Forums: Canada.
- Industry restriction: Chief Executive Network: Industry networks cover architecture, biotechnology, engineering, general contracting, lodging/hospitality, manufacturing, software/technology and sub-contracting; MacKay CEO Forums: No published industry restriction.
- Annual dues: Chief Executive Network: $5,500–12,280 a year; MacKay CEO Forums: C$12,000 a year.
Side by side
| Chief Executive Network | MacKay CEO Forums | |
|---|---|---|
| Profile | ||
| Type | Peer advisory | Peer advisory |
| Founded | 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.) | 2005 (MacKay's own pages say "more than 20 years" and cite "5,000+ Alumni members across Canada over 20 years" without naming a year; the Peer Resources directory dates the founding to 2005. Nancy MacKay, PhD is listed as Founder and CEO on the leadership page.) |
| Headquarters | Brentwood, United States | North Vancouver, Canada |
| Geographic footprint | United States: national industry groups meeting at airport-hub cities, plus local boards in roughly ten metro areas | Canada: Forum Chairs listed in twelve regions across British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario and Nova Scotia |
| Members | 1,000as of September 2026 | 1,300as of September 2026 |
| Chapters | 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. | 12 |
| Primary audience | CEOs, presidents and owners of privately held and mid-market US companies, grouped with non-competing peers in the same industry and revenue band | Canadian CEOs, business owners and senior executives, split into forums by role and company size |
| Typical member | 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. | Members are chief executives, owners and senior executives of Canadian companies with revenue from about $5 million to over $5 billion, with a separate tier for companies above $1 billion. MacKay states that 37% of members are women. |
| Qualification | ||
| 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 ↗ | CEO Membership: CEO, business owner or founderverified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| 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 ↗ | CEO Membership: annual company revenue $5MM-$5B+Currency is not stated on the page; MacKay prices in Canadian dollars plus GST/HST.verified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Geographic restriction | United StatesCEN describes itself as a US-based network for US CEOs.verified September 2026 · source ↗ | CanadaForum Chairs are listed only in Canadian regions.verified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| 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 ↗ | No published industry restriction |
| Invitation required | No | No |
| Sponsor required | No | No |
| Application process | 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. | Prospective members apply through the Join MacKay pages or by contacting the office, then are screened for strategic fit and matched to a forum of non-competing peers. Community members may be invited to sit in on a full-day forum meeting before committing to a forum tier. |
| Selectivity | No acceptance rate is published. CEN says groups are "intentionally kept small" and that members are vetted for comparable scale and competitor-free status. | Not publicly disclosed. MacKay says peer groups are screened for strategic fit but publishes no acceptance rate. |
| Cost | ||
| Annual dues | $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 ↗ | C$12,000 a yearCEO Membership: "$12,000 (full year)". Prices are quoted before GST/HST.verified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Initiation fee | Not publicly disclosedverified September 2026 | Not publicly disclosed; no joining fee is mentioned on the membership pages.verified September 2026 |
| Local chapter dues | $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 ↗ | All figures are annual and quoted before GST/HST. MacKay publishes each tier's price on its own membership page. |
| Membership term | Annual | Annual (dues quoted as "full year") |
| Structure | ||
| Meeting frequency | National industry groups meet twice a year for two days; local boards meet quarterly for half a day; plus national summits and online masterclasses | Seven forum meetings a year: six full-day sessions plus a two-day retreat; plus speaker sessions and national summits |
| Peer forums | Groups of roughly 8-12 non-competing CEOs matched by industry and revenue band, professionally facilitated | Forums of about 14 carefully matched, non-competing members led by a certified Forum Chair |
| Confidentiality | CEN describes meetings as confidential with a strict no-sell rule and no vendors in the room | Confidentiality is one of MacKay's stated core values; forums are described as confidential, judgement-free spaces |
| Time commitment | Roughly four to six meeting days a year plus quarterly mentor calls, per CEN's published meeting cadence | Roughly eight meeting days a year at full attendance; members must attend at least four of the seven meetings |
| Organized as | Forum-based, Chapter-based, Event-focused | Forum-based, Chapter-based, Event-focused |
| Confidential peer forums | Yes | Yes |
| Local chapters | Yes | Yes |
| Virtual membership | Partial | Not documented |
| Online community | Partial | Yes |
| Member directory | Not documented | Partial |
| Events | Yes | Yes |
| Programming | ||
| Educational programming | Yes | Yes |
| Leadership development | Yes | Yes |
| Retreats | No | Yes |
| Travel | No | No |
| Family programming | No | Yes |
| Spouse and partner programming | Not documented | Not documented |
| Next-generation programming | No | No |
| Investment discussions | Partial | Partial |
| Investment opportunities | No | No |
| Philanthropic component | No | Partial |
| Networking emphasis | High | High |
| Social emphasis | Low | Medium |
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Sources
Drawn from the sources listed on each page: Chief Executive Network · MacKay CEO Forums