Comparison · 16 material differences
Chief Executive Network vs REF
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
REF
CEOs, owners and presidents, with parallel tracks for C-suite executives reporting to the CEO and for high-potential managers on leadership programmes
What the records say
- Role or title — Chief Executive Network: Must be a CEO, President or Business Owner; REF: Top Executive track: CEO, owner, president or equivalent.
- Minimum company revenue — Chief Executive Network: Networks span roughly $5 million to $2.5 billion in company revenue; REF: No published minimum company revenue.
- Geographic restriction — Chief Executive Network: United States; REF: No published geographic restriction.
- Industry restriction — Chief Executive Network: Industry networks cover architecture, biotechnology, engineering, general contracting, lodging/hospitality, manufacturing, software/technology and sub-contracting; REF: No published industry restriction.
- Annual dues — Chief Executive Network: $5,500–12,280 a year; REF: Not publicly disclosed. REF publishes no membership price; the Peer Resources directory also recorded fees as unavailable at publication. Members are described elsewhere as paying monthly dues..
Side by side
| Chief Executive Network | REF | |
|---|---|---|
| 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.) | 1994 (Entrepreneur's franchise directory records the company as founded in 1994 and franchising since 1994. REF's own site says only "Founded 30 years ago in the USA" and "With 30 years of experience", which is consistent.) |
| Headquarters | Brentwood, United States | San Diego, United States |
| Geographic footprint | United States: national industry groups meeting at airport-hub cities, plus local boards in roughly ten metro areas | 51 locations across 20 countries in North America, Central and South America, Europe and Asia; the largest concentration is in Latin America |
| Members | 1,000as of September 2026 | 3,000as of January 2025 |
| 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. | 51 |
| 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 | CEOs, owners and presidents, with parallel tracks for C-suite executives reporting to the CEO and for high-potential managers on leadership programmes |
| 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 CEOs, owners and presidents of non-competing businesses, plus CXOs and upper management reporting directly to the CEO in the Key Executive track and high performers selected for leadership programmes in the High Potentials track. REF publishes no revenue or headcount threshold, though its application form asks for employee count and revenue. |
| 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 ↗ | Top Executive track: CEO, owner, president or equivalentREF's own application page lists the candidate requirements for each track.verified 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 ↗ | No published minimum company revenue |
| Geographic restriction | United StatesCEN describes itself as a US-based network for US CEOs.verified September 2026 · source ↗ | No published geographic restriction |
| 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 | Sometimes |
| 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. | Applicants complete an online form selecting one of three tracks (Top Executive, Key Executive or High Potentials) and supplying title, industry, city, country, employee count and revenue. REF then contacts the candidate and, if accepted, places them in a local Forum of non-competing executives with a certified Forum Leader. |
| 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. REF describes its peer groups as "by invitation only" while operating a public application form, and publishes no acceptance data. |
| 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 ↗ | Not publicly disclosed. REF publishes no membership price; the Peer Resources directory also recorded fees as unavailable at publication. Members are described elsewhere as paying monthly dues.verified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Initiation fee | Not publicly disclosedverified September 2026 | Not publicly disclosedverified 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 ↗ | Member fees are not publicly disclosed anywhere on REF's site. The only published figures are franchise costs for prospective Forum Leaders. |
| Membership term | Annual | Not documented |
| 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 | One Forum morning each month, plus webinars, community events and curated trips and retreats |
| Peer forums | Groups of roughly 8-12 non-competing CEOs matched by industry and revenue band, professionally facilitated | Forums of 12-15 executives from non-competing industries, led by a certified REF Forum Leader, meeting monthly in a three-part structure: expert insight, round table, and a member case |
| Confidentiality | CEN describes meetings as confidential with a strict no-sell rule and no vendors in the room | Forums are described as confidential, high-trust environments built on transparency and trust; one senior figure calls the Forum a "Circle of Trust" |
| Time commitment | Roughly four to six meeting days a year plus quarterly mentor calls, per CEN's published meeting cadence | One morning a month for the Forum, plus optional events |
| 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 | Yes |
| Events | Yes | Yes |
| Programming | ||
| Educational programming | Yes | Yes |
| Leadership development | Yes | Yes |
| Retreats | No | Yes |
| Travel | No | Yes |
| Family programming | No | No |
| Spouse and partner programming | Not documented | No |
| Next-generation programming | No | Partial |
| Investment discussions | Partial | Partial |
| Investment opportunities | No | No |
| Philanthropic component | No | No |
| Networking emphasis | High | High |
| Social emphasis | Low | Medium |
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Sources
Drawn from the sources listed on each page: Chief Executive Network · REF