Comparison · 22 material differences
Chief Executive Network vs TIGER 21
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
TIGER 21
Ultra-high-net-worth entrepreneurs, investors and executives with at least US$20 million in investable assets, many of them post-exit.
What the records say
- Role or title: Chief Executive Network: Must be a CEO, President or Business Owner; TIGER 21: No published role or title.
- Minimum company revenue: Chief Executive Network: Networks span roughly $5 million to $2.5 billion in company revenue; TIGER 21: No published minimum company revenue.
- Minimum investable assets: Chief Executive Network: No published minimum investable assets; TIGER 21: At least US$20,000,000 in verifiable investable assets or qualifying net worth.
- Geographic restriction: Chief Executive Network: United States; TIGER 21: No published geographic restriction.
- Annual dues: Chief Executive Network: $5,500–12,280 a year; TIGER 21: $34,000 a year.
Side by side
| Chief Executive Network | TIGER 21 | |
|---|---|---|
| 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.) | 1999 (Founded by Michael W. Sonnenfeldt with a single group of six entrepreneurs in New York City who had recently sold their businesses. The name is widely reported to stand for The Investment Group for Enhanced Returns in the 21st Century, which TIGER 21 does not state on the pages reviewed. Headquarters city reported by secondary sources; TIGER 21 does not state it on its about page.) |
| Headquarters | Brentwood, United States | New York, United States |
| Geographic footprint | United States: national industry groups meeting at airport-hub cities, plus local boards in roughly ten metro areas | 162 groups across 54 cities worldwide, including North America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Oceania, plus virtual groups |
| Members | 1,000as of September 2026 | 1,900as 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. | 162 |
| 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 | Ultra-high-net-worth entrepreneurs, investors and executives with at least US$20 million in investable assets, many of them post-exit. |
| 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 wealth creators rather than salaried executives: current and former entrepreneurs, investment managers and senior executives, typically after a liquidity event, whose central problem has shifted from building a business to preserving and allocating capital. |
| 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 ↗ | No published role or title |
| 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 |
| Minimum investable assets | No published minimum investable assets | At least US$20,000,000 in verifiable investable assets or qualifying net worthExcludes personal-use assets. TIGER 21 states that meeting the minimum "does not guarantee admittance".verified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| 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 | No |
| Sponsor required | No | Not documented |
| 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. | Candidates submit an inquiry and are assessed by a Membership Development Director against the 5Cs. Vetting includes extensive background checks and interviews, and TIGER 21 states the process typically takes about two months. Meeting the capital minimum is explicitly not sufficient on its own. |
| 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. | TIGER 21 states that meeting the US$20 million minimum "does not guarantee admittance" and that other qualitative requirements apply at its discretion. No acceptance rate is published. |
| 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 ↗ | $34,000 a yearNorth America. TIGER 21 states dues vary by location and that annual dues cover all costs of the eleven regularly scheduled monthly meetings.verified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Initiation fee | Not publicly disclosedverified September 2026 | $5,000 one-timeOne-time initiation fee stated in TIGER 21's membership FAQ.verified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| 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 ↗ | Dues vary by location; the published figures are for North America. |
| Membership term | Annual | Annual dues covering eleven scheduled monthly meetings; TIGER 21 does not publish a minimum term |
| 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 | Monthly group meetings, eleven times a year, with the calendar set up to a year in advance |
| Peer forums | Groups of roughly 8-12 non-competing CEOs matched by industry and revenue band, professionally facilitated | Groups start with five founding members and grow selectively to a maximum of fifteen; members meet as a peer group with a moderating Chair. |
| Confidentiality | CEN describes meetings as confidential with a strict no-sell rule and no vendors in the room | Confidentiality is one of the four Conditions members must accept, alongside non-solicitation, participation and transparency. |
| Time commitment | Roughly four to six meeting days a year plus quarterly mentor calls, per CEN's published meeting cadence | Eleven monthly meetings a year plus an annual Portfolio Defense presentation |
| Organized as | Forum-based, Chapter-based, Event-focused | Forum-based, Event-focused, Virtual |
| Confidential peer forums | Yes | Yes |
| Local chapters | Yes | Yes |
| Virtual membership | Partial | Partial |
| Online community | Partial | Yes |
| Member directory | Not documented | Yes |
| Events | Yes | Yes |
| Programming | ||
| Educational programming | Yes | Yes |
| Leadership development | Yes | Partial |
| Retreats | No | Yes |
| Travel | No | Partial |
| Family programming | No | Partial |
| Spouse and partner programming | Not documented | Partial |
| Next-generation programming | No | Partial |
| Investment discussions | Partial | Yes |
| Investment opportunities | No | No |
| Philanthropic component | No | Partial |
| Networking emphasis | High | Medium |
| Social emphasis | Low | Medium |
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Sources
Drawn from the sources listed on each page: Chief Executive Network · TIGER 21