Comparison · 14 material differences
REF vs Vistage
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 REF
CEOs, owners and presidents, with parallel tracks for C-suite executives reporting to the CEO and for high-potential managers on leadership programmes
Peer advisory
Vistage
CEOs, business owners and senior executives of companies with US$5 million or more in annual revenue.
What the records say
- Role or title: REF: Top Executive track: CEO, owner, president or equivalent; Vistage: CEO, founder or owner for core membership; separate tracks for C-level (non-CEO), executive VP and vice-president/division-head roles.
- Minimum company revenue: REF: No published minimum company revenue; Vistage: US$5,000,000+ in annual revenue for core CEO membership.
- Annual dues: 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.; Vistage: $25,000 a year.
Side by side
| REF | Vistage | |
|---|---|---|
| Profile | ||
| Type | Peer advisory | Peer advisory |
| Founded | 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.) | 1957 (Founded as The Executive Committee (TEC) when Bob Nourse brought together several Milwaukee-area executives; renamed Vistage globally in 2006.) |
| Headquarters | San Diego, United States | San Diego, United States |
| Geographic footprint | 51 locations across 20 countries in North America, Central and South America, Europe and Asia; the largest concentration is in Latin America | Operates in 40 countries, with peer groups meeting locally in cities rather than through member-run chapters |
| Members | 3,000as of January 2025 | 45,000as of September 2026 |
| Chapters | 51 | Not applicable. Vistage has no member-run chapters; members join a local peer advisory group convened and led by a Vistage Chair. Vistage does not publish a group count. |
| Primary audience | CEOs, owners and presidents, with parallel tracks for C-suite executives reporting to the CEO and for high-potential managers on leadership programmes | CEOs, business owners and senior executives of companies with US$5 million or more in annual revenue. |
| Typical member | 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. | Members are decision-makers at small and mid-sized private companies. Vistage frames its core member as generating "$5M+ in annual revenue" and facing the operational complexity that comes with that scale; separate programmes exist for non-CEO executives and emerging leaders. |
| Qualification | ||
| Role or title | Top Executive track: CEO, owner, president or equivalentREF's own application page lists the candidate requirements for each track.verified September 2026 · source ↗ | CEO, founder or owner for core membership; separate tracks for C-level (non-CEO), executive VP and vice-president/division-head rolesverified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Minimum company revenue | No published minimum company revenue | US$5,000,000+ in annual revenue for core CEO membershipVistage frames this as the profile it serves rather than a hard rule; other programmes exist for smaller businesses and non-CEO executives.verified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Invitation required | Sometimes | No |
| Sponsor required | No | No |
| Application process | 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. | Prospective members complete an application form and are then contacted by a local Vistage Chair, who interviews them and decides whether to place them in a group. There is no published central admissions committee. |
| Selectivity | Not publicly disclosed. REF describes its peer groups as "by invitation only" while operating a public application form, and publishes no acceptance data. | Not publicly disclosed |
| Cost | ||
| Annual dues | 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 ↗ | $25,000 a yearReported by Jed Daly, Infiniti Leadership (Jed Daly's own site) (2026): Vistage CEO groups led by Chair Jed Daly, Los Angeles (billed monthly). “The two CEO groups: approximately $25,000”verified October 2026 · source ↗ |
| Initiation fee | Not publicly disclosedverified September 2026 | $2,500 one-timeReported by Paige McGlauflin, Fortune (2023-01-08): Vistage new members, US. “New members pay a one-time initiation fee of $2,500.”verified October 2026 · source ↗ |
| Membership term | Not documented | Not documented |
| Structure | ||
| Meeting frequency | One Forum morning each month, plus webinars, community events and curated trips and retreats | Regular peer group meetings, generally monthly, plus one-to-one coaching sessions with the Chair |
| Peer forums | 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 | Peer advisory groups of 12-16 CEOs, business owners or key executives drawn from non-competing industries, facilitated by a Vistage Chair. |
| Confidentiality | Forums are described as confidential, high-trust environments built on transparency and trust; one senior figure calls the Forum a "Circle of Trust" | Groups are described as confidential; Vistage does not publish its confidentiality terms. |
| Time commitment | One morning a month for the Forum, plus optional events | Not documented |
| Organized as | Forum-based, Chapter-based, Event-focused | Forum-based, Event-focused |
| Confidential peer forums | Yes | Yes |
| Local chapters | Yes | No |
| Virtual membership | Not documented | Partial |
| Online community | Yes | Yes |
| Member directory | Yes | Yes |
| Events | Yes | Yes |
| Programming | ||
| Educational programming | Yes | Yes |
| Leadership development | Yes | Yes |
| Retreats | Yes | Partial |
| Travel | Yes | No |
| Family programming | No | No |
| Spouse and partner programming | No | No |
| Next-generation programming | Partial | No |
| Investment discussions | Partial | Not documented |
| Investment opportunities | No | No |
| Philanthropic component | No | No |
| Networking emphasis | High | Medium |
| Social emphasis | Medium | Low |
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