Most Admired CEOs

At a time when the image of CEO has  been tarmished by the ineptitude and illegalities of corporate leaders who helped bring the nation to its economic knees in the past year, the effort to determine admirable CEOs and the qualities that guide that designation are perhaps more important than at any time in the history of the country. And focusing on admirable CEO qualities is part of the key to restoring the respect for business that has eroded dramatically as well since the fall of 2008.

Thus there is no more appropriate time to launch an effort to focus on honoring the "Most Admired CEOs," and developing the characteristics that manifest themselves in respected CEOs.

We created the concept, and coined the designation, in summer of 2006, to assist Vistage International, the San Diego-based worldwide organization for CEOs, to put on events in various cities to honor an array of CEOs with that designation. Vistage became the first sponsor-partner of events in San Diego (in partnership with the San Diego Business Journal) and San Francisco (in partnership with the San Francisco Business Times).

This fall will  be the third year that Most Admired CEOs events will be held in San Diego and San Francisco, but the economic downturn has stalled the effort to create other cities or states where the event can be unveiled.

There is currently an effort under way to turn Most Admired CEOs into an international event. Stay tuned for further developments on that iniatitive.