Dr. M. Louise Walters

PhD, MSM,  BS, IOM

Chief Executive Officer & President

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Dr. M. Louise Walters belongs to a small group of leaders who have been CEOs of organizations in both the for-profit and the nonprofit sectors. 

Dr. Walters is a career organization executive specializing in government agencies, trade associations, professional societies, economic development groups and chambers of commerce.  

She is a change agent and a builder, a trainer, a coach and mentor of community leaders, organization executives and staffs of corporate, non-profit, governmental and educational organizations.

Of particular importance is her experience as a 'turnaround agent' who steps in and guides troubled organizations until they get back on a solid financial and governance footing.  

That's how her career began: at age 23, she became the youngest CEO (male or female) to lead a state capitol city chamber of commerce.  

The 'turnaround agent' aspect of her career started on her first day when she discovered the organization was not just broke, it was broken.  The chamber thought it was in good financial shape.  It wasn't.  It owed creditors almost $20,000 (including $10,000 to a local bank that loaned the chamber money to meet payroll and rent expenses).   The expedient move would have been to file for bankruptcy.  But with business people and community leaders serving on the chamber's board of directors, declaring bankruptcy would've had serious consequences for the board members.  A lack of confidence in the chamber was bad enough.  However, gossip about the perception of the board members' inability to manage finances could reflect poorly on their ability to manage their own businesses.  So, failure wasn't an option.

At the next board meeting, Dr. Walters presented a package of fundraising ideas and other debt reduction actions that would put the chamber back on track. 

With her guidance, three years later all bills (including the $10,000 bank note) were paid, a reserve fund was established, tired programs were retired and new energy and synergy were created.  

A similar situation occurred with another Chamber of Commerce.  It was in even worse shape and also didn't know it until a file folder packed with overdue bills was discovered stuffed in the former CEO's bottom desk drawer.  The amount of debt totaled over $30,000. 

Immediately Louise met with the chamber's treasurer. Then together they met with the chamber president.  The three leaders then met with the chamber's executive committee and hammered out a debt retirement plan and presented it at a special board of directors meeting.  

Over time, Dr. Walterss developed specialized subject matter expertise in nonprofit organization management.  She parlayed that knowledge in to the creation and growth of her organization management firm.  Her portfolio includes:

-- Interim CEO management.

-- Executive searches.

-- Organization reviews / troubleshooting.

-- Strategic planning / visioning facilitations.

-- Full-service organization management.

Clients have included realtor, allied health, insurance, utility, medical, chambers of commerce and business organizations as well as charitable foundations.   

To a large extent, Louise built a successful career based on a high school education.  Then, a few years ago, she decided to build formal educational credentials to enhance her qualifications as an organization executive.  She ramped down her firm to a part time status, and began attending college full time. 

Louise earned her Associate of Applied Science degree in Legal Studies in 2008 followed by her 2010 Bachelor of Science degree in Legal Studies, both from National American University.  In the top five percent of her class, she received the University's prestigious Tschetter Award presented annually to the graduating senior who has made the most significant contributions to the Legal Studies department.  In 2012, in the top one percent of her class, she received her Master’s degree in Management from National American University.  

In June 2021, Dr. Walters was awarded her PhD in Organization Leadership with an emphasis in public service / nonprofit leadership & management.  Dr. Walters' Doctoral dissertation addresses how relationships between the Board Chairman/ Chairwoman and the CEO impact the nonprofit organization.

Her passions are leadership, visioning, and the future.

D r. William R. Griffin, Esq.

JD, MSM, MSE, BSE

Vice President

Dr. William Griffin, Esq.  has served the higher education, nonprofit, industry, and government sectors for four decades.        

His education includes Juris Doctor from Suffolk Law School (MA), Master of Management from Pepperdine University (CA), MS Environmental Engineering from Northeastern University (MA), and BS Civil Engineering from Georgia Tech.  He was an honor student in all four programs. 

During four decades of professional work, Bill has led professional services project teams, engineering departments, legal departments, sales organizations, management audit teams, business start-ups, technical proposals and reports, grant applications, corporate governance, media relations, legislative advocacy, fund raising, and membership functions.  He helped form a national trade association, and he served as its first Executive Director.  He represented his employers on numerous trade associations, professional societies, and economic development organizations.  Bill has published over 70 technical papers as part of the professional development activities of professional societies and trade associations.  He helped plan organizations’ meetings and conventions, moderated expert panels, delivered presentations, and provided training.

Since 2000, Bill has spent most of his time as a college instructor.  He has taught four dozen different courses for ten universities.  He handles a 50/50 mixture of graduate courses and undergraduate courses.  He has delivered courses on: management of non-profit organizations, management of human services organizations, operations management, business, human resources, law, ethics, math, and environmental science.  He is also a trainer in industry.

In the role of a volunteer for nonprofit organizations, he has been equally active.  Bill has served as an officer, board member, committee chair, committee member, and awards manager.  He has reviewed by-laws, incorporation documents, and other paperwork associated with establishment and maintenance of nonprofit organizations.  He has volunteered with several economic development organizations and helped establish a new one.  He has volunteered with arts organizations, conservation organizations, and educational organizations.  

LEADERSHIP 
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His work in leadership began when Bill was in public school, when he was a leader in student government, art projects, Boy Scouts and athletic teams.  This pattern continued in college, where he was a leader in student center, art projects, fraternity, athletic, public service and academic pursuits.  During four decades of professional work, he has led professional services project teams, engineering departments, sales organizations, business start-ups, technical proposals, grant applications, technical reports, corporate law and corporate governance functions, fund raising, and membership functions.  In the capacity of board member, officer, committee chair and staff person, he has served economic development organizations, professional societies, environmental organizations and arts organizations.

INTERNATIONAL 
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He became interested in international matters during his geography courses in public school.  His professional work has included projects and people from many countries.  He has visited 30 countries for business and leisure purposes, and he has visited over a dozen foreign universities.  Bill has lived in France and Italy.  Since 2003, he has taught a half dozen graduate and undergraduate courses on international topics.  

HIGHER EDUCATION 
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Bill began his university teaching career in 2000 and became a full time professor in 2004.  He has taught traditional and nontraditional graduate and undergraduate students at ten universities.  He has taught courses in management, business, law, ethics, human services, engineering, math and science.  He has performed in two higher education management roles: He led an on-campus graduate program that included 50 students, and he led an on-campus undergraduate business department that included 100 students.

SUSTAINABILITY 

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Bill began work in the field of sustainability in 1970 when he worked as an environmental scientist with the US Environmental Protection Agency.  He followed up with roles as an environmental engineer, environmental project manager, public speaker on energy and environmental topics, sales manager for an environmental firm, and regulatory lawyer focusing on energy and environmental topics.  He earned an MS in Environmental Engineering and a Juris Doctor, which equipped him to address sustainability issues of many kinds (e.g., energy production technologies, energy conservation, environmental protection, water conservation, air and water pollution control, land use planning, legal requirements).

ASSOCIATION MANAGEMENT - Nonprofit Organizations 
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Bill’s work in association management includes experience in professional and personal roles.  On a professional level, he was Executive Director of a trade association, and he served in many capacities for professional societies and trade associations.  On a personal level, he has been a volunteer, where he served on committees, chaired committees, served on boards of directors, and served in officer positions.  His association experience has included trade associations, professional societies, technical organizations, arts organizations, conservation organizations, economic development organizations, and educational organizations.