The Greater Irvine Chamber is launching its Executive Peer Group (EPG) in January 2024. The program convenes high-caliber CEOs and business owners monthly to exchange ideas in a confidential and facilitated environment. Participants can tap into expertise from outside their own organization to get executive-level feedback, peer guidance, and diverse perspectives. Guest speakers and topics covered will reflect the interests of the group, often involving forward-looking research. Experts in their industries, EPG guest speakers will be available for consultation outside of EPG meetings.
Serving as moderator and business coach for the 2024 cohort is Ed Hart, senior vice president of First Bank and director of the bank’s Center for Family-Owned Businesses. He is a published author and experienced public speaker who has a passion for developing future leaders and educating family business owners and their teams.
Hart has led several fundraising and development projects in his leadership career, having raised several million dollars dedicated to the education of family business leaders, managers, and college students.
In 2019, Hart launched the From the Hart Podcast, through which he interviews industry leaders to tap into the “why” behind their chosen fields. He has interviewed authors, actors, athletes, musicians, pastors, and executives, to name a few.
Prior to leading the Cal State Fullerton Center for Family Business from 2011 - 2021, Hart was the director of Business Development at the USC Marshall School of Business from 2007 – 2011, assisting in the development of executive leadership programs for small, medium, and large companies – public and private.
Hart was the inaugural general manager of the Fullerton Flyers professional baseball team from 2005 – 2007 and worked for several years as a consultant to various major league sports teams and venues prior to assuming the GM role for the Flyers. He taught Sports Leadership and Sports Finance in the UC Riverside Sports Management post-graduate program from 2014 - 2021 and oversaw the Family Business Dynamics course at Cal State Fullerton.
Hart currently serves on the board of Directors for the University of San Francisco Gellert School of Business, as well as Orange County-based Team Kids. Hart studied Business Management and Leadership at USC and Pepperdine.
Participation in Executive Peer Group is open to Greater Irvine Chamber members only. Eligible participants must hold a top executive role in an organization with 5 to 30 employees and agree to a one-year commitment with a monthly fee of $150, or annually at $1,500. The select group will be limited to 15 participants.
For more information and how to become a part of the Greater Irvine Chamber Executive Peer Group, contact Jessica Welch.
