Our Mission
CEOtoCEO provides the opportunity for CEOs and business executives to exchange ideas and learn about current issues.
About Us
CEOtoCEO was founded in 2003 with the purpose of exposing business leaders to new ideas to enhance their effectiveness.
The breakfast series provides a premier venue for CEOs, business owners, and company executives to have peer-to-peer
conversations, sharing solutions to challenges and discovering new opportunities
CEOtoCEO is exclusively for CEOs and business owners of companies with revenues exceeding $1 million. At each breakfast,
a speaker from a wide range of enterprises shares unique experiences and perspectives, innovative concepts, and valuable
insights. Group discussions touch on a diverse array of topics relevant and impactful to the success of any business
leader. The collaborative nature of the CEOtoCEO breakfast format creates an atmosphere in which executives can consult
with other dynamic leaders and exchange ideas to further their business and personal goals.
Joe Schmick
Joe Schmick is the Executive Director of CEOtoCEO. For 35 years, Joe was a small business owner and a second-generation
farmer in Colfax, Washington. Additionally, Joe has served as State Representative to Washington's 9th District, the
largest district in the state, since 2007.
Joe graduated from Eastern Washington University with degrees in Accounting and Economics and is an alumnus of the
Washington Agriculture and Forestry Education Foundation. He and his wife Kim currently reside in Colfax.
Joe took over as Executive Director following the retirement of founder John Hartman, and has brought his unique
perspective to CEOtoCEO.
Pat Chestnut
In June of 2018 Patrick Chestnut, President and CEO of Affiliated Services LLC / AristaPoint announced the acquisition of CEOtoCEO from John Hartman, who was retiring to Bend, Oregon.
Affiliated Services, LLC has sponsored CEOtoCEO since 2006, and understands the value of the peer-to-peer format that the breakfasts provide to CEOs, business owners, and executives.
The acquisition of CEOtoCEO by Affiliated Services provided CEOtoCEO with added support, and a strong technology platform to expand its mission. This also allowed CEOtoCEO it to increase its reach to a larger audience and broader geographical area.
Following the change in ownership CEOtoCEO has been able to provide attendees with an increased frequency of events and a broader range of speakers.
During the pandemic CEOtoCEO transitioned the presentations to a live online stream that is produced in the Affiliate Services LLC studio located in its headquarters facility in Kirkland Washington.
John Hartman founded CEOtoCEO in 2003 and served as its Executive Director until his retirement in 2018. With over 20
years of business management experience, he has a successful track record leading and growing small and mid-cap businesses
through startups, expansions, turnarounds, and acquisitions. Additionally, John has extensive expertise in business
leadership and teamwork development.
In retirement, John and his wife are living the dream in beautiful Bend, Oregon, where they enjoy mountain biking and kayaking.
