BIOGRAPHY

Richard Carr has devoted his academic and professional career to being a leader and a trainer of other leaders. As a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and in his 6 years as an infantry officer in the Army, Richard’s early leadership skills were developed and tested. He received several medals for valor during his exemplary leadership as a company commander during the TET offensive of 1968 in Vietnam.

Following his time in the military, Richard pursued a career in business, joining a family company, Carr Paper Company. While there, he was able to purchase a manufacturing company focused on corrugated boxes and point of purchase displays, Sentinel Container.  Over the next 15 years he successfully grew this business and was an acknowledged industry leader and innovator. He was also an entrepreneur, successfully starting and developing a complementary organization, Engineered Foam, which served as an opportunity to expand his service offerings to his packaging clients. During this time at Sentinel Container, Richard earned a Masters in Business Administration from Pepperdine in 1976.  

Following his MBA program, Richard joined Vistage (a peer advisory group) where for 9 years he further developed his leadership skills. Vistage is a membership organization where 18 members from non-competing companies meet monthly as a peer group for personal and professional development.  Vistage joint ventured the Pepperdine MBA program using its peer group model.  Richard feels that was just the beginning of what has now been for him a 38 year love affair with the “Vistage” learning and development model. His experience as a member was so powerful that he went on to leave his role as CEO of Sentinel Container and became a Vistage Chair, leading groups from 1992 – 1998. His work with members and their organizations in his Vistage groups was so impactful that when Vistage was sold in 1998, Richard was recruited to join the executive team, first as COO and later as CEO from 1998-2005.

Under his leadership Vistage had a compounded growth rate of 15% per year, growing from 4000 members to over 10,000 members. Following his post as CEO Richard became Vice Chairman of the board and Executive VP, largely in a focused role training new and existing chairs as well as developing the Vistage licensees and subsidiaries around the globe.   

Richard has been married for 48 years and is the father to three grown daughters. He is the proud grandfather of 7 grandchildren. He enjoys many outdoor activities that include skiing and running, and is actively involved as a leader in his church.

Currently Richard has an independent practice serving as an advisor, mentor, and coach to CEO’s and executive teams throughout Southern California. In addition, Richard facilitates strategic planning and organizational development projects, as well as serves on statutory and advisory boards.