CORE (Chief Officers Reaching Excellence), IHA’s executive share groups, are nearing their 20th anniversary. These quarterly, professionally facilitated group meetings have been a draw for IHA member companies of all sizes and give senior level executives an opportunity to both share their wisdom and experience and to solicit the advice of their peers.
So many of the issues that arise in managing the tactical and strategic directions of a housewares company are shared by many of the IHA member companies and CORE meetings have become a go-to venue for seeking solutions and sharing ideas.
CORE members tell us that in addition to the networking and problem solving benefits of CORE, they also share or discover from both their peers and speakers details about new business technologies, learn about governmental initiatives, tax issues or import challenges, and get an early heads up on emerging challenges they might not have otherwise heard about.
Most IHA member companies join a CORE group based on geography. There are groups in Chicago, New York, Toronto, South Florida, Dallas, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle. However, to avoid issues with direct competitors, some members have opted to attend meetings away from their base.
Meetings are held quarterly and are scheduled by consensus of the group members. Although the timing varies by group, most meetings are between 4 and 6 hours. They are facilitated by industry experts, including former housewares CEOs.
Topics are also directed by consensus and many members take on assignments and offer reports on specific topics. And occasionally, members will share a proposed strategic initiative and get honest and direct feedback on the plan. Members often refer to the meetings as a “safe zone” where they can test ideas and plans with their peers. Many group members have been longer term participants, some with a decade or more in a group.
Many CORE members will tell you that you are missing an excellent opportunity to protect your assets and grow your business if you do not take advantage of this free IHA member service.
Learn more about CORE, the professional facilitators and upcoming meetings on the IHA website.
