Mark Arnold

First of all, thank you for your interest in Charter Resource Group! Serving leaders who find themselves in positions of influence and responsibility has been a life-long ambition for me. In July of 1994, Charter was launched to sharpen the skills of business leaders and to help them get the right people in the right place doing the right thing. To provide these unique services for capable leaders has been a rewarding privilege that is enhanced by sharing the experience with the gifted associates that comprise Charter Resource Group. Prior to founding Charter, I was the short-term President of Mentoring Today, a newly formed national non-profit, and the Sr. Vice President of CLC, Inc., a Nashville-based leadership training organization. My interest in coaching began as a youngster growing up in Roanoke, Virginia. My father not only coached our youth sports teams, but he relayed with enthusiasm to me and my three younger brothers the life shaping experiences of playing for the legendary coach, John Wooden, at UCLA. I saw first -hand while playing basketball and tennis through High School and College (Gordon College 1976-77, Covenant College B.A. 1980) the profound impact that good and bad coaching produces. These early experiences impressed upon me the importance of leadership influence.

Tricia Grimes, my high school sweetheart, agreed to marry me in 1980 and she followed me in my quest for answers to some of life's deeper questions to graduate school (Chesapeake Seminary, MTS 1986). While in Maryland, we developed a leadership program for midshipman from the U.S. Naval Academy and served on staff of a large Presbyterian Church. In 1986, we moved to Franklin, Tennessee to work with CLC. Along the way, I did more reading and research in the area of leadership development and adult learning behavior which culminated with a doctorate in social science from Oxford Graduate School (D. Phil 1994).

It has been over 17 years since Charter Resource Group was birthed. Like many of the people we now serve, I stood at a crossroads and found myself pondering life. We felt time slipping away to experience some personal and professional aspirations, and we were not sure which platform provided the best opportunitites for success. Tricia and I embarked on a comprehensive overview by considering our present circumstances, evaluated strenghts and weaknesses, identified motivated abilities, and clarified ambitions. The discovery process confirmed that the next logical step was to take an entrepreneurial leap and establish a firm which specializes in coaching, consulting, and connecting leaders. In addition to serving leaders in a variety of settings and industries, a recent experience has proven to be rewarding. I served as the campaign finance chairman for U.S. Congressman Zach Wamp's unsuccessful bid to be governor of Tennessee. 

Tricia is the curriculum director at New Hope Academy, private grammar school recognized by former President, George Bush as a model for community development initiatives. Like many of you, our world spins around our kids. We have a son and two daughters: Hunter 26, Kasey 24, and Morgan 22. Hunter is in Nashville, Kasey is in Southern California and Morgan is in Washington, D.C. I enjoy playing golf, riding horses and sharing a glass of red wine with friends. With few exceptions, leaders are readers, and I always have a book or two going. I am currently reading the following:

OWNERSHIP THINKING by Brad Ham

THE CITY OF GOD, Book 19 by St. Augustine of Hippo

OUT OF THEIR FACES AND INTO THEIR SHOES by John Kramp

LITTLE BOOK OF LEADERSHIP by Jeffrey Gitomer