Join other CEOs and business leaders in West Michigan and Northern Indiana who are building great businesses for a greater purpose.

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It can be lonely at the top, but it doesn’t have to be.

We know leaders limit their potential when they lead from isolation. But, when surrounded by trusted advisors with a common goal and a biblical worldview, they can maximize performance and energize cultures. With faith as the foundation, this powerful group of peers meet in an exclusive, confidential forums in Grand Rapids and across the Lake Michigan shores to have their questions answered and their answers questioned.

Chairs

Business Forum Leaders in the West Michigan and Northern Indiana Area

DANIELLE WHAH

Danielle is passionate about equipping business owners & CEOs to accomplish immeasurably MORE than imagined. She is highly motivated and…

DANIELLE WHAH

Danielle is passionate about equipping business owners & CEOs to accomplish immeasurably MORE than imagined. She is highly motivated and has a relentless passion for winning, building trust & delivering results. Serving as a C12 Chair is a calling that she sees as a natural extension of her growing commitment to driving results and promoting effective servant leadership in business. Danielle has over 20 years of driving product & brand growth strategies at Global Consumer Product companies. Her diverse experience across sales, merchandising, product marketing & engineering provides a unique, yet comprehensive perspective and is rare to find. Her thoughtful and detailed approach to P&L ownership and problem-solving positions teams and organizations for success. Danielle’s proven capabilities & faithful stewardship unleashes the power of the C12 platform to build GREAT Businesses for a GREATER purpose in West Michigan & Northern Indiana. Danielle holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Louisville, and a Master’s of Business from Eastern Kentucky University. She is a passionate and committed follower of Christ, wife, mother, and business owner. Danielle and her family are active members of Lakeshore Christian Church in Saint Joseph, Michigan. This community of believers is the spark that ignited the faith and relationship that Danielle has today with her Lord and Savior. Danielle currently serves as the Missions Ministry Lead. Danielle and her husband, Ken, reside in Stevensville, Michigan where they enjoy spending time with their 6 children and grandson. In the summer, you will likely find them aboard ImmeasurablyMore watching a beautiful sunset on the waters of Lake Michigan.

JOHN KNOWLTON

John is dedicated to helping people succeed, which means becoming what God created you to be. His career has combined…

JOHN KNOWLTON

John is dedicated to helping people succeed, which means becoming what God created you to be. His career has combined ministry and business since college days. John started as a peer minister in a campus fellowship at Central Michigan University. Seminary followed with 6 years as a United Methodist pastor. During college and grad school he operated remodeling and painting businesses. Since 2007 John and his wife Julie have been on staff at Stones Church in Kalamazoo as Family Care Pastors. He also leads projects, planning, organizational development and staff meetings at Stones. 1998 saw an opportunity to begin a career in financial services. Starting as a solo entrepreneur, John added staff and partners. Over a 22-year career he founded three Registered Investment Advisors and lead the firm’s mergers and acquisitions efforts. When he sold his interest, the firm managed about $1.25 billion of client assets and comprised about 60 total staff including 15 partners. In years past there was no C12 presence in West Michigan so John joined another peer advisory business roundtable. C12 combines the very best business fundamentals with Christian peers and a focus on eternal outcomes. This means C12 provides an incredible opportunity to help business leaders drive great economic results and transform their businesses into businesses as ministries. John and Julie have four children and share a passion for bicycling and travel.

BRUCE HANSON

Bruce loves working with people and helping inspire leaders to create deliberate, eternal impact through the decisions they make and…

BRUCE HANSON

Bruce loves working with people and helping inspire leaders to create deliberate, eternal impact through the decisions they make and the actions they take. Bruce is a former CEO, and an accomplished entrepreneurial and consultative professional with a reputation for high emotional intelligence and the ability to help leaders navigate challenging circumstances or rapid growth. He is quick to understand and expertly address complex situations while solving for the big picture. Bruce is strategic, empathetic, and collegial, yet comfortable on the front line of tough decision-making. His previous work as CEO and Co-Founder of a Christian coaching and leadership development firm focused on inspiring intentional cultures that align teams and position them for success. He has a deep love for the local church, and is very relational, service-minded and community focused. He is a mediator, moderator, coach, facilitator, and consensus builder. Bruce and his wife Amanda are newcomers to West Michigan, now residing in Allendale, Michigan, and their twins are university students in Grand Rapids. For over 35 years as an experienced business strategist, serial entrepreneur, operational executive and leadership team builder, Bruce’s interactions with business owners and their teams has been orchestrated to deliver positive impact – quickly. Bruce has served churches, non-profits, the Fortune 1000, manufacturing, distribution, financial services, accounting, technology, start-ups, retail, and private equity backed businesses. His entrepreneurial background and Kingdom mindset, along with restructuring and turnaround expertise provide a unique perspective serving Christian business owners and CEOs.

“C12 is everything I was looking for and more of what I didn’t know I needed. My peers challenge me in my blind spots, love me in hard times, and encourage me to glorify God in the way I lead my team. It’s a home for business leaders.”

Brittany Zeller, founder and director of Tiny Feet Early Intervention / South Carolina C12 member
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