Dr. Dee A. Soder
With decades of experience in business and psychology, Dr. Dee Soder remains one of the nation's leading advisors to top executives, companies and boards.  The pioneer of executive coaching, a multibillion dollar industry, Soder is consistently cited by the Wall Street Journal, Fortune magazine, CNN, CBS Marketwatch, and NBC as "the country's top executive advisor," "the CEO's coach," and "the CEO’s consigliere."

The founder and managing partner of the CEO Perspective Group, Soder advises top management on a wide range of issues.  For over 20 years, Boards of Directors have asked Soder to conduct highly sensitive assessments to determine the status of chief executives.  Clients include corporations, private equity firms, government, investment banks and non-profits, as well as highly successful executives and consultants -- the leaders in every field.

Soder's career is full of "firsts."  She was a Vice President at Prudential early in her career; led one of the President's Reorganization Projects for the White House; was Staffing Director for the District of Columbia; a chief of the D.C. Police Department; and a partner at Rohrer, Hibler, and Replogle (psychological consulting firm).  While Senior Research Psychologist for the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, she co-founded the highly regarded Personnel Testing Council in Washington 25 years ago.  Soder’s ability to translate her extensive technical background into practical results has frequently resulted in awards such as commendations from President Carter, Chase Manhattan Bank, the District of Columbia, the New York City Police Department, and plaudits from the Brookings Institution, the American Medical Association, the U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, NACD, Directors & Boards magazine, the American Association of University Women and 2008 honoree, ABC Competition for support of the arts and business.  Over the years, she has been a professor at several universities. In 2004 Soder founded Fast Forward University™, the first accelerated training program for potential corporate stars.

Soder was on the Board of the Women's Campaign Fund, Women’s Economic Round Table and several nonprofit boards.  One of three people recognized in the Labor Department’s initial Glass Ceiling report she has been honored many times for her work helping women advance.  She volunteers considerable time to federal and state law enforcement agencies. Soder's insights and advice to leaders were featured on television, radio, print, and online after September 11 -- helping businesses and law enforcement better address the crisis.  A sought after speaker, Soder has given over 20 keynotes and panels on leadership and corporate governance.  Her articles and research on CEO assessment have received considerable acclaim from members of Congress, associations, governance experts, and key business leaders.  Her commentary in “Inside the Mind of a Leader” (Harvard Business Review, 2004) has been widely praised for its insights on leadership and ethics. “Leading When It Counts”, the lead article in a special Directors & Boards on Business Continuity and Crisis Management, was widely circulated in academia after 2007 and 2008 violence. 

Attending graduate school at night, Soder is a Phi Beta Kappa and earned a B.S. with Special Distinction, M.S., and Ph.D. in Psychology, with an emphasis on industry and legal applications, from the University of Oklahoma, as well as post-doctoral work in assessment and forensic psychology from George Washington University.

Richard M. Clarke
With an international career that spans over three decades, Richard M. Clarke has become the embodiment of the global entrepreneur, bringing years of far-reaching expertise to his work at the CEO Perspective Group. A founding member of the CEO Group, Clarke advises top executives on governance issues, plus Board interaction, international issues, and diversity - his specialties from years of success in multiple industries. He also has helped clients start conservation-related ventures.

Formerly Chair of Hoechst Celanese, Akzo America, CEO of Nash Engineering Company and non-executive Chairman of Yankelovich Holding Company and more, Clarke’s retirement plans bring smiles to clients and colleagues who don't think he will ever retire.

An expert on the changing role of Boards, Clarke was recently a Director of the Menasha Corporation, Nash Engineering and former Chairman of the National Executive Service Corps. He is also a Board member of the Henry L. Stimson Center and is Trustee Emeritus of the National Urban League, Fairleigh Dickinson University, and the Americas Society. Past Board memberships have also included the World Resource Institute, the Celgene Corporation, AMP Corporate Technologies, and Lasertechnics/Sandia Imaging Systems.

Clarke's previous positions reflect his extensive background, breadth of knowledge, and ability to navigate the complexities of global business. In 1992, Clarke became Chairman of Akzo America, Inc., the North American arm of a diversified international chemical and healthcare corporation based in the Netherlands. Before joining Akzo, Clarke was President and CEO of Wickes Industrial Group and Chairman of Hoechst Celanese Corporation. Over the years, Clarke's responsibilities at the Celanese Corporation ultimately extended to Canada, Taiwan, Japan, and West Germany, contributing to his understanding of and commitment to international issues.

A native of Canada, Clarke holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Toronto and a Master's of Chemical Engineering from Yale University.