About the Author
Gary Michel
Gary S. Michel is the author of deComplify: How Simplicity Drives Stability, Innovation, and Transformation, and The Founder’s Mindset: How to Lead With Clarity and Purpose in Any Organization.
Formerly CEO of Honeywell Home and Building Technologies and JELD-WEN Holding, Inc., he has nearly 40 years of experience leading iconic brands that also include Club Car, Trane, and Ingersoll Rand. He believes that the most powerful tool a leader possesses isn’t a spreadsheet—it’s a mindset.
While his tenure as a board chair and CEO earned him accolades like “Most Admired CEO” by the Charlotte Business Journal, Gary is most often sought after for his role as a mentor and advisor. He has cultivated a loyal following of leaders and team members who rely on his unique ability to strip away corporate noise and restore a founder’s sense of ownership and purpose to established organizations.
Whether he is delivering a keynote to hundreds, serving on boards, or advising a single executive, Gary’s guidance is rooted in the belief that clarity is a gift you give your team. A Vistage resource speaker and Forbes featured author, he is a dedicated advocate for the next generation of leaders through his board work with the American Heart Association and his deep roots in the Charlotte, NC community.
When he isn’t helping organizations “decomplify,” Gary can be found enjoying life with his wife, Jodi, and their two daughters, reminders that the ultimate purpose of any great organization is to serve the people within it.
