William "Bill" Durmer

My business experience

My business experience includes:

Technical Services Manager, Carter Wallace—Five years in R&D and manufacturing. Responsible for creams' and lotions' manufacturing quality and processes
New Products Manager, Clairol—Five years in manufacturing and marketing. Major new products were Herbal Essence, Long & Silky, Final Net
Director of Marketing and Chief Operating Officer (Formica Corp., subsidiary), Cyanamid—Eight years, including serving as New Products Director, Consumer Products Division (Breck haircare, Pine-Sol cleaners, Old Spice products) and Planning Director

I started my own business in 1980, joined Vistage as a member and sold my business in 1992 after growing it to $10 million. I remained a Vistage member until 1994 (after becoming a Chair in 1993).

I started FFI Corp., a strategic planning company, in 1993 and maintain an active strategic planning consultancy currently.

My Vistage experience

I became a Chair in 1993. Today, I lead a Vistage Chief Executive group and a Key Executive group.

As a Vistage Chair, I am committed to helping members determine and declare their personal vision and then their business vision. From there, we move on to annual planning that generates progress toward achievement of their vision, through concentration on their “top five goals” each year. We advocate the promulgation of these goals throughout the member’s organization.

Each member of the group helps other members achieve their personal and business vision.

My Vistage groups

My Vistage Chief Executive group is comprised of three women and nine men. Member service companies include market research, sensory foods development, high-end residential landscaping design, maintenance and construction, corporate real estate tax planning, sales of used packaging equipment, durable medical equipment repair and sourcing of IT professionals. Manufacturing businesses include a dairy products processor, custom commercial furniture fabricator, fastener manufacturer, secure card manufacturer and a custom coffee roaster and marketer.

Members range in age from mid-30s to mid-50s. It’s a very spirited group with significant interaction between meetings.

Who is the "ideal" Vistage member?

The ideal member is an open, vulnerable and warm personality who both learns and provides learning to members of the group. This individual trusts the group and shares openly.

More about William "Bill" Durmer

I have a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Rutgers University and an MBA from the University of Connecticut.

My civic affiliations include the Rotary International and Methodist churches, and serving as USGFR Director.