Meet the ICA Team

ICA’s staff is unique in the consulting field, being comprised of a complementary, proven team of seasoned senior executives, each with decades of successful professional senior-level experience in midsized to large company settings in their respective areas of focus.  Together, our team has a well-rounded ability to engage and serve even the most demanding large corporate clients in the vital areas of strategy, execution, and organizational development – the general management and company leadership essentials so foundational to enduring success.  Each member brings high Christian and business standards and expectations as to what’s possible on behalf of our clients, possessing the rare combination of enthusiasm, directly relevant experience, and desire to serve clients well as a capstone to their successful professional careers.   All ICA team members are accomplished in the areas of strategic planning facilitation and executive team-building, a significant internal strength when brainstorming, vetting ideas, and providing balanced counsel to clients. Finally, the ICA staff has had the privilege of successfully working together over many years to serve many leadership companies.  

PROFILE

Don is a career CEO/COO/Board Director, with a graduate management degree from MIT’s Sloan School, who has led several global leadership businesses, ranging up to more than $2 billion in annual revenue.  He also has an accomplished background as a CEO advisor and Christian servant leader. Don honed his early general management skills as top executive for four Emerson Corporation business units, being called on to bring improved performance and strategic direction to companies ranging from $60 to $500 million in size.  Post-Emerson, Don led a stunning turnaround of a tier one global automotive supplier with more than $700 million in topline revenue.  This was followed as co-CEO and COO of the world’s largest home furnishings supplier, a $2+ billion, 12 business unit, LBO spin-off of a public company.  

In the years since, Don has focused on serving the needs of servant leader-led businesses, serving more than 3000 private and public clients (ranging from $1 million to $3 billion) as CEO of The C12 Group, which grew 10-fold to became America’s largest Christian CEO roundtable organization during his tenure, and as principal of Integrity CEO Advisors (formerly known as Covenant Partners Consultancy).  Along the way, Don has become expert in applying lean enterprise methods and practical closed-loop “Six Sigma” quality methods, while building strong, unified management teams. Don is a highly respected and trusted advisor to many Christian CEOs across America.  He and Karen, his wife of 46 years, live in Travelers Rest, South Carolina.
 

DONALD L. BAREFOOT

43 Lake Farm Court, Travelers Rest, SC 29690
don.barefoot@integrityCEOadvisors.com • 336.420.2000

ENDORSEMENTS

"It’s refreshing to work with an outside resource that possesses both direct experience and a theoretical understanding of what’s truly possible…very effective in facilitating solutions that make sense in the real world… we have clearly gotten full value and wouldn’t hesitate to use them again."

Chairman/CEO/President, S&P 500 Company

"If I could go back and be a young general manager again, I'd love to learn how to do it right under Don's mentorship."

Chairman/CEO, Forbes Private 100 Company & President/COO, Fortune 500 Company

"Thinking back over my career, I would say that Don is the finest operating executive I have ever had the pleasure of working with… always focused on driving improvement."

Group President, Fortune 500 Company & Former President, Forbes Private 100 Company

"Don melds polished business acumen with an intuitive problem-solving style and strong people skills. His "bedside manner" is comfortable, direct, open and honest.  Don works with people to bring out the best, and he can handle any challenge.  His collegial style attracts loyalty and commitment."

Senior HR Executive, Fortune Global 100 Company

"We achieved world class performance in productivity, inventory turns, quality and morale under Don's leadership and direction… he is a man of integrity, vision and strong strategic disciplines."

Senior Site Operations Executive, Fortune 100 Division

"On a personal basis, Don has proven to be a dedicated mentor, able to provide understanding and experience to enable those around him…able to analyze multiple situations simultaneously, enabled by his knowledge of the total business environment… possesses the leadership and strategic approach to address issues at the corporate level as well as the shop floor."

Sr. HR Exec, Forbes Private 100 Company & Former Sr. HR Exec, Fortune 500 Company

"Don is one of the brightest and most trustworthy executives I have ever had the pleasure of knowing."

Former Business Owner/CEO & Former President, Fortune 100 Company Subsidiary

"Don is highly intelligent and socially adept… extraordinary gifts… I admire his abilities and appreciate his contributions."

President & CEO, Int'l Management Consulting Firm

"Don Barefoot is a seasoned CEO who is guided by his moral compass at all times.  His care and concern about the bottom line is second only to his concern for the employees and shareholders of the companies he has led… integrity is not a recent trend for him, but a way of life."

U.S. Department of Army General Counsel & Former Corporate General Counsel

PROFILE

Dave is a highly experienced senior Human Resources executive, retained search executive recruiter, and organizational planning and development consultant.  He began his extensive leadership recruiting and executive development experience with leading global companies as the training ground:  ICI Paints, J&J, Unilever, North American Life, Bombardier, and LifeStyle Furnishings International.  Academically, he possesses a Business Management degree (Ryerson University, Toronto, Canada) and is trained and certified in a number of leading-edge proprietary HR, recruiting, and development technologies, including: Lominger, Development Dimensions International, Sorcher, Personnel Decisions International, The Center for Creative Leadership, the Hay Group’s Emotional Intelligence, and an extensive library of human resource recruiting, development, and assessment tools.

In recent years, Dave has focused his energies on serving the needs of mid-sized and larger private and public companies alike as a retained executive search and organizational development resource.  He uniquely employs carefully thought-out, best-in-class methods to cost-effectively deliver superb, on-target candidates and to maximize their cultural fit and ability to “hit the ground running” and make solid near-term contributions to client companies.  With this in mind, ICA’s 18-month placement performance guarantee leads the industry in fearlessly serving client needs.   

Dave has used competency-based behavioral interviews for more than 20 years in recruiting executive talent for US, Canada, Mexico, and Pacific Rim roles.  He holds dual United States and Canadian citizenships, and focuses on strengthening the leadership teams of companies operating in the North American marketplace.  He serves organizations interested in improving business performance and benefitting from his experience with change management and the identification and development of High Potential executive talent.  Dave and Pat, his wife of 28 years, live in Oak Ridge, NC.
 

Endorsements

“Dave is an unusually gifted senior HR professional and retained search specialist with the practical general management insight to truly come alongside CEOs and add value in the areas of strategy, executive team development, and accountable performance and compensation systems.”

CEO/President, Large & Mid-sized Companies
 

“I must say, I’m ecstatic with the results.”

SVP/CIO, Top Three North American Rental Car Company
 

“Dave and ICA’s unique assessment process helped us articulate our undiscovered competency requirements, and challenged us to think through to our future-state leadership needs.”               

VP Manufacturing, S&P 500 Manufacturer

Profile

Dr. Patrick and possesses highly relevant specialized training and experience in the areas of testing, assessing, and developing executive talent, aptitudes, personality, and interests in both individual and team management settings.  He has a highly successful track record with those desiring to elevate performance or select and prepare next generation leadership, as well as with those seeking to eliminate personal or team dysfunction within an existing organization.  With completed post-doctoral studies in Organizational/Industrial Psychology and a Ph.D. in School/Community Psychology from the University of Tennessee, Gary has also studied in Europe along the way.  In addition to his work with significant established businesses, Gary has been Managing Partner of a child development center and served as adjunct professor for colleges such as Davidson College and Queens College.  

While successfully serving the organizational and executive development needs of many midsized and large market leadership companies, Gary has proven unusually perceptive and helpful in identifying and addressing developmental needs of key leaders while working closely the executive teams according to their strategic and cultural objectives in business.  Gary is highly skilled at working with all levels of executive talent in areas such as: (1) executive assessment for candidate selection, development/coaching, and long-range organizational development; (2) improving team/staff dynamics via assessment, team process coaching, professional development and consulting, and (3) leadership development via assessment, one-on-one coaching, working with high potential talent, career counseling, and healthy workplace cultural formation.  Gary and Lori, his wife of 26 years, live near Charlotte, NC.

Endorsements

“Gary has been an invaluable resource to both personally and professionally. I usually don’t provide unqualified recommendations, but with Gary I can make that recommendation.  He is easy to work with and will provide valuable insights.”

Vice Chairman, Mid-sized Corporation
 

“It is hard to believe we have known each other for better than 30 years.  We have gone from you not recommending me for a job (as I could not survive in a political organization) to your playing an instrumental part in two organizations’ selection and development process.  According to our new parent, we have the most advanced process in the entire global organization.  That is in a large part as a result of your participation.”

President, Mid-sized Division of Large Global Corporation
 

“Gary consistently cuts to the chase with specific recommendations and insight.”

VP Marketing, Mid-sized Company
 

“Over the past 10 years I’ve selected Dr. Patrick to perform numerous organizational interventions, coaching assignments, and special organizational development projects.  His experience understanding complex problems and developing practical solutions is what makes him extremely effective… someone you can trust… he helped my organization through productive and difficult times… guiding many successful careers, including my own.  I highly recommend Dr. Patrick.”

VP Human Resources, Mid-sized Company

Profile

Randy’s career reflects the ability to enter into complacent, underperforming, or dysfunctional situations as a trustworthy leader and change agent, catalyzing a new level of performance and breathing new life and elevated expectations into each situation along the way.  Working with workforces ranging from a few hundred to more than a few thousand, Randy’s practical focus on the fundamentals of sound operations has produced stellar results time after time.  His straight-forward approach is refreshing in a contemporary business culture that seems fixated on “silver bullets” and the latest “project of the month.”  Randy is highly accomplished in bringing experienced eyes and methods to manufacturing and distribution environments which build trust, strengthen teamwork, and engender a healthy sense of accountability and focus on continually improving performance.  As someone who has grown from the shop floor, to materials manager, to plant manager, to Operations VP, to President and Group President over the course of his career, Randy is able to understand organizational issues at each level and to bring “fresh wind” to widely varying operational settings.  Randy and Linda, his wife of more than 40 years, live in Jonesboro, AR.

Endorsements

“Randy is the finest manufacturing, logistics, and operations-oriented team builder I’ve ever had the pleasure to see in action.  He builds organization-wide trust and confidence from ‘day one.’”

COO, Forbes Private 100 Company
 

“Some executives have an uncanny grasp on leading people and teams.  Randy’s ability to combine a firm grip on the fundamentals of operating excellence and innate respect for people and their potential enable him to add significant value in any operating situation.”

Chairman/CEO/President, S&P 500 Corporation