Ana Rios Quinn, Master Chair, Vistage

Invest: spoke with Ana Rios Quinn and Chris Quinn, master chair and executive advisor at Vistage, about how Triangle CEOs are navigating AI adoption, tighter capital, and the growing need for stronger leadership benches. “Our view is that AI should be behind people, not between people,” said Quinn.

Over the past year, what major changes have you seen in the Triangle market and within your Vistage groups?

The Triangle continues to be an exceptional place to build a business, and that shows up directly in our rooms. Over the last year, the biggest shift has been the intensity of focus on AI. CEOs are moving past experimentation and into identifying real use cases that can improve their businesses, not just make tasks faster. They see clear productivity opportunities, but they are at different stages of adoption, which makes the peer setting especially valuable. Leaders compare what is actually working, where they are stuck, and what risks they may be missing.

Economic uncertainty and tighter capital have made CEOs more selective about where they invest. Every initiative is being examined more strategically, which has sharpened discussions around priorities and long-term value.

How are those shifts influencing the way CEOs think about talent, culture, and leadership development?

One of the clearest responses is a heightened focus on talent. CEOs want the right people in the right seats with the right mindset, and they are investing more intentionally in middle management and rising leaders. It is no longer enough to hire for technical experience; they want individuals who can grow with the company, embrace change, and lead others through it.

The demand for leadership development across all levels has increased significantly. Members are asking for programs that strengthen critical thinking, emotional intelligence, resilience, and communication. The speed of change, especially with AI, requires people who can think differently, not just do more.

In a year of economic pressure, how do you help leaders stay proactive instead of reactive?

A discipline we rely on is “One Year From Today.” Each CEO identifies the single most important initiative they need to get right in the next 12 months. We refine that over several sessions, not in a quick breakout, so they truly test their assumptions. Once that focus is clear, the group holds them accountable to it.

This structure helps them resist the pull of the urgent. There will always be crises or distractions, but the question becomes: “Is this moving my one-year priority forward or pulling me away from it?” Most business owners do not have anyone consistently challenging them at that level. The peer group becomes that board, keeping them grounded in forward motion rather than reacting to headlines.

What leadership capabilities are CEOs prioritizing today, and how does that interact with AI’s rise?

We are seeing strong demand for leadership development at every layer. CEOs want their teams to build the so-called soft skills: emotional intelligence, empathy, the ability to have difficult conversations, and a clearer understanding of risk. Much of that work begins with self-awareness. Everyone has strengths and blind spots, and understanding both allows leaders to build stronger, more complementary teams.

Technology is automating much of the repetitive work that once filled people’s days. That raises the premium on human interaction. Our view is that AI should be behind people, not between people. It should automate the mundane and free leaders to do what only humans can do: build trust, navigate ambiguity, and engage colleagues and clients in meaningful ways.

How is that people-first mindset playing out in a multigenerational workforce?

It is a major theme in our groups. We now have up to five generations in the workforce, and they do not arrive with the same expectations. As a boomer, I grew up with a different view of work than many millennials or Gen Z professionals. That shows up in everything from attitudes toward remote work to what people value in a career.

CEOs are realizing they must understand what has shaped each generation instead of assuming everyone should think the same way. When leaders embrace those differences, conflict becomes information rather than friction. It helps clarify where alignment is missing and what needs to evolve inside the culture.

In a cautious market, how are your members’ growth ambitions and definitions of success evolving?

We see a shift away from chasing top-line growth and toward building enterprise value. Revenue is important, but you can grow revenue without increasing value. There is much more conversation around valuation, quality of earnings, and operational discipline.

This awareness is reinforced by the amount of capital in the market. Between private equity, family offices, and venture capital, there has never been more money available for strong companies. Our role is to help CEOs become truly investable, whether they ever sell or not. We encourage them to address structural issues now: strengthen leadership benches, reduce key-person risk, improve processes, and professionalize systems.

If they eventually sell, they will be ready. If they never sell, they will own a business that is more valuable and far more enjoyable to run. Many of the factors that depress valuation are the same things that make a company hard to manage day-to-day.

How is Vistage’s presence evolving in the Triangle?

The Triangle has been an outstanding environment for Vistage. Our brand is better known, and there is now a strong community of chairs and groups. That allows us to serve leaders at multiple stages: CEOs, executives reporting to the C-suite, advancing leaders, and emerging leaders. Demand is strong at all levels, which shows that CEOs are serious about cascading leadership development throughout their organizations.

We are intentional about group composition. We look for diversity of industry, background, and perspective, and we pay close attention to mindset. Members need to be open, vulnerable, and committed to growth. When we get the mix right, groups become tight. They hold each other accountable, support one another through difficult seasons, and follow up because they care about each other’s success.

Looking ahead, what are your priorities for growing the Vistage community in Raleigh-Durham?

Our priority is to keep finding the right leaders for the room. Not every business owner is a fit simply because they can pay dues. We are looking for people with the mindset to do this work: a desire to grow, openness to challenge, and the humility to learn from peers. The Triangle’s entrepreneurial energy and strong talent base offer a steady pipeline for that.

We also want to deepen our impact by expanding work with next-generation leaders and helping companies apply what they learn in Vistage back into their organizations. With so much capital available and so much complexity in the market, leaders who build structurally sound, people-centered companies will be best positioned to seize opportunities and navigate uncertainty.