Blythe McGarvie

Blythe J. McGarvie has operated profitable business units and managed employees in business endeavors from China to Chile, France to Finland. An accomplished author and business thought leader, she was also a pioneering CFO, and in 1995, was one of only ten female CFOs in the Fortune 500. Renowned for her perspective on leadership, consumer markets, and worldwide economic trends, she brings energy and enthusiasm to her speeches, giving her audiences courage to thrive in trying times and to achieve financial success.

McGarvie's best-selling book, "Shaking the Globe: Courageous Decision-Making in a Changing World," provides entrepreneurs and executives with research and action ideas to overcome obstacles in a competitive and interconnected world. In the book, she explains that Western business leaders must develop the courage to enter new cultures not as people holding an attitude of cultural or moral superiority, but with a perspective of common interest and mutual success. McGarvie also authored "Fit In Stand Out: Mastering the FISO Factor: The Key to Leadership Effectiveness in Business and Life," which has reached wide distribution in the U.S. and was published outside the US in Spanish, Indian, and Russian language versions.

McGarvie has served on several corporate boards, including Accenture, Pepsi Bottling Group, The Travelers Companies, and Viacom, enhancing her reputation in corporate governance. She currently serves on the boards of Apple Hospitality REIT, Sonoco, LKQ, and privately-held Wawa. In 2018, she was a Commissioner for the NACD’s Blue Ribbon Commission initiative focused on adaptive governance, and she was honored as one of the Most Influential Directors by Women Inc. In 2019, she earned the CERT Certificate in Cybersecurity Oversight, reflecting her commitment to leadership in evolving business challenges.

Since January 2003, McGarvie has been CEO and founder of LIF Group, offering a global perspective for clients seeking profitable growth and providing leadership seminars for corporate and academic groups. She has a pulse on developing leaders and responding effectively to changing situations as a result of her extensive corporate experience. McGarvie was recently honored as one of the Most Influential People in Corporate Governance and in the Boardroom by Directorship, and in December 2009, she received an Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters from Old Dominion University.