The Leadership Experience · Governance

Leadership Transition & Board Governance

One six-year plan that protects LX's integrity for the next 30 to 50 years by moving two things together: Brian's retirement, six years out, and a board governance reset now.

Confidential · board and governance committee · prepared by Bryce Butler, Co-Chair, for the September board retreat
Bottom line

One six-year plan that moves two initiatives together:

  1. Brian's retirement, six years out.
  2. Board governance, reset now.

The central change: President and Board Chair become one seat, held by the founders as Co-Chairs. Brendon Maxwell moves from Chair to Vice Chair.

Part 1

The leadership transition

Bryce and Brian serve as Co-Chairs, carrying the President role. Brendon Maxwell becomes Vice Chair.

The six-year arc

2026–27
Governance set
Founders seated as Co-Chairs; framework adopted; ED profile drafted.
2028
Hire the ED
Executive Director hired and begins immersion.
2029
Activation
ED leads the new cohort; legacy cohorts unchanged.
2030–31
Parallel leadership
ED carries operations; founders step back.
2032 ★
Founder transition
Brian to emeritus; Bryce to Board Chair; founder title sunsets.

Role arcs, 2026 to 2032+

TimelineBryce ButlerBrian MacKayBrendon MaxwellExecutive Director
2026–27Co-Chair / President · operational strategyCo-Chair / President · relational engineVice Chair—
2028Co-Chair / PresidentCo-Chair / PresidentVice ChairHired · immersion
2029Co-Chair / PresidentStepping back · legacy cohortsVice ChairPrimary lead, new cohorts
2030–31Operational duties largely transferredRelationally present with legacy cohortsVice ChairFull operational leader
2032 ★Board ChairEmeritusVice ChairFull operational lead · reports to board

★ 2032 marks the six-year transition point and the sunset of the founder title.

Year by year

2026–2027
Governance set & search prep
  • Founders seated as Co-Chairs.
  • Brendon moves to Vice Chair and is positioned as the successor pipeline.
  • Board adopts the governance framework and designates "President / Co-Chair" as a founder title that sunsets.
  • Draft the Executive Director role profile (reports to the board, not the President).
  • Formalize the Chair's strategic mandate and the succession line.
2028
Hire the Executive Director
  • Executive Director hired, reports to the board, and begins immersion across programming and member touchpoints.
  • Brian introduces the ED to members as part of LX leadership.
  • Bryce begins delegating operational ownership while holding strategy.
2029
Cohort insertion, the activation moment
  • The Executive Director becomes the primary relational lead for the 2029 cohort.
  • Brian remains primary for all legacy cohorts, so there is no disruption.
2030–2031
Parallel leadership
  • The Executive Director holds multiple cohorts and carries operational leadership.
  • Brian steps back from operations and stays relationally present with legacy cohorts.
  • Bryce's operational duties are largely transferred; strategy runs through the Chair seat.
  • Assess the need for a separate Relational / Community Director hire.
2032
Founder transition & title sunset
  • Brian retires and transitions to emeritus at 65; he remains on the board as he chooses.
  • Bryce continues as Board Chair for continuity.
  • The "President / Co-Chair" founder title sunsets; President and Chair remain one board-elected seat.
  • The Executive Director assumes full operational leadership.

Operating structure, 2032 and beyond

Board Chair
Bryce Butler · Brendon Maxwell as Vice Chair

Governance, vision stewardship, and strategic and systems direction.

Executive Director
New hire · reports to the board

Full operational and programmatic leadership; primary relational lead for all cohorts from 2029.

Founding Elder / Board Member
Brian MacKay · emeritus

Cultural continuity, legacy cohort presence, and a governance voice.

Future transition: when Bryce chooses to step down, on no set date, he transitions to emeritus and the board elects the next Chair into the same seat. The continuity comes from the structure itself.

Part 2

Board governance, the structure the transition rests on

The Governance Working Group codified LX's governance with a 30-to-50-year horizon, so the mission stays protected when current members transition.

Why the Chair moves now

As LX enters the six-year transition, the Chair seat becomes the anchor for mission and strategy. Making President and Board Chair the same seat, held by the founders as Co-Chairs, puts the people who carry LX's vision in the seat that protects it. Brendon moves to Vice Chair to partner with the Chair.

Four board recommendations

1 · Mission & values integrity

Protect the foundational documents with a two-vote, 3/4 supermajority amendment process, a 90-day cooling-off period, and member input through a new Member Advisory Council.

2 · Board terms & structure

One board of two tiers: at-large directors on 3-year terms and a small executive committee (max 5) on 6-year terms. Governed by reaffirmation rather than fixed term limits, with an annual evaluation for accountability.

3 · Nomination process

A defined, criteria-based pathway gated by demonstrated contribution, replacing the informal process and the 12-month observer period.

4 · Member Advisory Council

A board-curated advisory council (max 15, 3-year terms) that formalizes cohort vetting and gives the membership a structured voice.

Continuity through the transition

Three pieces of the framework make the handoff safe:

Succession line
The Chair and Vice Chair line carries board leadership across founder transitions.
Executive committee
A small committee on 6-year terms anchors continuity and mission protection.
Reaffirmation
Reaffirmation governance with an annual evaluation keeps leadership mission-aligned and lets the board act when needed.

The full recommendations, job descriptions, MAC charter, evaluation, and COI forms live in the packet.

View the full Governance Packet →

Confidential, for board and governance committee use only. Prepared for the September board retreat; review annually and update as circumstances evolve.

A separate Relational / Community Director may be added after 2029 if the Executive Director role cannot hold both program leadership and full relational depth.

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