A New Chapter for ShadowBox
The ShadowBox Team has an exciting announcement. Join us in reflecting upon past chapters and looking ahead to new opportunities!
After nearly a decade as the CEO of ShadowBox, Gary Klein is ready to pass the leadership baton to his long-time colleague and friend, John Schmitt. Gary plans to remain actively involved in ShadowBox projects and is looking forward to more flexibility to pursue scientific interests in his new role as Chief Scientist.
The ShadowBox team is excited about this new chapter for Gary, John, and the company. We look forward to continuing to work with Gary and supporting John in his new role as CEO. We are confident he will be a great leader for the ShadowBox team as we continue to do meaningful work with incredible client partners.
Congratulations Gary and John, we are fortunate to have you both!
A message from Gary:
I am really happy to announce that John Schmitt has taken over for me as the CEO of the twin companies ShadowBox LLC and MacroCognition LLC.
Why have I stepped down as CEO? Simple. I felt I was not giving the management of these companies the attention they needed, and I wasn’t supporting the team the way they deserved. I have too many competing demands on my time and attention, too many projects. Too many distractions.
Why John? I have known him for 30 years. I am impressed by his leadership ability. And I feel that I am conceptually aligned with him on all kinds of macrocognitive issues.
What is my role? I continue as Chief Scientist, and will work on projects and various writing activities. (No, not a next book.) These are the things I enjoy the most and do the best.
What do I expect for ShadowBox and MacroCognition in the future? I expect both companies to become even more successful. I am already seeing the effects of John as a dynamic manager.
A message from John:
In May I accepted Gary Klein’s offer to take over the position of CEO of ShadowBox, LLC. It was not a position I was looking for at this point in my career, but Gary is a good friend and a hard person to say no to. I think Gary would like the freedom to pursue the projects and ideas that interest him most without the burden of the day-to-day running of a company, and I think he deserves it. More importantly, I believe in ShadowBox. I believe in the work we do to accelerate the development of expertise and improve decision making, especially in domains like law enforcement, firefighting, child welfare, and the military that serve the public good.
Most importantly, I believe in the people of ShadowBox. One of the best things about ShadowBox is its culture, which I would not dream of trying to change. The people of ShadowBox are curious, enthusiastic, empowered, and committed to doing good. The atmosphere is collegial, energized, and decentralized. Any company with people and a culture like that deserves to flourish, and I will do my best to provide the necessary vision and leadership. My focus will be to increase our catalogue of goods and services, both bespoke and off-the-shelf, to make us more accessible to a broader range of potential clients.
I’m grateful for the opportunity Gary has given me, and I look forward to leading ShadowBox into the future.