The people behind the firm.
The Creighton Group's leaders bring experience as founders, executives, corporate directors, investors, product leaders, and advisors across professional services, technology, finance, education, workforce development, and corporate governance.
Dr. Larry Taylor is an experienced corporate director, management consultant, executive, and internationally recognized expert in productivity improvement, environmental management, and corporate governance. Over a career spanning more than four decades, he has advised, trained, audited, and served on the boards of organizations across the corporate, government, education, and nonprofit sectors.
Before founding The Creighton Group in 1989, Dr. Taylor led the West Coast Productivity Improvement Consulting Practice at Deloitte and served as a senior manager in Ernst & Young's manufacturing consulting practice. Through The Creighton Group, he subsequently led operational improvement, environmental management, quality-management, employee-engagement, sustainability, and governance engagements for hundreds of organizations in the United States and internationally.
Dr. Taylor has served on more than 20 publicly traded, privately held, advisory, and nonprofit boards. His board leadership has included roles with the NACD Pacific Southwest Chapter, the Claremont Graduate University Board of Trustees, Novaria Aerospace Group, the Capital Experts Innovation Council, and Guided Compass. He has chaired audit and risk committees and has been designated an SEC financial expert. He previously served as chief financial officer and an executive board member of OBN Holdings.
An early leader in environmental management systems, Dr. Taylor participated in the development and international implementation of ISO 14001 and led environmental audits and training engagements across North America, Asia, Africa, and Europe. His experience also includes quality-management systems, corporate social responsibility, organizational culture, employee engagement, financial oversight, and board effectiveness.
Dr. Taylor earned a bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering from General Motors Institute, an MBA in Finance from Pepperdine University, and a PhD in Executive Management from the Drucker School of Management at Claremont Graduate University. He is a NACD Board Leadership Fellow and has earned NACD credentials in board leadership and cybersecurity, as well as the Global Reporting Initiative Sustainability Certificate.
He is the author of three books addressing corporate governance, employee engagement, and organizational culture: The New Breed of Independent Corporate Director, Private Sector Praises, and Enhancing the Tone-at-the-Bottom.
Creighton Taylor is a venture builder, product leader, strategist, and financial professional who works at the intersection of technology, entrepreneurship, education, workforce development, and investment.
Creighton leads the next chapter of The Creighton Group, expanding its work from traditional consulting into venture creation, technology-enabled products, and hands-on company building. He is the founder and CEO of Guided Compass, an education and workforce technology platform that he designed, built, launched, and scaled from concept into a revenue-generating business serving schools, workforce organizations, nonprofits, and other institutional partners.
He is also developing Venture Autopilot, a platform designed to improve investor reporting, portfolio-company information collection, and portfolio operations. As a Principal at Diffusion Venture Studio, Creighton supports venture creation and implementation in education and workforce development, including customer discovery, product strategy, prototype development, partnership design, fundraising, and the oversight of software projects.
Across his career, Creighton has worked as a founder, product executive, finance leader, developer, advisor, and educator. His experience includes leading product and finance at venture-backed startups, designing and managing MVPs, conducting customer discovery, developing financial models and fundraising materials, supporting capital raises, and building technology products. Earlier in his career, he worked in institutional investment management at Western Asset Management and Rochdale Investment Management.
Creighton also teaches finance, venture capital, entrepreneurship, product management, and business strategy. He has served as a lecturer at the University of California, Irvine and as part-time faculty at California State University campuses.
Creighton earned an MBA from Harvard Business School and bachelor's degrees in business administration and music from Emory University. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.
Beyond TCG engagements — board, executive, and operating roles.
These organizations represent leadership, employment, board, operating, and advisory experience. They are not presented as clients of The Creighton Group.
- DeloitteSenior consulting leadership
Global professional services and consulting organization.
Dr. Larry Taylor led Deloitte's West Coast Productivity Improvement Consulting Practice.
- Ernst & YoungSenior consulting leadership
Global assurance, consulting, tax, and transaction services firm.
Dr. Larry Taylor served as a senior manager in the firm's manufacturing consulting practice.
- National Association of Corporate DirectorsExecutive and board leadership
Membership organization supporting corporate board leadership.
Dr. Larry Taylor has held executive and board roles with the NACD Pacific Southwest Chapter.
- Novaria GroupCorporate board leadership
Aerospace manufacturer serving defense and commercial markets.
Dr. Larry Taylor has served as chairman of the company's Board of Management Representatives.
- Guided CompassVenture creation, executive and board leadership
Education and workforce technology platform.
Creighton Taylor founded Guided Compass and leads product, technology, strategy, and operations. Dr. Larry Taylor serves as chairman.
- Diffusion Venture StudioVenture creation and operating leadership
Venture studio and venture capital fund building education and workforce companies.
Creighton Taylor serves as a Principal, supporting customer discovery, venture design, product strategy, fundraising, and partnerships.
- FitspotStartup product and finance leadership
Venture-backed workplace wellness and fitness marketplace.
Creighton Taylor led product strategy and financial management as Head of Product for this $2M seed-funded startup.
- VCA Animal HospitalsProduct-management consulting
Network of veterinary hospitals and pet-care providers.
Creighton Taylor advised on product strategy, roadmapping, and usability testing for VCA's initial Amazon Alexa application.
- Western Asset ManagementInstitutional investment operations
Global fixed-income investment management firm.
Creighton Taylor began his career in investment operations, supporting fund administration and NAV reconciliation for institutional assets.
- Rochdale Investment ManagementInvestment analysis and institutional business development
Former institutional investment management firm.
Creighton Taylor served as a portfolio analyst supporting West Coast institutional sales and marketing, including investment materials and workflow automation.