Jim Haudan

Chairman and Co-Founder

As Chairman and Co-Founder, Jim Haudan has a passion that goes beyond leading Root to success. For more than 25 years, he has been helping the world’s most influential organizations transform their business, change how they engage their people, and deliver exceptional results.

Jim captures Root’s story in his bestselling book, “The Art of Engagement: Bridging the Gap Between People and Possibilities” (McGraw-Hill, 2008).  His latest book, “What Are Your Blind Spots? Conquering the 5 Misconceptions that Hold Leaders Back” (McGraw-Hill, 2018) – co-authored by Root CEO and President, Rich Berens – dives into the effective ways to engage and motivate employees at every level of the organization.

Jim is a frequent speaker on leadership alignment, strategy execution, employee engagement, business transformation, change management, and accelerated learning. He has spoken at TEDx BGSU, Tampa TEDx, and Conference Board events, and has given keynote speeches for many organizations throughout the world. He contributes regularly to business publications, including Inc. and Switch & Shift, where he was ranked on the Top 75 List of Human Business Champions.

He lives in Sylvania, OH, with his wife, Michelle. They have three children, Brad, Brooke, and Blake, and five grandchildren. When he’s not traveling the globe visiting clients, he enjoys relaxing with his family at their lake cottage, golfing, fishing, sailing, photography, and attending Jimmy Buffett concerts.