About Linx Group

We believe that true change can be best achieved by linking structural change with character development. Achieving the desired results also requires accountability at both the individual and organizational levels.

Our team includes a business executive, a lawyer and a psychologist. We provide a holistic approach to strategic planning, leadership development and executive coaching to produce outstanding results for our clients, which consist of corporations, professional service organizations and non-profit organizations.

We have more than 75 years of experience in working with and leading organizations. Our experience in multiple disciplines provides us with a unique approach to providing strategic planning, leadership development and executive coaching for our clients.

Meet Linx Group

Greg Ast

As an advisor to owners, boards of directors and leadership teams for more than 18 years, Greg has personally assisted clients in the following areas:

In serving as a trusted advisor to the owners and leaders of at least 200 organizations, Greg has a unique perspective on the challenges they face.  He is a strong believer in the power of setting goals, team planning and implementation accountability.  His clients have included companies in most industries, including manufacturing, distribution, banking, services, health care and telecommunications.  In the last 20 years, Greg has facilitated meetings for ownership groups, executive teams, boards of directors, national and state association boards, public-private partnership groups, non-profit organizations, and others.

After graduating from Georgetown University with a BSBA in Finance, Greg began his career with General Electric Capital Corporation.  He then earned his MBA at Wichita State University before entering the consulting industry.  Greg became an authorized trainer for Covey Leadership Center and then joined Accenture (formerly Andersen Consulting) in the Change Management area.

In 1999, Greg became President of a consulting firm that focused on families in business.  Since that time, he has devoted his career to serving the needs of organizations in the small- and medium-sized market (between 20 and 1,000 employees).  Greg’s passion is to assist business owners and leaders in addressing their most difficult challenges.  In co-founding Linx Group, Greg brings extensive experience in strategic decision-making and leadership accountability.

In addition to his consulting work, Greg serves on private and non-profit boards and volunteers with various organizations.  He and his wife, Kerri, have three children.

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Mary Ceynowa

Mary Ceynowa is a consultant working with privately owned and closely held businesses for more than 13 years. Combining her skills and background as a creative coach, trainer, family counselor and licensed psychologist, Mary began her career in this area at the accounting firm of McGladrey and Pullen.  She was the Partner in charge of the Family Business Group/Management Development Institute before starting her own business, Ceynowa Consulting, in 2000.  She recently joined Greg Ast and Ken Stern to found Linx Group.  Mary also has been an Associate Professor at CU Boulder's Engineering Department where she taught a leadership course.  Mary partners with Greg and Ken in helping organizations chart a course and navigate the complexities of change in leadership transitions, succession planning, or the challenges of growth and expansion. 

Her primary areas of expertise are leadership development, executive coaching, succession planning and implementation, along with leadership/management assessment programs, individual career assessment and options for retiring executives.

Assessment is a key element of Mary’s approach. In-depth testing and evaluation processes are employed to generate powerful and insightful information to determine character, competence and commitment of individual leaders. The resulting information greatly aids company decision makers in their efforts to select and prepare new leaders.  She has been trained in and uses the model developed at The Center for Character Based Leadership (www.characterwork.com) in all of her leadership development and coaching work. Throughout her career, Mary has tailored these services to the unique needs of each client organization.

In addition to her consulting work, Mary serves on non-profit boards in her community.  She and her husband, Roger, have two children.

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Ken Stern

Ken Stern has an active executive coaching and strategic planning practice.  He works with professional service organizations, companies of all sizes, and non-profit organizations in a wide variety of areas, including leadership development, succession and transition planning, performance enhancement, team building, improving organizational culture and conflict management and resolution. 

Ken divides his time between his consulting work with Linx Group and practicing immigration law with Stern Elkind Curray & Alterman LLP.  Ken has been an immigration attorney for more than 25 years and has counseled thousands of clients.  As Senior Partner of the largest immigration law firm in the Rocky Mountain Region, he has more than 25 years of management experience in the professional services area.  He has mentored and coached many attorneys and staff members to grow and succeed in their careers.

Ken received his bachelor’s degree from Tufts University in 1974.  He received his law degree from the University of Denver in 1978.  Ken completed basic and advanced training programs accredited by Coaches Training Institute.  Ken has been named “Best of the Bar” in immigration law by the Denver Business Journal, has been listed in Best Lawyers in America since the inception of that publication, and has been listed in 5280 Magazine as one of Denver’s top lawyers in the field of immigration law.

Ken is married and has two children.  He is very active in community work, including serving on non-profit boards and starting a free English Language Acquisition Program.

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“I can honestly say that Greg has the
most diverse business consulting
experience of anyone else I have worked

with in that field.”

“Mary has been an incredible light
during this process and I feel the
last 6 months have provided the most
growth for me professionally in my
career.  Your guidance and support
has been wonderful.” 

“Ken Stern has been a great coach,

sounding board and has pushed me

beyond my comfort level to achieve goals

that were formally unattainable.”