Art Barter
Founder and CEO of Servant Leadership Institute, Inc.
Chairman & Interim CFO of Datron World Communications, Inc.
Compassionate to caring to serving, Art strives for excellence in
workplace leadership. Brought up in the corporate world, Art began
his career at The Walt Disney Company in Anaheim, CA. Art spent
the next 25+ years working at various manufacturing companies in
Finance and Operational roles where he practiced the “power” or
traditional model of leadership.
In 2003, with the help of Ken Blanchard, Art was introduced to Servant Leadership. By the end
of 2005, he was in the process of transforming Datron into a Servant Lead organization. Today
he believes the only effective long-term leadership model is Servant Leadership. Under the
Servant Leadership model, Datron grew from 10 million in business in 2004 to over 200 million
in business in 2010. This growth was organically generated, internally funded without debt, and
set records for new business, revenues, profit and cash flow. In 2004, he and his wife Lori created
the Datron Charitable Fund which has contributed to charities both locally and around the world.
In 2008, he founded the Servant Leadership Institute as part of the Datron group of companies
with a mission of developing servant leaders that transform organizations.
Art has been honored with several awards throughout the past decade including “Most Admired
CEO” by the San Diego Business Journal in 2008, the “Overall Business Performance
Leadership Award” by Ventana Research in 2009, “Large Business of the Year” by the Carlsbad
Chamber of Commerce in 2012, “Philanthropist of the Year” by Angel’s Depot in 2012,
“Outstanding Business Leader” by Cal State San Marcos’ CLIMB program in 2013, and the
“Comet Award” by the Palomar College Foundation in 2013.
Art holds two Bachelors degrees in Business and Finance from California State University at
Fullerton. He currently sits on several Boards of Directors, including two not-for-profit boards
and three for-profit boards. Art and Lori Barter have two children, reside in Escondido, and are
members of New Venture Christian Fellowship in Oceanside, California.
ADD Vista Something Day
Speaking engagements