About the IAC
Mission | About Us | Board of Governors | Letter from the President

The IAC was the brainchild of Thomas J. Leonard, and he is often credited as the founder of the coaching profession.

As more people come to realize that great coaches can make a significant difference in their lives, the marketplace has responded with more coaches, from all walks of life. Academic and vocational training for coaches has also become a growing field.

It begs the questions. "What separates a great coach from the rest; how do I find a great coach; and, how do I know I am a great coach?"

It took Thomas Leonard over a year develop the first international standards for coaching certification.  The result was a rigorous certification process that goes beyond just academic or vocational qualifications. The certification embraces universal guidelines, principles, proficiencies, standards and behaviors that make a coach a great coach, regardless of profession or geography. The standards continue to evolve in response to client requirements and expectations of the industry.

One of the reasons people are drawn to coaching revolves around it’s departure from "business as usual". There is a resounding call for positive change in the world, and this profession was designed as a stimulus for that change.

The IAC was established on March 11, 2003 as a nonprofit organization incorporated under the New Mexico Nonprofit Corporation Act. The IAC is tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(6) of the United States Internal Revenue Code as a business league. Its focus is on the improvement of the coaching profession overall, and is not on the performance of particular services for individuals.

To date, more than 12,000 coaches in over 80 countries have signed up at the IAC in support of the high, worldwide standard. Recognizing its importance, an ever increasing number of coaches aspire to this certification.

1. Our vision is to advance coaching to the highest standards of universal excellence.
2. Our mission is to further the interests of clients worldwide through:
   1. a rigorous certification of coaches and
   2. the highest ethical, professional and business standards.
3. We use both objective testing of coaching principles and actual demonstration of coaching abilities in our certification process.
4. We hold true to the highest and most specific ethical, professional and business guidelines.

We are managed by a volunteer Board of Governors. Governors serve staggered terms and new governors are elected from time-to-time by the Board. The Board’s Executive Committee is comprised of its President, Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary.