Character First FAQ

How did Character First begin?

Origin

In 1991, Kimray, Inc., an Oklahoma City-based manufacturing company, was experiencing workforce challenges such as low productivity, illegal drug use, low morale, quality problems, high Worker’s Compensation costs, absenteeism, disloyalty, employee theft, and discontent.

Kimray tried many programs, and some produced temporary benefits, but nothing was permanent. The owners soon realized that many of their problems related to a lack of character.

Waking up to this need, Kimray began emphasizing personal character in the lives of their managers and employees.

In 1992, Tom Hill, then-COO of Kimray, developed and piloted the Character First program to help employees reach their full potential as individuals. Kimray restructured its hiring practices, recognition, and monthly company meetings to promote good character. Kimray’s character emphasis became more than a program—it became a way of life.

Every month Kimray emphasized a specific character quality using Character First leadership resources. During monthly employee meetings, supervisors and managers would publicly recognize employees by pointing out specific character qualities they demonstrated and how it benefited the company. Kimray also provided ongoing leadership development training for supervisors and managers so they could emphasize and reward good character on a daily basis.

In less than two years, Kimray’s Worker’s Compensation costs decreased 80%, and they experience a 25% increase in profits, even though the market was depressed. Today, Kimray’s character-emphasis remains strong, and they continue to thrive with a dedicated work force, quality products, and satisfied customers.

Other companies heard about what Kimray was doing and requested information. Because of the growing interest in leadership development and the number of requests for help, Tom Hill established the Character Training Institute in Oklahoma City to continue developing Character First resources and training seminars.

Expansion

In 1996, police and school officials from Oklahoma City invited Character First to develop a character-building curriculum for their local elementary schools. After piloting the concept in Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, and California, the Character First Education program was released to the public and is currently used throughout the United States and around the world.

In 1998, Character First began helping city leaders and community “character councils” who wanted to encourage character throughout their communities. And in 2003, Character First partnered with Sheriff Ray Nash to develop the Police Dynamics training course for training law enforcement officers how to lead with integrity.

Read more about Tom Hill’s journey. Kimray’s turnaround, and how Character First works in Tom’s book, “Making Character First.”

Why the name, “Character First”?

When Tom Hill began Kimray’s character-building program, he called it “Character First” because he recognized that personal character is at the core of outward behavior—including safety, service, productivity, leadership, profit, and other desirable outcomes. Instead of safety first or productivity first, it really takes character first.

The name “Character First” is a registered trademark with the US Patent and Trademark Office.

Who funds and operates Character First?

Character First is operated by Dr. Nathan Mellor, president, and a staff of 11 employees.

The board of directors includes: Tom Hill, chairman; Thomas Hill III, member; Kay Hill, member; Larry Rhoads, member; Kent Fahrenbruck, secretary treasurer.

Character First is funded by membership fees, seminar registrations, material sales, and tax-deductible gifts from individuals and organizations who are passionate about developing a culture of good character—in their workplace, community, or around the world.

The Character Training Institute, dba Character First, is a 501(c)3 non-profit, tax exempt organization based in Oklahoma City. Its charitable purpose is to promote character education through materials, seminars, training courses, and other appropriate means.

What is the mission of Character First?

“Building integrity, strengthening relationships, and developing leaders.”

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Is Character First a religious program?

No. Character First is a leadership development program that uses character as a foundation for its training and materials.

The character concepts are presented in a non-sectarian manner so that secular and religious institutions can embrace Character First.

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Why are there 49 character qualities?

Tom Hill originally selected forty-nine character qualities based on a popular family resource called Character Sketches. However, there are more than forty-nine possible character qualities.

Check the current list of words and definitions used in Character First resources. See something missing? Send your suggestions to editor@characterfirst.com. We’d love to hear from you!

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Are Character First materials copyrighted?

Yes. All curriculum and training materials published by Character First are protected under US Copyright Law, and where applicable, they are protected internationally through US treaties and trade agreements.

Please DO NOT reproduce copyrighted materials without express written permission.

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Character First and IBLP

A note from Dr. Nathan Mellor, President of Character First:

From time to time, we are asked if there is a connection between Character First and the faith-based, non-profit, Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP) and its founder, Bill Gothard.

In the past, we have responded to such questions individually. But with erroneous reports still on the Internet concerning Character First and IBLP, we’d like to respond here on our website for those who might not feel comfortable e-mailing us a direct question. Our desire is to provide the greatest amount of clarity and transparency possible in all facets of Character First.

An example of the type of question we receive:

“I noticed on a website affiliated with Bill Gothard a listing of character qualities that was very similar to the character qualities listed on the Character First website. I thought CF wasn’t a religious program, but it appears that Bill Gothard’s IBLP is a religious group. Is CF affiliated with IBLP and Bill Gothard?”

An example of our response:

Thanks for writing to us about the Character First definitions.

You are correct that Character First is not a religious program. However, when Tom Hill started the Character First program in 1992 for use at Kimray, Inc., he used Bill Gothard’s list of 49 qualities as a starting point. At the time, Tom was trying to create a resource for his employees and thought it best not to “recreate the wheel.”

As a result, Tom Hill refined the list and tailored the program for Kimray, Inc. The final product included 47 of the 49 original character qualities along with new and revised working definitions appropriate for a broader and more diverse audience. Little did he know that the program he created would spark the interest of other leaders who wanted to use Character First in their companies and communities.

This overlap in definitions has caused some to suggest Bill Gothard developed Character First, or that his organization (IBLP) operates Character First, but that is not the case. IBLP was kind enough to give Tom permission to use or adapt the character definitions and nature illustrations, but the rest of our content is original and appropriate for all audiences. We reserve the right to change qualities and definitions as needed, but have been slow to do so because of the number of people who have purchased our resources based upon the original character definitions.

In short, Character First is a stand-alone organization committed to providing people (from all backgrounds and walks of life) great resources to nurture a culture of character.

On a personal note, when people ask my opinion about Bill Gothard and IBLP, I confess that I have never met Bill Gothard, nor have I attended any IBLP programs. So I don’t feel qualified to give an educated opinion on the matter. I am thankful, however, for Bill’s generosity in providing Tom the initial concept that helped launch what Character First has become today.

The reason I mention my personal lack of involvement with IBLP is to simply indicate how separate the two organizations are. Character First is financially and operationally independent, and is not beholden to any organization in choosing its future path.

But for the sake of transparency, I should point out that many of the current Character First employees and representatives have participated in IBLP programs at some point during the last 30 years, and that our founder, Tom Hill, regards Bill Gothard as a personal friend. Tom served on the IBLP Board of Directors for twelve years, and Kimray, Inc. helped purchase and renovate the IBLP training center in Oklahoma City where the Character First offices were originally located.

In retrospect, the shared facility and Tom’s personal relationship with IBLP no doubt clouded the differences between IBLP and Character First. This is one reason we relocated the Character First headquarters to a new office building in Edmond, Oklahoma. We have also instructed our regional consultants and international affiliates that co-branding Character First with other services or organizations is not permitted.

These changes do not solely target the work of IBLP or its founder, but apply to any relationship that clouds or dilutes the Character First brand. We want to strengthen the uniqueness of Character First so it can be judged solely on the quality of its products and services.

This is a great time to be part of Character First, and we are excited about the future. Thank you for making character a priority in your organization, and please let us know how we can serve you.

Sincerely,
Dr. Nathan Mellor
Character First President