Jack Calhoun has spent more than three decades building programs and companies that meet people exactly where they are — and where the world is heading.
A graduate of the University of Georgia's Henry W. Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communications, Jack launched his career in the early 1990s first as a journalist and then in sports marketing and licensing. That early experience gave him a deep understanding of branding, communication, and leadership traits that later inspired him to create his own entrepreneurial ventures.
In the mid-1990s, Jack joined with his father to scale his small investment firm, Capital Directions. Jack quickly recognized an emerging trend as accounting firms began offering financial services and launched an innovative partnership program that paired Capital Directions’ investment management and communications capabilities with the trusted client relationships these CPA firms had already built. Under Jack's leadership, the program grew to more than one billion dollars in assets under management. Jack ultimately became the majority owner and managing partner of the firm before selling the company in 2015.
What came next was unexpected. With no framework, no roadmap, and no program to turn to for guidance, Jack found his post-career phase to be more disorienting than intoxicating. He quickly realized that the wealth management industry was almost entirely fixated on financial mechanics — tax strategy, estate planning, charitable giving — while largely ignoring the deeper human needs that drive fulfillment: purpose, connection, accomplishment, and the desire to keep contributing meaningfully to the world.
That experience inspired Jack to found Encore Career Lab in 2023 to help people create amazing Third Acts for themselves beyond just the “life of endless leisure” that has always defined the conventional approach to retirement.
Tavi Meketon is a seasoned business leader, strategist, and coach with more than four decades of experience guiding individuals and organizations through growth, transition, and reinvention.A former Chief Operating Officer and trusted advisor to executive teams, Tavi has built and led businesses across complex industries, aligning people, strategy, and execution to achieve measurable results. She holds an MBA in Strategic Leadership and CPRC Certified Professional Retirement Coach certification, bringing both strategic rigor and deep people insight to her work.Having navigated multiple career transitions herself—including leadership roles, business ownership, and reinvention later in life—Tavi understands firsthand the emotional and practical challenges faced by high-achieving professionals at inflection points in their careers. That lived experience is the foundation of Encore Career Lab.Through Encore Career Lab, Tavi helps accomplished professionals redefine success beyond traditional retirement, clarify their next chapter, and build purposeful encore careers that leverage their experience while creating meaning, impact, and connection. Her work blends coaching, facilitation, and strategic frameworks with real-world business acumen.
Bob Sofge leads The Next Mission program at Encore Career Lab in tandem with ECL Founder Jack Calhoun.
Bob is a retired Major General of the United States Marine Corps. He brings more than four decades of experience leading complex, high-stakes organizations and guiding leaders through transition, reinvention, and purpose-driven next chapters.
The Next Mission program is Encore Career Lab’s dedicated cohort designed for senior leaders—particularly those coming out of highly structured, mission-driven careers—who are redefining identity, impact, and contribution after their primary career is over. As one of the program leads, Bob draws on deep experience helping accomplished leaders translate their expertise into meaningful civilian, advisory, board, and portfolio paths.
Throughout his distinguished Marine Corps career, Bob led at every echelon of command.
His final active-duty assignment was as Commanding General, U.S. Marine Forces Europe & Africa, where he directed multinational operations, strategic partnerships, and global defense initiatives. Previously, he served as Deputy Commander, Marine Forces Pacific; Assistant Chief of Staff, J5 for U.S. Forces Korea; and Deputy Commanding General, Combined Joint Operations Center Baghdad during Operation Inherent Resolve.
His leadership is marked by a commitment to clarity of mission, empowerment of teams, and preparing leaders to navigate ambiguity and change. Bob is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, holds a Master of Science in Strategy from the U.S. Army War College, an MBA from TUI University, and is a graduate of the Harvard Business School Advanced Management Program.
James “Jimmy” Dickey brings decades of C-level experience to the team at Encore Career Lab.
Jimmy’s career began at Trust Company Bank (now Truist) as an executive in the factoring and commercial banking divisions. He later joined the team at Home Buyers Warranty to lead an internal acquisition. Post-acquisition, Mr. Dickey stayed with the firm managing several different areas including serving as VP of Marketing, Business Development as well as managed subsidiary companies.
Jimmy then became a founding member of DBD & Associates, a private equity fund. At DBD, he oversaw a wide range of responsibilities, including fund raising, identifying investments, and working on boards and management teams of the underlying portfolio companies.
After this role, Jimmy later went on to serve as CEO of Ovations Management Solutions. Ovations was a Technology Company serving Fortune 500 Customers with their entertainment assets. Jimmy oversaw an internal restructuring of the company that led to an acquisition by Cendyn Corporation. Jimmy joined Cendyn as their CFO and was responsible for corporate function including legal, tax, investments, mergers and acquisitions, business development, strategy, and accounting.
At every level of his career, Jimmy has scaled businesses across industries—and helped guide them through some of their most defining moments. He brings to the Encore Career Lab team a powerful combination of financial acumen, operational expertise, and deal-making instincts, all sharpened by decades of leading from the top. Whether it's navigating complex transitions, unlocking growth, or mentoring the next generation of leaders, Jimmy knows what it takes to turn potential into performance.
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