About Us

Character First Headquarters

Character First began in 1992 at Kimray, Inc., an Oklahoma City-based manufacturing company with more than 500 employees. In less than two years, Kimray’s Worker’s Compensation costs decreased 80%, and they experienced a 25% increase in profits, even though the market was depressed.

Other companies heard about what Kimray was doing, and Character First spread around the United States and the world, helping individuals, corporations, schools, government agencies, and families in more than 27 countries and 12 languages.

Our Approach

Character First is a leadership development program based on character that is delivered many ways—training seminars, books, magazines, curriculum, email—that focus on real-life issues at work, school, home, and the community.

Our materials describe good character and talk about the attitudes a person needs in order to improve relationships and make ethical choices. This vocabulary helps colleagues challenge and applaud one another for good character.

Dr. Nathan Mellor

Our Team

Character First is led by Dr. Nathan Mellor (President), Wayne Whitesell (Executive Vice-President), and a team of 10 full-time staff members based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Character First is a registered trademark of the Character Training Institute, Inc., a 501c3 non-profit organization.  

The Character First mission is to help individuals and organizations build integrity, strengthen relationships, and develop leaders of good character.

Learn more at www.characterfirst.com.