About Lone Oak Group
Rooted in Experience. Built on Purpose. Committed to the Climb.
Leadership can be exhilarating, but it can also be lonely. As a former CEO, Lone Oak’s founder, Jim Lieske, felt the pressure of vision without the bandwidth to match it. He created Lone Oak Group to be the kind of Strategic Operating Partner he wishes he’d had — someone to walk alongside, ideate and plan with in safety, bring clarity to complexity, and help create a process that leads to execution excellence.
The Lone Oak Origin Story
Jim’s journey to founding Lone Oak Group began on a farm in southern Minnesota, near the oak tree that would later inspire the firm’s name. Weathered, strong, and unmistakably rooted, that tree became a symbol of what he values most in leadership: depth, resilience, stability, toughness, and growth through every season.
After decades in executive coaching, leadership development, consulting, and leading his own company through complex growth, he created Lone Oak Group to serve business leaders in a new way.
But he knew he didn’t want to do it alone. He partnered with Milo Arkema and Ron Wrenholt, who brought their own unique experience, talents, and strengths to the firm. Together, they formed a team of Strategic Operating Partners — not standard consultants or implementers-for-hire, but professionals who bring the full weight of experience, method, and discernment to help leaders thrive.
What Makes Us Different
- Deep CEO, operating, and leadership experience, not just theory.
Our Lone Oak approach is very much a hands-on working relationship.
- Proprietary business management framework (The Intentional Enterprise™).
Comprehensive and complete, but customizable to you.
- Long-term partnership, going beyond consulting.
This is a committed relationship.
- Relational, confidential, grounded.
When we engage with you, we are all in.
What We Believe
- Leadership shouldn’t be and doesn’t have to be a solitary journey.
It’s tempting and easy to become reclusive and “go it alone”, but we’d like to help you choose a better path.
- Growth is best achieved through clarity, structure, and purpose.
Intention is the key foundational component to our work.
- Trusted partnership creates exponential impact.
Having a trusted and loyal fellow traveler is invaluable in any journey.
Meet the Team
Trusted Partners. Seasoned Leaders. Fellow Travelers.
Jim Lieske
Founder & Principal
With 20+ years of experience as a CEO, leadership coach, and organizational strategist, Jim created Lone Oak Group to be the kind of trusted advisor he once wished he had. Known for his calm presence, strategic clarity, and deeply relational approach, he guides leaders through transition, growth, and execution challenges with wisdom and structure.
Fun Fact: Jim grew up on a farm very near the weathered, deeply rooted oak tree that inspired the firm’s name.
Milo Arkema
Partner
Milo brings decades of financial services experience and governance-level leadership in regulated industries. He’s a trusted voice in governance, compliance, financial modeling, and strategic execution, serving clients with sharp insight and a steady hand. Milo has the unique ability to quickly go deep and see what others often miss.
Fun Fact: Milo’s first job out of college was on Wall Street in New York…a far cry from his rural and small-town roots.
Ron Wrenholt
Partner
Ron is a gifted facilitator and innovation leader with deep expertise in ideation, strategic thinking/planning, and new market development. Clients value his calm demeanor and measured style, along with his thoughtful questions and the ability to bring clarity to complex dynamics. He has a unique capacity to help teams think differently and move forward with confidence.
Fun Fact: Ron passed up a full-ride mathematics scholarship to the University of Nebraska to play small college basketball.
Grounded in Values
Our work together is guided by seven core values that aren’t just words on a wall; they shape every engagement and are the reason our client relationships span many years.
Relationships: Building meaningful, trusted connections as the foundation of all work.
Integrity: Operating with honesty, honor, and unwavering ethical standards.
Service: Bringing purpose, passion, and expertise to help clients achieve meaningful success.
Humility: Approaching every engagement with a teachable spirit and confident expertise.
Discernment: Exercising sound judgment in complex business and leadership decisions.
Excellence: Refusing to do anything halfway and striving for the highest-quality outcomes.
Confidentiality: Maintaining the highest standards of discretion and trust.