About Mike

Michael “The Bald Avenger” McGuire is a native Montanan who is endeared to his home state and has been lucky enough to live, work, raise a family, and play in the Last Best Place his entire life (Montana).

An amateur philosopher whose introduction to Lady Sophia came via martial arts training and devouring classics such as Sun Tzu’s The Art of War, Miyamoto Musashi’s The Book of Five Rings, and Laozi’s Tao Te Ching, Mike also enjoys learning from modern authors such as Lt. Col. Forrest Morgan (Living the Martial Way) and Donn F. Draeger (Classical Budo).

In his professional life, Mike’s passion is business architecture, lean six sigma process improvement, and strategy development and implementation.  A strategy & process consultant with over 26 years at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana, he has experience in direct sales, market research, communications, and government contracting.

Mike’s involvement with Merlin started with his regular participation in our Philosophy Think & Drinks.  It spread from there into other events, and then regular volunteering. (He’s not afraid to get his hands dirty and sweat, but don’t ask him to climb a ladder — he’s “not a fan of heights”!).

Mike enjoys learning from and with other thinkers who share his admiration of community philosophy and the quality discussion and analysis that it brings to his hometown (Helena).

Some skills Mike will be bringing to the table

• Strategy & Process
• Operations Streamlining
• Fundraising & Event Execution/Logistics

Other cool things about Milke

• Board Member for the YMCA & Chair of the Marketing & Membership Committee (2011-Current)
• Blue Corps Volunteer 
• Core member of the Merlin volunteer team
• Caregiver & dutiful son
• Jiu-Jitsu student & coach