2011 NACD Board Leadership Fellows Celebrated in NYC

WASHINGTON, May 24, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The first directors to become 2011 NACD Board Leadership Fellows will be recognized this week at the NACD Directorship Forum in New York City. These 16 experienced directors have completed a comprehensive program of study designed to keep them up-to-date in the boardroom and to allow them to offer a 360-degree vision to shareowners, companies and their board colleagues. They have also committed to continued participation in ongoing education.

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"In our conversations with institutional investors and corporate governance experts, we've heard time and time again that for a board to serve as a strategic asset to a company, it needs well-rounded directors who stay informed on cutting-edge issues and leading practices," said Ken Daly, president and CEO of NACD. "Unlike doctors, lawyers, and other professionals, directors do not have any formal licensing program or requirement for continuing education. NACD offers directors the opportunity to stay ahead of compliance and demonstrate that they are learning with and from the very best. The NACD Board Leadership Fellow designation demonstrates the highest standards of director professionalism. We are proud of this first cadre of Board Leadership Fellows and proud that our 11,000-strong director community is leading the way in director education."

Only experienced company directors are eligible to participate in the NACD Board Leadership Fellowship program. The curriculum is delivered by lead directors and committee chairs from high-performing boards. Candidates must complete a topical NACD Master Class and then complete at least 10 more hours of NACD education within 12 months.

"It is important for directors to understand all aspects of boards and business. Learning through trial and error in the boardroom is too costly and puts companies at risk," said William H. Joyce, director, CVS Caremark Corp. "That is why NACD's education programs are so valuable. Directors can learn one-on-one from experienced board leaders."

"We require a mix of electives," added Daly. "Candidates must hone their committee skills and refresh their understanding of board purpose and function through formal, skill-specific learning. Additionally, they must engage with the wider director community, creating, sharing and shaping knowledge through collaborative exchanges. NACD's national network of chapters, a comprehensive online and onsite curriculum serving directors at each stage of their boardroom careers, and in-house research and publications make us the go-to resource for directors who care about exemplary board leadership."

"In order for me to fulfill the duties of a director, I seek out director education that helps me anticipate the unknown and keeps my skills current in today's dynamic environment," said Virginia Gambale, director, Jet Blue. "That's why I engage with NACD's director education courses. They are run by directors, forward looking and based on practical experience. The thought leadership and peer-level exchange is of the highest caliber."

After completion of the program, fellows continue to complete at least 10 hours of NACD director education every year to maintain their status as NACD Board Leadership Fellows.

"We need to keep talking, listening and learning," said Anne Sheehan, director of corporate governance, CalSTRS. "NACD's commitment to helping committee chairs, presiding directors and other experienced boardroom players understand the changing environment is key. America needs well-rounded directors who are sensitive to public company shareowners, and who can clearly demonstrate their value on their proxy disclosures. I look forward to meeting NACD Board Leadership Fellows everywhere I go."

The 2011 NACD Board Leadership Fellows celebrated this week represent boards of more than 60 companies and provide a snapshot of the caliber of directors engaged in continuous learning with America's premier membership organization for board members.

• Donald Anthony, director, CHS Inc.; director and chairman, All Points Cooperative of Gothenburg, NE; chairman, Nebraska Beginning Farmer Board; former director, Farmland Industries

• Urmi Ashar, MBA, MD, president and chief executive officer, NACD Three Rivers Chapter; trustee, Excela Health System

• John F. Bergstrom, director, Advance Auto Parts, Inc., Associated Banc-Corp., Green Bay Packers, Kimberly-Clark Corp., and Wisconsin Energy Corporation; chairman and chief executive officer, Bergstrom Corporation

• The Honorable Carlos Cardozo Campbell, director, Herley Industries, PICO Holdings, Inc., and Resource America, Inc.  

• George H. Ellis, director, Blackbaud, Inc., Liquidity Services, Inc.; advisory board member, Building Communities Workshop and The Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance; chief financial officer, Global 360, Inc.

• Virginia Gambale, director, JetBlue, Piper Jaffray, Knoa, and Infonic A.G.; director and chairman, Kurtosys, Ltd.; managing partner, Azimuth Partners, LLC

• G. Scott Greenburg, director, Sahale Snacks, Inc., InSpa Corporation, and Calidora Skin Clinics, Inc.; senior partner, K&L Gates, LLP; chairman and past president, NACD Seattle-Northwest Chapter

• Suzanne M. Hopgood, director, Newport Harbor, Corp.; former managing director, Board Advisory Services, NACD; president and chief executive officer, The Hopgood Group, LLC

• William H. Joyce, PhD, director, CVS Caremark Corp., Momentive Performance Materials Holdings, Inc.; chairman and chief executive officer, Advanced Fusion Systems, LLC; former chairman and chief executive officer, Nalco Company and Union Carbide Corp.

• Ronald Kesselman, director, Imperial Sugar Company, Inventure Foods, and NewPage Corporation; former chairman and chief executive officer, Elmer Products, Inc.

• Stuart R. Levine, director, Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc.; lead director, J. D'Addario & Company, Inc. ; director, North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System, The Nature Conservancy, and American College of Physicians; chairman and CEO, Stuart Levine and Associates.

• Michael R. McCarthy, director, Cabela's Incorporated, World's Foremost Bank, N.A., Election Systems & Software, Union Pacific Corporation, Peter Kiewit Sons', Inc., and Creighton University; founder, McCarthy Group

• Michael N. Pocalyko, director, Herley Industries; chairman, TherimuneX Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; former chairman, Advanced Environmental Resources, Inc. and Erdevel Europa S.A.R.L.; managing director and chief executive officer, Monticello Capital

• David E. Preng, director, Cal Dive International, Inc.; lead director, Community National Bank; founding director/president, NACD - Texas TriCities Chapter; member, Texas A&M University International Advisory Board; fellow, Institute of Directors (London); former director, Remington Oil and Gas Corp., Maverick Oil, and BPI Energy Holdings; president and chief executive officer, Preng & Associates

• William H. Sheffield, MBA, director, Ontario Power Generation, Velan Inc., Houston Wire and Cable, and Canada Post; former chief executive officer, Sappi Fine Paper

• Lewis Solomon, chairman, Anadigics, Inc., Harmonic, Inc., and Lantronix, Inc.; former executive vice president, Alan Patricof Associates; founder and chairman, SCC Company

"As a director in today's rapidly changing corporate environment, board leadership requires keeping current, fresh and, above all, relevant," said Michael Pocalyko, chairman, TherimuneX Pharmaceuticals, Inc., formerly audit chairman of Herley Industries, and one of the first directors to become an NACD Board Leadership Fellow. "NACD events are among the only places where I can speak with my peers frankly, confidentially, and unimpeded. By participating in the full range of NACD director education and becoming a Board Leadership Fellow, I get early intelligence on emerging issues -- so my boards can engage these issues as opportunities instead of reacting to them as challenges. These advantages not only ground me as a director, but ultimately benefit the companies and the shareholders I serve."

Directors who are interested in becoming an NACD Board Leadership Fellow can contact NACD's registrar at 202-572-2088 or email [email protected].

For information about the NACD Board Leadership Fellowship program, please visit http://www.nacdonline.org/files/PDF/NACDBoardLeadershipFellowship.pdf.

About NACD

The National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) is the only membership organization delivering the information and insights that corporate board members need to confidently confront complex business challenges and enhance shareowner value. With more than 11,000 members, NACD advances exemplary board leadership. NACD is focused on creating more effective and efficient boards through director-led education and peer forums to share ideas and leading practices based on more than 30 years of primary research. Fostering collaboration among directors and governance stakeholders, NACD is shaping the future of board leadership. To learn more about NACD, visit NACDonline.org. To join, please contact Kelly Dodd at [email protected] or 202-380-1891.

Contact:
Henry Stoever, Director of Marketing
National Association of Corporate Directors
202-775-0509

SOURCE National Association of Corporate Directors