WASHINGTON, May 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) today announced its Blue Ribbon Commission on diversity in corporate boardrooms. More than 20 experienced corporate directors and leading governance professionals will meet in Washington, D.C. to discuss the benefits of boardroom diversity, the barriers that exist, and action steps to advance greater diversity. The commission's work and recommendations will ultimately result in the Report of the NACD Blue Ribbon Commission on The Power of the Diverse Board to be issued later this year.

For the past several years, NACD has demonstrated its commitment to making performance-based diversity a priority through its specialized forums, panels, and sessions at annual conferences.  

"Today's corporate boards require directors with diverse experiences, skills, and perspectives," said Ken Daly, President and CEO of NACD. "Companies should be aware of the competitive advantages a boardroom can have if it engages the complete talent pool available."

The NACD Blue Ribbon Commission will be led by four co-chairs from across the corporate governance spectrum, including Curtis Crawford, Ph.D., president and CEO of XCEO Inc., director of DuPont, ON Semiconductor, and ITT Corporation; Cari Dominguez, director of Manpower, Inc; William McCracken, CEO of CA Inc.; and Kathi Seifert, director of Eli Lilly and Company, Lexmark International Inc., Revlon Inc., and Supervalu Inc.

In addition to the four co-chairs, the 2012 Commissioners are experienced public company directors and leading corporate governance experts. While subject to change, the NACD Blue Ribbon Commission on The Power of the Diverse Board currently includes*:

• Aida Alvarez, director for Wal-Mart
• Orlando Ashford, Chief HR Officer & Communications Officer at Marsh & McLennan Companies
• Roger Barker, head of corporate governance at the Institute of Directors (UK)
• Sandra Beach Lin, director for Wesco International  
• Reatha Clark King, former director at ExxonMobil
• Kenneth Daly, president and CEO of NACD
• Roy Dunbar, director at Humana
• Denise Fletcher, director for Unisys Corp.
• Charles M. Elson, director for HealthSouth
• Barbara Hackman Franklin, former U.S. Secretary of Commerce, director for Aetna and chairman of the board for NACD
• Raymond Gilmartin, director for General Mills
• Peter R. Gleason, managing director and CFO of NACD 
• Holly J. Gregory, partner at Weil, Gotshal & Manges
• Bonnie Gwinn, vice chairman and co-managing partner at Heidrick & Struggles
• Michele Hooper, director for United Health Group
• Jill Kanin-Lovers, director for Heidrick & Struggles
• Richard Koppes, director for NutraCea
• Alex Mandl, director for Dell, Inc.
• Mary Pat McCarthy, former Executive Director of KPMG's Audit Committee Institute 
• Irene Natividad, chairman of Corporate Women Directors International 
• John Olson, partner at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher 
• Richard Rivera, director for Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc.
• Michael Rochelle, president and CEO of MDR Strategies, LLC
• Anne Sheehan, director of corporate governance at CalSTRS 
• Solomon Trujillo, director for Target

*This list may not include all directorships for each Commissioner.

The commissioners will meet for the first time this week in Washington, D.C. They will meet once more in June as they continue to collaborate on their recommendations.

The report is scheduled for release in October 2012.

About NACD
The National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) is the only membership organization focused exclusively on advancing exemplary board leadership.  Based on 35 years of experience, NACD identifies, interprets and provides insights and information that corporate board members rely upon to make sound strategic decisions, confidently confront complex business challenges and enhance shareowner value. With more than 11,500 corporate director members, NACD provides world-class director education, director training and proprietary research about leading boardroom and corporate governance practices to promote director professionalism and bolster investor confidence.  Furthermore, to create more effective and efficient corporate boards, NACD provides independent board evaluations and custom-tailored in-boardroom education and training programs, as well as director-led conferences, forums and peer-exchange learning opportunities to share ideas about current and emerging issues. Fostering collaboration among directors and governance stakeholders, NACD is shaping the future of board leadership. To learn more about NACD, visit www.NACDonline.org. To join, please contact Kelly Dodd at kkdodd@nacdonline.org or 202-380-1891.

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

SOURCE National Association of Corporate Directors