NACD Opens Nominations for Director of the Year and B. Kenneth West Lifetime Achievement Awards

NEW YORK, March 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) today announced that nominations are open for Director of the Year and B. Kenneth West Lifetime Achievement Award nominees. These two honors recognize outstanding board members from public and private companies and nonprofit organizations who exemplify the principles of director professionalism. NACD will accept nominations through May 31, 2011.  The winners will be announced in July 2011, and the formal recognition ceremony will occur during the NACD Directorship Forum in New York in November.

"At NACD, we understand the important role directors play in shaping companies and helping them succeed. For more than two decades we have celebrated directors who lead through innovation, courage, integrity and commitment," said Ken Daly, president and CEO of NACD.  "These awards recognize the very best in America's boardrooms—those directors who set the standard and serve as role models for board excellence."

Nominees are evaluated on four key attributes: integrity, mature confidence, informed judgment and high performance standards. Previous honorees have demonstrated these principles in a variety of ways, including showing the highest personal and professional ethical standards; exhibiting openness to others' opinions; valuing board and team performance over individual performance; personally participating in the development of future leaders; maintaining leadership in their fields of endeavor; acting in ways that have guided their company in maintaining consistent long-term profitability; pursuing significant business opportunities; improving shareholder returns; dealing effectively with a crisis or other major change; and fostering an environment of constant improvement of strategic goals, performance and innovation.

The following outstanding directors were honored by NACD in 2010:

• B. Kenneth West Lifetime Achievement Award: Curtis J. Crawford, PhD, director, ON Semiconductor, E.I. DuPont DeNemours, and ITT Corporation
• Public Company Director of the Year Award: Richard Keyser, director, Zebra Technologies and Principal Financial Group; chairman emeritus, W.W. Grainger
• Nonprofit Director of the Year Award: Josh Bekenstein, managing director, Bain Capital; co-chair of the board, New Profit; director, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, City Year, Horizons for Homeless Children and New Leaders for New Schools

"Being a good director is a complex, multifaceted task with a lot of responsibility and considerable risk," said Daly. "By sharing the inspiring stories of these directors who are dedicated to the success of the companies, boards and shareholders they serve, we hope to raise the bar for all directors."

In addition to demonstrating the four key attributes, a nominee for the NACD Director of the Year Award must be a current board member who is recognized by peers and the business community for upholding the highest professional standards for board and director performance, demonstrating knowledge, leadership and excellence in corporate governance.  

NACD B. Kenneth West Lifetime Achievement Award nominees may be current or former directors who have exhibited dedication to the improvement of corporate governance practices throughout their careers, and whose achievements have made an impact that can be seen in boardrooms today.

To learn more about nomination criteria and to nominate a director, visit www.NACDonline.org/DOY or email [email protected]. Nominees are being accepted from NACD constituents—including previous award recipients, NACD chapter leaders, advisors and members. The deadline for nominations is May 31, 2011. Winners will be announced in July and publicly honored at the NACD Directorship100 Forum Awards Gala on November 8, 2011, at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City.

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 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