NACD Presents 'Driving Boardroom Innovation' Directorship Forum May 23-24, New York City

WASHINGTON, Feb. 24, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --  Shareholder and regulator expectations of corporate boards have risen to unprecedented levels. Now directors are also facing increased media and public scrutiny of their pivotal role in overseeing company strategy. To prepare for this new and challenging era, the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) will convene its annual May Corporate Governance Forum, "Driving Boardroom Innovation," which will focus on how boards must prepare for this new environment.

"Year after year, the NACD Directorship Forums are always better than Harvard, Stanford, and NYSE events.  For directors looking to stay ahead of the curve and to make a powerful difference in the boardroom, attending these events should be a priority," said Edward Kangas, Non-Executive Chairman, Tenet Healthcare; retired global chairman and CEO, Deloitte.

More than 200 leading public company directors and corporate governance leaders are expected to attend the two-day summit. The goal is to change the dialogue from compliance to effective board leadership through peer exchange and expert-led sessions on unrivaled topics including the following:

• Shockproof: Strategy and Action for Boardroom Leaders
• Doing It Differently: Risk and Reward in the Financial Services Industry
• The Promise and Risk of Information and Technology
• Fresh Leadership Thinking and New Board Behaviors
• Innovation or Legislation: What's Really Driving Change in Board Composition
• Problem-Finding: A Vital Board Skill
• The Right Leadership Structure For Your Board
• Beyond Compliance: Using Executive Compensation to Drive Company Culture, Communications and Results

The interactive sessions will be led by experienced directors such as Irv Hockaday, presiding director, Ford Motor Company, Estee Lauder, and director, Crown Media Holdings; Ann Rhoades, director, P.F. Chang's, Jet Blue and author of Built on Values; James S. Gilmore, III, director, CACI, Atlas Worldwide Holdings, and Everquest Financial Ltd., and former governor of Virginia; and Henry Miller, director, AIG; chairman and managing director, Miller Buckfire & Co., LLC.

To view the full agenda and speaker roster for the NACD Directorship Forum, May 23 – May 24, 2011 at the Metropolitan Club in New York City, please visit www.nacdonline.org/directorshipforums.

"The NACD Directorship Forums are the highest quality director events and definite must-attend events for boardroom leaders who are committed to the directorship profession. They provide a rich opportunity to learn with and from your peers – and in a variety of formats. From the highly interactive knowledge exchange roundtables to the timely and relevant panel discussions, even the most experienced directors will walk away with fresh approaches to boardroom leadership," said Michael Pocalyko, chairman, TherimuneX Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; director and audit committee chairman, Herley Industries; managing director and CEO, Monticello Capital LLC.

Directors from both public and private companies will increase their professional value as strategic assets for their shareholders and management teams through a powerful series of intimate, thought-provoking discussions followed by information-rich, expert-led panel sessions.  Through this unique combination of rich topics and media, directors will understand the details of how challenging decisions are made to shape future boards; how differentiated strategies are created to dominate in the market place; how director liability can be limited; and how board behaviors and processes are examined to stay ahead of the curve and optimize management oversight. Additionally, attendees will build contacts across the director, C-suite and wider governance communities.

"Attendees will reap the benefits of two days full of thought-provoking discussions with more than 200 leading and dedicated directors focused on the most pressing and controversial topics of today," said Ken Daly, president and CEO of NACD. "We've learned from past experience that these forums give directors the opportunity to learn with and from their peers through a variety of formats including interactive knowledge-exchange roundtables and panel discussions."

For more information or to register for the NACD Directorship Forum "Driving Boardroom Innovation," visit www.nacdonline.org/directorshipforums.

"We know that directors have more responsibility, scrutiny, and liability than ever before," continued Daly. "The NACD Directorship Forum is designed to help directors, C-suite executives and strategic thinkers with an interest in enhancing boardroom effectiveness share best practices and helping their organizations—and their own professional careers—move forward."

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 10,000 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 www.NACDonline.org. To join, please contact Kelly Dodd at [email protected] or 202-380-1891.

SOURCE National Association of Corporate Directors