Board Self-Evaluations

March 30, 2010

In today’s challenging economic and regulatory environment, many individual directors and boards are collectively asking themselves, “What happened?” Pressure from shareholders, the media and Congress has sharply increased the demand for effective performance evaluations at the director, committee and board levels.

Accordingly, boards must take proactive steps to ensure they are collectively performing at the top of their game. But how can boards achieve the level of candor and objectivity required for sound evaluation – and how can evaluations be turned into improved practices and results in the boardroom? In this program, our expert panel will provide their insights, ideas and specific experiences regarding Board evaluation and effectiveness.

Moderated by NACDNJ Board member Jan Margolis, Managing Director of Applied Research Corporation, the panel will include multi-board director Suzanne M. Hopgood and Kenneth L. Henderson of Byran Cave LLP. A short presentation followed by a general question and answer period will allow attendees to interact with the speakers and each other.

Moderator:
Jan Margolis is a Trustee of the Trinitas Regional Medical Center and Co-Founder of Applied Research Corporation, a firm specializing in assessment, leadership coaching, and performance strategies. Prior to co-founding Applied Research Corporation, she was senior vice president, executive resources, at Bristol-Myers Squibb. Jan is the former President of the American Society for Training and Development, and has also served on the Board of Directors of the Council on International Human Resource Management, the American Center for the Quality of Work Life, the National Center for Research in Vocational Education, the International Federation of Training and Development Organizations, the Princeton University Advisory Board on Employee Relations.

Guest Speaker:
Suzanne M. Hopgood is the Director of Board Advisory Services of the National Association of Corporate Directors, and has served on the board of nine companies, five of which are public companies and as Chairman of the Board of two. She has also served as CEO of both public and private companies, and she is a Financial Expert. She has assisted a variety of companies in facing difficult business, financial and legal challenges and crises, serving at various times as CEO, as chairman of the board, as chair of public company executive, nominating, governance, and audit committees as well as a member of strategic planning, compensation, and CEO search committee.

Guest Speaker:
Kenneth L. Henderson, Partner, Bryan Cave LLP. Kenneth Henderson’s corporate and securities transactional experience is focused on mergers and acquisitions, public and private financings and domestic and international joint ventures. In addition to his substantial transactional practice, Mr. Henderson provides day-to-day corporate, securities, governance and business law advice to publicly held and privately owned business clients in the United States and abroad in a variety of industries, including fund managers and family office structures and companies in the financial services, technology and services industries. Mr. Henderson is active in community and pro bono matters. He was responsible for organizing the firm’s mentor relationship with Thomas Jefferson High School in East New York, Brooklyn. He is past chairman of and counsel to the Board of Directors of PCI-Media Impact, a New York-based non-profit corporation with activities in developing countries throughout the world.