Although investor activism campaigns are on the rise, it is not just the activist investors who have become more vocal.  In fact, investors in general are becoming increasingly vocal about their expectations of boards of directors.  So, what are the current investor expectations of the boards of directors where… Read More

Q: I’ve been elected to my first board seat, a mid-cap regional health services firm.  I’m familiar with this sector and the company, have spoken with the management team, and know a couple of current board members, so I have the essentials pretty well.  But now, ten days before my… Read More

Imagine a leadership training program disguised as a baseball team. Gathered in the outfield after the championship game, the Captain stood and pointed to each player, citing their contributions throughout the season. Each player beamed with pride as some highlight of his performance was detailed. The victory had truly been… Read More

It seems to me that almost every executive I speak with aspires to serve on a corporate board. I must say by experience, achieving your first board seat, or even the second will likely be the most difficult, arduous task you will accomplish in your entire professional career. There are… Read More

A fleeting moment and anything can change. We often think we have control of what is next, but often we are surprised, confused and found in a place for which we are not ready. There you are, in your executive role, with all indicators that you are performing, its working… Read More

This primer is applicable to mid-market companies across several industries including technology, healthcare, manufacturing, real estate, retail and financial services. For mid-market companies, the average board encompasses nine directors with approximately 80% of those being independent directors. There is a direct correlation between the size (revenues) of a company and… Read More

Our executive clients here at Summit Executive Resources, as other potential corporate board candidates, have been trying to get a succinct understanding of California’s legislature focused on gender equity on corporate boards and how that is trickling to other states and governing organizations, such as Nasdaq. I hope the following… Read More

It is quite refreshing to hear that corporate boards are finally turning their agenda toward talent. Institutional investors are getting involved in the topic of talent. Corporate boards are starting to engage on talent issues. At least half of boards are talking about talent management and the human capital agenda,… Read More

Earlier this month, I shared insights into what is happening in the arena of board refreshment, particularly in the areas of the latest trends and succession. In this second part of understanding board refreshment, we will look at how the needle is moving in board room diversity and what companies… Read More

In an earlier post, Navigating Board Timing, I shared insights into how most corporate boards, particularly publicly traded, go about appointing new directors to their board. Although it is not an exact science, it is a pretty solid view into how it works in alignment with proxy season.  So, what… Read More