Director of the Year 2008 Awards

Candle-lit and decked out in cherry blossoms, the JW Marriott's Grand Ballroom made a lovely setting for NACD's celebration of exceptional boardroom leaders. The Water Coolers opened the evening with such classic-tunes-turned-boardroom-parody as "My Blackberry Keeps on Scrolling (Scrolling on a Track Wheel)" and "A Cartographic Primer for Reporting to the SEC."

In his welcoming remarks, NACD Chair Bob Hallagan recognized the NACD board and their inspirational work in driving NACD's vision and strategy. Hallagan announced that Barbara Hackman Franklin, director of Aetna and the Dow Chemical Company and former U.S. Secretary of Commerce, will succeed him as NACD's chair. "The governance committee sought someone who was highly respected, whom Washington looks to for leadership," Hallagan said, "and I'm thrilled that Barbara accepted this challenge."

Sally Jewell: The Not-for-Profit Director of the Year

Sally Jewell Sally Jewell

William H. Gates, Sr., co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, presented the Not-for-Profit Director of the Year Award: "There's a remarkable diversity in the contributions Sally Jewell has made," he said. "However, Sally's 'bottom line' is always an ever-present concern for human welfare."

Sally Jewell accepted the award noting that "When you give, you get more back in return." For example, "at the Initiative for Global Development, we helped to show what the U.S. can do-not with our guns and our words, but with our actions." Jewell ended with her favorite quote, by Margaret Mead: "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

David Phillips: Private Company Director of the Year

David Phillips David Phillips

Anne Eiting Klamar, CEO of Midmark Corporation, presented the Private Company Director of the Year Award. "Over the years, David Phillips has sat on over 17 boards and has served as trustee, director, president, or chair of no less than 58 civic organizations.He expects-not encourages, but expects-forward motion at all times. This is what good boardsmanship looks like: Quickly and decisively taking action."

David Phillips accepted the award, encouraging every member of the audience "who has never had the privilege of serving on a closely held company to jump on the opportunity. What a thrill it is to serve on a board where management really wants and seeks out your advice-rather than merely filling a public requirement. Try it-it is great."

Andrew J. McKenna: Public Company Director of the Year

Andrew J. McKenna Andrew J. McKenna

James Skinner, vice-chairman and CEO of McDonald's Corporation, presented the Public Company Director of the Year Award, stating that "Andrew McKenna is the cornerstone of leadership on every board on which he sits. Simply stated, Andy makes each board on which he serves better. He brings out the best in each of his peer directors."

Andrew McKenna accepted the award, mentioning a few considerations the "CREAM of the crop crowd"-should keep in mind:

John C. Whitehead: B. Kenneth West Lifetime Achievement Award

John C. Whitehead John C. Whitehead

Ira Millstein, senior partner of Weil, Gotshal, & Manges LLP, presented the B. Kenneth West Lifetime Achievement Award, remarking that "John Whitehead typifies the best that America can produce." Millstein continued, noting that we have lost the trust in every one of our institutions in the public and private sector. The reason: the leadership of these institutions was transferred to ideologues who wouldn't listen to what others had to say-or those ruled by pure greed. Missing from this debacle were the early generation of leaders-typified by John. Men who understood that you had to listen; men who appreciate listening to other people and learning form them-without being concerned about their own personal rewards. If the financial sector will ever be trustworthy again-we need men like John.

John Whitehead accepted the award, receiving a standing ovation from the full audience. He said, "I shudder-and I know all of you do too-whenever I see a headline that indicates a board failure." Yet, he continued, for every failure, there are a hundred more boards working successfully. We must always be ready to speak up with questions when we see something that is not quite right. It is hard to do, but important, or else we risk our reputation and that of the company we serve.

After reminiscing about how much governance has changed since serving on his first board in 1949, Whitehead continued, "There are two subjects of importance on which consensus has not been reached, and I'd like to make a brief comment on each. The first is about money, the second about titles."

He noted that the boards of directors have to do something about the bonuses and golden parachutes given to CEOs. The general public and the average stockholders will never understand the justification for such amounts, especially when the results are unfavorable. I hope we can move toward more moderate salaries-with bonuses (linked to performance), or we will encourage legislation much worse than what we face today. The second problem is CEOs insisting on the title of both Chair and CEO. Each new CEO needs and experience advisor, which the chair role can provide.

Whitehead concluded by stating that he is "proud to receive this award on behalf of all the excellent directors out there who protect our great system of democratic capitalism."

Previous Winners

2007

Richard Koppes, Alan Dunn
Rita Foley, Edward Miller

1996

Barbara Scott Preiskel

2006

Warren L. Batts

1995

Donald S. Perkins

2005

E. William Barnett

1994

John G. Smale

2004

Reatha Clark King

1993

Rawleigh Warner, Jr.

2003

Raymond S. Troubh

1992

Edmund T. Pratt, Jr.

2002

William W. George

1991

Joseph Alibrandi

2000

Hon. Barbara H. Franklin
William F. Pounds

1990

Jean Allard
James F. Bere

1999

Jean Head Sisco

1989

J. Paul Sticht

1998

John A. Krol

1988

Richard T. Baker

1997

David W. Johnson

1987

Hon. Juanita Kreps