The National Association of Corporate Directors New Jersey Chapter (NACD NJ) has announced the recipients of its inaugural 2019 Director of the Year Awards. This event recognizes directors of public, private, and non-profit boards who have made valuable contributions and advanced exemplary board leadership.
The awards will be presented at a formal ceremony on Thursday, May 9, 2019, at the Pleasantdale Chateau in West Orange. More information for the event can be found here.
NACD NJ will honor three individual board members and two boards. The 2019 honorees are:
- Lifetime Achievement in Governance: Shirley Ann Jackson, Ph.D., president of
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; current board member of FedEx, IBM, Medtronic, and PSEG, as well as World Economic Forum, MIT and Brookings Institute. This award honors an independent director (retired or sitting) on one or more corporate or non-profit boards, with peer and community recognition for integrity and leadership at the highest levels over an extended career. - Leadership in Corporate Governance: Sara Mathew, current board member of Campbell Soup Company, Freddie Mac, Shire plc, and State Street Corporation; former chair & CEO of Dun & Bradstreet, Inc. This award honors an independent director recognized by peers as an outstanding leader and current contributor in a public company boardroom.
- Non-Profit Leadership Award: Josh S. Weston, chairman emeritus ADP Corporation, chairman of NJTV, Liberty Science Center, and Safe Water Network; board member of NJ Food Bank, NJ Performing Arts Center, KIPP-NJ Charter Schools, and International Rescue Committee. This award honors an independent director recognized by peers as an outstanding community leader and current contributor in a non-profit boardroom.
- Private Company Board of the Year: J.M. Huber. This award honors the directors of a private company board that includes outside directors, who demonstrate independence and strong governance leadership in providing guidance to a company through a period of extraordinary growth, crisis, or other major developments.
- Public Company Board of the Year: Merck & Co. This award honors the directors of a public corporate board who have significantly protected or enhanced stakeholder value while providing guidance in steering a company through a period of extraordinary growth, crisis, or other major developments.
“This event will bring the New Jersey corporate and civic communities together, across all sectors, showcasing a commitment to businesses and non-profits thriving in the state and in neighboring communities. We’re proud to honor innovators who exemplify the leadership qualities of an excellent director and company board,” said Martin Coyne, chair and CEO of NACD NJ.
Thomas Fuller, event chair and NACD NJ board director, added, “Best-in-class governance is critical to the long-term growth and sustainability of our corporate community. New Jersey has a rich history of significant contributions to our nation and the world at-large, from technology to life sciences and more, and we are very excited to celebrate these leaders in governance.”
