National Association of Corporate Directors New England Chapter Announces 2010 Director of the Year Award Winners

Jack Connors recognized with Lifetime Achievement Award;

EMC Corporation earns Board of the Year

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) New England Chapter today announced its winners of the 2010 Director of the Year Awards. The awards recognize excellence in public and non-profit corporate governance.

“Our April 28th event will be a wonderful evening to celebrate and recognize their accomplishments in supporting good corporate governance.”

“Once again this year, we received a stellar group of nominees for the Director of the Year Awards that represent a broad array of industries throughout the region,” said Bill Earon, New England Chapter President. “These award winners are individuals and a Board that are leaders in their chosen fields and role models for good corporate governance. As an organization, we’re extremely proud to recognize the individuals and Board that support the NACD’s vision of excellence in boardroom leadership.”

The following boardroom leaders of New England-based companies who have made outstanding contributions to New England’s corporate community are this year’s recipients of the NACD New England’s 2010 Director of the Year Awards:

Board of the Year: EMC Corporation. EMC’s Board of Directors has played an active role in overseeing the company’s evolution from a provider of intelligent systems for storing, protecting, and managing the data of large organizations to a company that is transforming the way people and organizations use information technology. Since 2003, the Board has directed the acquisition and integration of more than 45 companies in transactions valued at more than $11 billion. During 2009, EMC’s stock price climbed 67 percent, outperforming the Dow, the S&P 500, and the S&P high tech indices over the same period. The Board devotes considerable time and energy to a range of EMC matters and is a champion of good corporate governance and active shareholder engagement.

Lifetime Achievement Award: Jack Connors, Chairman Emeritus, Hill, Holiday is the chair of the board of Partners Healthcare Systems, Inc., and serves on the boards of Hasbro, Inc., and Covidien. He also is a member of the boards of the Harvard Medical School Board of Fellows, Emmanuel College, Brandeis University, Boston College, Belmont Hill School, Dana Farber/Partners Cancer Care, Partners in Health, Jobs for Massachusetts, and the Campaign for Catholic Schools. Along with Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, Mr. Connors co-founded and sits on the board of Camp Harbor View, a day camp for Boston children between the ages of 11 and 14 located on one of the Boston Harbor Islands.

Leadership in Public Corporate Governance Award: John O’Brien is the retired Chief Executive Officer of Allmerica Financial Corporation. Prior to holding that position, he was the President of Fidelity Management & Research. He serves as the Non-Executive Chairman of Cabot Corporation as well as the Lead Director of The TJX Companies, Inc., LKQ Corporation, and BlackRock Mutual Funds. He is also the Chairman of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. Mr. O’Brien was also the Ellis Island Medal of Honor recipient in 2008.

Leadership in Non-Profit Governance Award: Joshua Bekenstein is a managing director of Bain Capital LLC and serves on the board of a number of non-profit organizations. He is a member of the Board of Directors of Horizons for Homeless Children, the New Profit, Inc., and New Leaders for New Schools. He sits on the Board of Trustees for both the Dana Farber Cancer Institute and City Year, Inc. He is also on the board of a number of public and private companies including Bombardier Recreational Products, Bright Horizons Family Solutions, Burlington Coat Factory, Dollarama, Michaels Stores, Toys “R” Us and Waters Corporation.

“From EMC Corporation’s exemplary corporate governance and Boardroom leadership to the distinguished service that our Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Jack Connors, all of this year’s award recipients are shining examples of good corporate governance,” said Event Chair R. Robert Popeo. “Our April 28th event will be a wonderful evening to celebrate and recognize their accomplishments in supporting good corporate governance.”

The award recipients will be honored at the annual NACD New England Director of the Year Awards Dinner taking place on Wednesday, April 28, at the Seaport Hotel in Boston. Information regarding sponsorships and purchasing of tables or individual tickets can be found online at www.nacdne.org.

2010 NACD New England Director of the Year Awards Sponsors:

Gold: Bank of America; Pearl Meyer & Partners, Egon Zehnder International, KPMG, and Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky, and Popeo PC; Silver: Caturano & Co., Ltd.; Supporting: Bingham McCutchen, Deloitte LLP, Duane Morris, Foley Hoag, and RSM McGladrey.

About the National Association of Corporate Directors

The National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) is a not-for-profit membership organization devoted exclusively to improving director and board effectiveness in fulfilling their obligation to ensure shareholder and stakeholder value. Founded in 1977, NACD conducts educational programs and standard-setting research and provides information and guidance on a variety of board governance issues and practices. NACD’s 10,000 director members comprise both individual directors and entire boards ranging from the Fortune 100 to smaller public, private, and closely held companies. NACD distributes NACD Directorship magazine and provides governance information online at www.nacdonline.org.

For more information about the NACD New England Chapter’s Director of the Year Awards Dinner, including a list of sponsors and ticket information, please visit www.nacdne.org.