BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) New England Chapter announced today the recipients of its 14th Director of the Year Awards.
Each year, the NACD New England Chapter recognizes independent directors of public, private, and non-profit boards who have embraced high standards of leadership and corporate governance and made valuable contributions to the companies and organizations they serve. To be honored at a formal ceremony on Wednesday, May 4, 2020, at the Westin Waterfront Hotel in Boston are:
Public Company Board of the Year: Boston Scientific Corporation
Boston Scientific transforms lives through innovative medical solutions that improve the health of patients around the world. As a global medical technology leader for 40 years, the company advances science for life by providing a broad range of high-performance solutions that address unmet patient needs and reduce the cost of healthcare. The company’s 40,000+ employees in more than 115 countries work with an awareness of the world’s most pressing challenges, including inequity, economic disparity, climate change and environmental protection. The Board of Directors receives regular updates from the company’s Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) steering committee, a group of senior leaders informed by subject matter experts from across the enterprise who define enterprise ESG strategy, champion ESG priorities and oversee accountability.
Private Company Board of the Year: The A.D. Makepeace Company
With a 160-year history in the cranberry business, the A.D. Makepeace Company, based in Wareham, Mass., is the largest private property owner in Eastern Massachusetts and a recognized leader in environmentally responsible real estate development and land and water stewardship. John Makepeace was one of the three original founders of the Ocean Spray Co-Operative, in 1930. The board embraces a culture of responsible governance, with independent directors holding 40 to 50 percent of the board seats.
Leadership in Corporate Governance Award: Corey E. Thomas
Corey Thomas is the CEO and Chairman of Rapid7, a leading provider of security analytics and automation, and Chair of its new Rapid7 Cybersecurity Foundation, a 501(c)(3) private foundation whose mission is to close the security achievement gap by making cybersecurity easier to access for the underrepresented and underserved. Honored as a member of the NACD Directorship 100, in 2018, Mr. Thomas was elected to the Cyber Threat Alliance (CTA) board of directors and the Massachusetts Cybersecurity Strategy Council. He also serves on the board of directors for LPL Financial, as well as Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts on its audit and health care quality and affordability committees. He previously served on the U.S. Commerce Department's Digital Economy Board of Advisors. Prior to joining Rapid7, Mr. Thomas was vice president of marketing at Parallels Inc., a virtualization-technology company; group project manager of the Microsoft Server and Tools division; and a consultant at Deloitte Consulting. Mr. Thomas received a B.E. in electrical engineering and computer science from Vanderbilt University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Myra H. Kraft Award for Non-Profit Leadership: Benaree Pratt Wiley
Benaree “Bennie” Pratt Wiley is Principal of The Wiley Group and for 15 years served as President and Chief Executive Officer of The Partnership, Inc., an organization that strengthened Greater Boston’s capacity to attract, develop, and retain talented professionals of color. Ms. Wiley has worked as a management consultant for Abt Associates, Contract Research Corporation, and Urban Systems Research and Engineering. Ms. Wiley is currently a Director on the boards of the Dreyfus Mutual Funds, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, CBIZ Inc., Dress for Success Boston, Partners Continuing Care, the Black Philanthropy Fund, the Efficacy Institute, and of Howard University, where she serves as Vice Chair. Her many civic honors include honorary doctorates from Boston College, New England School of Law, and Newbury College; the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce Pinnacle Award for Lifetime Achievement; and the Harvard Business School Distinguished Alumni Award from its African American Student Union.
The NACDNE non-profit leadership award is named in honor of the late Myra H. Kraft, president and director of the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation and trustee of the Robert K. and Myra H. Kraft Foundation, who also served on the boards of directors of the American Repertory Theatre, the United Way of Massachusetts Bay, Northeastern University, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Boston, and Brandeis University.
Lifetime Achievement Award: Jack F. O’Brien
Mr. O'Brien was Chief Executive Officer and President of Allmerica Financial Corporation, now known as The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc., an insurance and diversified financial services company, from 1995 until his retirement in 2002. He currently serves as a director of The TJX Companies, Inc., an off-price retailer of apparel and home fashions in the United States and worldwide, and as a director of LKQ Corporation, a nationwide provider of recycled auto parts, and of a family of mutual funds managed by BlackRock, an investment management advisory firm. Previously Mr. O'Brien served as Cabot Corporation's Non-Executive Chairman of the Board from 2008 to 2018 and as chair of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute and as a director of ABIOMED and GAM Technology.
NACDNE President Cathy Minehan said: “Boston Scientific and A.D. Makepeace are not only legendary New England business success stories, they also demonstrate every day an unparalleled commitment to corporate social responsibility and community volunteerism. In Corey Thomas, Bennie Wiley, and Jack O’Brien, NACD New England is delighted to salute three of our region’s pre-eminent examples of business and civic leadership.’’
NACDNE Chair Beth I. Z. Boland, chair of Foley & Lardner's Securities Enforcement & Litigation Practice, said: “NACDNE is devoted to improving corporate governance and developing a deep pool of talented prospective directors to serve on boards. Our rigorously researched and highly competitive Director of the Year honors represent one of the most important ways NACDNE can showcase what high-impact board service and leadership looks like.”
Gala Chair Ellen Zane, CEO Emerita of Tufts Medical Center, added: “All of us at NACDNE greatly appreciate the generous support of this year’s Event Sponsor, State Street Corporation; our Platinum Sponsors, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Boston Scientific, Mintz, and The TJX Companies; and all of our Gold, Silver, and Bronze sponsors. Their involvement and commitment are key to making the Gala one of New England’s premier networking events for directors and aspiring directors and an important celebration of effective corporate leadership and governance.”
About NACD New England (NACDNE)
The NACD New England Chapter is part of the larger National Association of Corporate Directors network, the only not-for-profit membership organization founded by and for corporate directors. NACD empowers more than 23,000 directors to lead with confidence in the boardroom. As the recognized authority on leading boardroom practices, NACD helps boards strengthen investor trust and public confidence by ensuring that today’s directors are well prepared for tomorrow’s challenges. World-class boards join NACD to elevate performance, gain foresight and instill confidence. Fostering collaboration among directors, investors, and corporate governance stakeholders, NACD has been setting the standard for responsible board leadership for 40 years. To learn more about NACD, visit www.NACDonline.org. Learn more about NACD New England Chapter membership and general governance information online at www.NACDne.org.
