Synopses & Reviews
Former Mellon Foundation and Princeton University president William G. Bowen has served on the boards of some of the United States's biggest corporations and nonprofits, including American Express, Merck, the Smithsonian, and TIAA-CREF. In The Board Book he brings his immense experience, along with the recollections and insights of numerous colleagues, to bear on the most pressing questions facing boards of directors and trustees today. His topics include the hot-button issues of the relationship between CEOs and board members, perks, executive compensation, and CEO transitions. In addition, Bowen offers advice on the machinery required to run a board effectively, including the uses of committees and executive sessions, the handling of leaks, and the recruitment of new board members. Throughout, Bowen relates, with anecdotes and hard data, strategies that result in the collegiality and sense of purpose that make any board more effective.
Review
"He minces no words . . . a compelling and critical read for wannabe directors--and for every student of corporate affairs." Booklist
Review
"Drawing on thirty years of experience with both for-profit and non-profit boards, it offers insights on ideal relationships between presidential and board members. Any business library needs this." Midwest Book Review
Review
"Provocative and pragmatic . . . filled with wise counsel even for those already a CEO or member of a board." Paul Volcker, former chairman of the Federal Reserve
Synopsis
In his new foreword to , former Mellon Foundation and Princeton University president William G. Bowen brings his immense experience to bear on the most pressing questions facing boards of directors and trustees today: seeking collaborative relationships and placing a renewed emphasis on sustainable initiatives. The strategies Bowen relates throughout the book foster the collegiality and sense of purpose--more important in today's turbulent times than ever before--that are integral to any effective board.
Synopsis
"By far the best book on corporate and institutional governance." --Nicholas Katzenbach, former attorney general of the United States
About the Author
William G. Bowen is the author of more than twenty books, including Lessons Learned: Reflections of a University President, The Shape of the River, and Equity and Excellence in American Higher Education. He lives in Princeton, New Jersey.