02:30 PM - 05:00 PM (Pacific)
03:30 PM - 06:00 PM (Mountain)
04:30 PM - 07:00 PM (Central)
05:30 PM - 08:00 PM (Eastern)

Registration

$  0 Member Registration Fee
$20 Non-Member Registration Fee

Overview

Join us for an evening of networking and an engaging panel discussion where we will explore the differences in governance styles between privately-owned (including closely held, family owned, and private equity backed), publicly traded, and employee owned companies. By the end of the event, attendees will be better prepared to navigate common challenges in whichever boardroom(s) they serve.

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Thank you to our National and Gold Chapter Sponsors!

Panelists

John E. Kahn Partner CFGI

John has boardroom experience with private, private equity backed, and public companies, as well as non-profit organizations. He has recently joined CFGI (www.cfgi.com) as a Partner. Known as the Nation’s largest non-audit accounting advisory firm, CFGI supports the Office of the CFO and Private Equity Sponsors in resolving critical finance and accounting operations. The firm does this by delivering the people, processes, and technology solutions to solve operational finance and technical accounting challenges. John’s most recent experience includes providing interim CFO and CAO services to the “unicorn” target company of a proposed reverse-merger business combination with a SPAC. Immediately prior to that he provided interim CFO services to a global digital entertainment company with championship eSports teams in multiple countries. John’s previous experience includes CFO roles in a variety of private, private equity backed, public, and global multi-national companies, after starting in public accounting, where he was a big firm Audit and Business Advisory Manager. John is licensed as a CPA in California, is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and obtained his bachelor’s degree at the University of Wales Institute of Science and Technology in Great Britain. He is also a Certified Information Technology Professional and a Chartered Global Management Accountant.

Howard L. Kaplan CEO & Founder Kaplan Fiduciary Group

Howard Kaplan leads Kaplan Fiduciary Group, a boutique consulting firm focused on improving fiduciary performance and governance of boards and management of Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)-owned companies and of ESOP fiduciaries. He has more than 25 years in the fiduciary and trust banking industry, where he developed industry leading expertise on fiduciary matters for ESOPs and qualified retirement plans. Before Kaplan Fiduciary, Kaplan served and led several fiduciary practice teams of premier ESOP trust companies. He frequently lectures and teaches ESOP trustee and fiduciary subjects at the industry associations meetings and with the Beyster Institute at the Rady School of Management at UC San Diego. He is a member and serves on key committees of the ESOP Association (TEA), Employee Owned S‐Corporation of America (ESCA), and the National Center for Employee Ownership (NCEO). In addition, Kaplan has served as the fiduciary process expert on seven cases before federal court.

Grady Grant, III

Mr. Grant is an Independent Board Member currently serving on the public board of Aptevo Therapeutics Seattle Wash.

Grady is an experienced Independent Board Member currently serving on the public board of Aptevo Therapeutics (NASDAQ: APOV), a biotechnology company with a Market Capitalization of approximately $32 million.  Aptevo Therapeutics is a biotech company focused on bringing novel oncology and hematologic products market.  On the board he serves on the Audit, Compensation as well as the Nominating and Governance committee.  He also serves on the Board of Visitors at Temple University School of Pharmacy. 

Grady is a graduate of Temple University School of Pharmacy, also has certification from the Duke University Executive Education Program in General Management. He has completed his training on Corporate Governance at Northwestern University-Kellogg School of Management and has his NACD Directorship Certification.

Grady is married with two children and currently resides in Atlanta Georgia.

Moderator

Patricia J Royak CEO Royak Consulting CO-President Private Director Association, Atlanta Chapter

Patricia J. Royak, is a trusted advisor and Global C-Suite cross-functional leader for Fortune 500 companies as GM, SVP, President and COO for Levi’s, Liz Claiborne, CK Jeans, Maidenform/Donna Karan and Marena.com with P&L responsibility from $25M to $300M. 

Passionately she has served more than 20 years in C-Suite roles and nonprofit boards living, leading and launching brands on three continents. An innovative thinker collaborating with boards in large complex global organizations for both private and public companies. 

She leads by listening, connecting and influencing. Creating an environment where diverse opinions thrive building trusting relationships. As a consultant partnering with PE firms Pat's insight build strategies to accelerate growth across the Omnichannel. 

Pat has led board committees evaluating and attracting talent, building growth strategies and guiding capital investment strategies producing global dashboard insights. 

As President of Liz Claiborne Europe and an Inside Director of EU Board, she led integration of an acquired family business $300M, enabling the development of a strategic growth platform for International leading to 20% of sales for a $4B public company. Succession Strategies and metrics designed collaboratively with acquired EU family business, while implementing new corporate governance with Sarbanes Oxley. Saved $4M by closing a UK subsidiary and merging platform in the Netherlands. This enabled capital redistribution for infrastructure investment supporting retail expansion growing to $500M. 

As COO, Marena Group Pat was asked to led the company after her due diligence with Riverside Co., as they acquired the family business. Pat led development of the Medical Omnichannel adding new E-commerce and expansion to medical retail, strategically positioned to support PPE manufacturing adding millions in sales during the pandemic as both COO and Inside Director.  

Currently, as a board member she listens and asking questions to guide strategic direction and business expansion for Tommy Nobis Center on the finance and governance committees. She led as Chair for TurningPoint Breast Cancer Rehabilitation during the pandemic; partnering with board and executive to raise record fundraising and pay down long term debit while serving those most vulnerable in our community. 

Serving her alma mater, Salisbury University, Perdue School of Business, an Advisor since 2007 in a dual role judging for the Shore Hatchery board’s Shark Tank feeder competition that has awarded more than $2M driving revenue of participants businesses to more than $50M. Recently, announced she is CO-President of Private Directors Association®, Atlanta Chapter.  

Previous board roles include Next Generation Manufacturing Atlanta, GA 2018; American Heart Association Fairfield, CT 2006 to 2011. GoRed Luncheon Chair, Awareness 2020; United Way, New Zealand 1993 to 1995; Speaker and Panelist for CWA, Conference of World Affairs, at UC Boulder. A curiosity of global consumer trends impacting growth has been a passion transforming business that inspires the enterprises’ preparedness to say a step ahead of the competition in an ever-changing digital world. 

Pat lives in Georgia with her husband and son. She is active in the community enjoying golf, swimming and gardening.

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