02:30 PM - 03:45 PM (Pacific)
03:30 PM - 04:45 PM (Mountain)
04:30 PM - 05:45 PM (Central)
05:30 PM - 06:45 PM (Eastern)

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Zoom invitation will be shared the day before the event.

Overview

Although the benefits can be very substantial, the vast majority of privately held and family operated companies do not have an active board which provides on-going advice and guidance. To help business owners and senior managers determine if an active board might be right for them, this panel presentation will address a range of areas including the potential benefits a board can provide; how to build the right board; how to get the most out of a board; avoiding the pitfalls and common failures with boards; how to compensate board members; and the perceived issues that many business owners have about boards. To provide a broad spectrum of perspectives, the panel includes two professional board members and business advisors; the founder of a recent start-up who has formed a board to support her efforts; and an experienced owner/CEO/investor who has worked closely with boards for several decades.

Audience 

To forward the New England Chapter’s efforts to develop board opportunities for its Members, we are inviting business owners for a 75-minute educational panel discussion featuring an exceptional group of board experts and business owners who have successfully formed and worked with a board on March 30^th at 5:30 pm. The program is free of charge for New England Chapter Members and their guests. We also want to note our hope that this program will be presented regularly, perhaps quarterly, with the intent of raising PDA New England’s visibility as the go to source for Private Company Board Members.

We really want to fill the Zoom room and are asking every Chapter Member to invite a business owner or two to join you and attend. Your participation in supporting this program is absolutely vital to this its success, and we also suggest that you contact either Andy Sherman or Gerry Sherman if you’d like some assistance with your efforts.

Thank you to our National and Gold Chapter Sponsors!

Panelists

Les Charm Senior Lecturer Babson College

Since graduating from Harvard Business School, Les has been a partner in Young and Charm, a business advisory which provides directorship services to entrepreneurial companies and management consul to  companies experiencing financial and operating problems. Additionally, he was chairman and president of a major distribution and retail company between 1977 and 1990. Professor Charm teaches on a variety of topics regarding entrepreneurship and governance and is a director of the National Association of Corporate Directors. He currently sits on the board of a number of companies and generally sits as the lead director.

Dr. Liane Clamen Founder and CEO Adaptilens, LLC

Dr. Clamen is a Harvard trained opthamologist, entrepreneur and teacher. She is the founder and CEO of Adaptilens, an investor backed 2-year-old start-up.  The company is commercializing her breakthrough invention of an intraocular lens that mimics a natural human lens and allows cataract surgery patients to have excellent near and distance vision without eyeglasses or contact lenses. Dr. Clamen recently formed a board of directors for the company and will talk about her experiences building and working with a newly formed board.

Gary Furst Co-Founder and Managing Partner Generation Equity Partners

Gary began his career as a 4^th generation employee of American Brush Company, a company founded by his family. After rising to CEO, he sold the business to the publicly traded StanleyWorks. Next, he become the CEO of Kryptonite Lock, which was sold to Ingersoll Rand and Weston Nurseries, a leading grower, wholesaler and retailer of shrubbery and flowers. In the course holding these positions, he worked closely with ownership, active board members and other stakeholders. He is the cofounder and managing partner of Generation Equity Partners, an investment fund which focuses on investing in family businesses. In the course of holding these positions he’s also served on numerous boards. Gary is a frequent lecturer for institutions including Babson College; The International Management School at Brandeis University; and Baruch College in Manhattan. Also, in 2000, he was the winner of The Ernst and Young New England Entrepreneur of the Year Award for in the consumer products sector.

Moderator

Gerry Sherman Principal  Pathway Advisors, LLC

Originally a commercial lending offer at Shawmut Bank of Boston, over the last 30 years Gerry has been a professional advisor to over 400 underperforming privately held and family-owned companies throughout the US. Gerry has sat on 5 private company boards ranging from an investor backed start-up specialty finance company to a 135-year-old 6th generation family-owned manufacturer. He’s also sat on the boards of 4 community service focused non-profit boards. Currently he sits on the board of a federally funded commercial mortgage provider and serves as a credit committee member as well.  He’s spoken for groups including The Harvard Business Turnaround Forum, the Family Firm Institute and the Risk Management Association and written for publications including The Journal of Corporate Renewal, Family Business Magazine and Commercial Lending Review.

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