Agenda
Tuesday September 20Wednesday September 21
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
8:30 – 9:00Breakfast
9:00 – 9:45Welcome and Introductions
Speaker: David Cox, President, Professional Testing, Inc.
9:30 – 10:15Opening PlenaryDefining the ProblemSpeakers:
Rich Bar, Esq., GKG Law, P.C.
Glenn Tecker, Chairman & Co-CEO, Tecker Consultants LLC
Christine Niero, PhD, VP, Professional Testing, Inc.
The ultimate vision for most credentialing organizations is value for the profession, for stakeholders and for society. But turning the vision into a venture which is successful on all major counts requires disciplined analysis and planning, careful commitment of resources, serious financial controls and constant monitoring. Like the pieces of a jig saw puzzle, these elements of business strategy must fit together neatly to create a complete and understandable picture.
Session leaders will begin to answer the question "Why is working with certification boards so hard?
The Opening Plenary will address the major issues and challenges certification executives face trying to achieve a productive and cordial working relationship with their boards We will present the findings of pre-summit conversations with participants , addressing sources of friction, strengths and weaknesses of board/staff models, philosophies of leadership, and the differing characteristics of the cultures of corporate and certification enterprises that impact the staff/board relationship.
• Explore the differences in governing associations or societies from certification bodies
• Define the unique challenges of certification governance
• Understand how the "characteristics" of certification programs impact governance structure, and leadership.
10:15 – 10:45Networking BREAK
10:45 – 12:00 NoonTHE LEGAL BASICS
Who’s Really Responsible for What?”
Speaker: Rich Bar
At the core of all board/staff relationships is the understanding (or lack of understanding) of the roles and responsibilities of each party. While each certification organization must develop its own set of policies defining roles and responsibilities, there are legal obligations that board members have to meet. Most board members know that they have "fiduciary duties" but many do not really know what these are. Even worse, some think that fiduciary duties include anything that they want to do – even at the micromanagement level.
In this session, Mr. Bar will define and explain what legal fiduciary duties really are, and why they must be followed. He will explore why they exist and how they apply to corporate governance. Mr. Bar will explain why adhering to basic Board governance rules will drastically limit your board's liability and enhance your ability to maintain a functioning board. He also will discuss conflicts of interest and confidentiality policies and procedures and discuss the ramifications of breaching these responsibilities.
12:00 Noon – 1:00Networking LUNCH (Lunch Provided) During lunch you'll network with your peers and discuss the challenges you are facing. We'll gather your concerns and make sure they get addressed during the two days.
1:00 – 5:00EFFECTIVE GOVERNANCELearning to Dance: Don't Step on My ToesSpeakers: Glenn Tecker and Christine Niero
The relationship between an exceptional Board and executive staff is like a carefully choreographed dance. It looks easy and natural, but in reality it takes a lot of work to get everyone to move gracefully together. In this session, Mr. Tecker will go beyond the legal issues of governance and get to the heart of leadership. He will discuss the optimum role of the CEO, senior staff and board members, and how to separate Board from staff functions. He will help participants determine who's responsible for doing what. Mr. Tecker will discuss where and how lines of authority get blurred and he will provide strategies to redirect any mis-steps.
Mr. Tecker will discuss the process of developing exceptional board members including:
• Making the transition from "professional" to board member
• Orienting the board to the job of governance
• Establishing the delicate balance between Board and staff roles
• Systems and processes that sustain an effective governance culture
• Managing constructive and destructive conflicts.
Dr. Niero will continue with ways to establish and maintain balance between the partners, and will provide strategies for recruiting volunteers with the characteristics and qualifications required for service on certification boards. She will address unique aspects of certification governance, orienting volunteers to their roles, and working from policy to minimize risk to the organization and its personnel.
5:00 – 6:30EVENING RECEPTION Unwind with your peers, build your network and continue the discussion. Faculty from this Summit and previous Summits will mix and mingle with session participants.