Board Appointments

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The Board Appointments Committee was formed in 1989 as the result of the realization that the number of women on corporate boards was dwindling. The 1990 Salute the Policy Maker's Dinner Committee knew they would soon exhaust the supply of potential honorees (members of corporate boards of Fortune 500 companies) if it did not take action.

Since that time, EWNJ has operated on the principle that women should have the same opportunities in corporate boardrooms as their male colleagues. Sadly, progress has been very slow. In 1998, women held only 11.1 percent of the total number of board seats in Fortune 500 companies. And, although NJ Fortune 500 companies have more female directors and officers than the national average, there are a significant number of major companies with no female directors or only one director.

To address this situation, EWNJ has undertaken the following:

	Surveyed members and created a database of qualified candidates
	Partnered with the NJ Chamber of Commerce to share information on candidates
	Increased awareness among CEOs of these candidates
	Implemented a direct mail campaign targeted to CEOs requesting nominations for Salute Dinner honorees and describing the services of the Board Appointments Committee
	Created a corporate honor roll recognizing companies who have made a significant commitment to their female leaders and honoring those companies at the Salute Dinner
	Assisted CEOs in their search for qualified women candidates who meet their company's needs

In the coming months, EWNJ plans to undertake an effort to identify New Jersey-based, publicly owned companies whose products or services are more likely to be purchased by women and who do not now have a woman board member. The Committee will approach that company and offer its board appointments services.

You are the crucial piece to this puzzle!

If you know of a company that fits the above description, EWNJ would like to know about it. Please email us the name and location of the company and any other details you may have about it. Your email will remain confidential. EWNJ will contact the company and offer its Board Appointment service.

If you are interested in serving on a non-profit board, often a training ground for corporate board service, please submit your resume and application to EWNJ.

Allison Jackson, Chair

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