CREATING BOARD OPTIONS
FOR YOUR FUTURE:
Larry Stybel
Board Options, Inc.
Ideas to Action
Ideas to Action:
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MY MISSION:
• Why is It Important for Rotary members to
have a Board perspective.
• Creating a Board Strategy
• Creating a Board Resume
• Distribution of that Board Resume
• Managing YOUR Risks.
• Compensation
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“WHY IS A BOARD PERSPECTIVE
IMPORTANT?”
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When a Fish Rots……
What is the CEO Obsessed With?
How to gain a CEO’s attention.
Improving your visibility/network.
Interesting.
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400 Years of Board Work:
• Review and approve strategy.
• Hire and fire the CEO.
• Review the finances to see how the money
is being spent.
• Nose In; Fingers Out.
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Your Board Strategy: food chain
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Nonprofits-Small.
Nonprofits-Large.
Heritage Private Companies.
PE Dominated Private Companies.
Pre IPO
Small Cap Public
Mid Cap Public
Large Cap Public
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EXERCISE
• Review the Executive Summaries in the
boardoptions.com Board of Directors
Talent Bank.
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• http://www.boardoptions.com/
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Board Resume
• Senior Financial executive with Board experience.
Industry experience includes software and medical
instrumentation. Can contribute to strategic
discussions involving new product evaluation,
establishing operations outside the USA, and
M&A. Qualified to serve on the Audit and
Compensation Committee. Well suited for a
private company seeking to aggressively grow.
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• 57262 - Executive Director, global merchant bank operating in 36
countries. Her responsibilities include business development, private
equity, joint ventures. Strong India contacts. Industry experience
includes financial services, energy, clean tech, carbon financing,
office furniture, and consumer products. She has worked for global
leaders such as Coca Cola, Herman Miller. MBA, Wharton. B .A. in
Economics, Yale. Can contribute to Board discussions involving
strategic review, globalization, M&A, and sources of funding.
Qualified to serve as Chair of an Audit Committee as well as serve
on Nominating & Governance, and Compensation. She lives in the
New York City area. Former Board member of the Simon
Wiesenthal Center in Europe.
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Exercise
• Individually decide where you are on the
next logical run of the board food chain.
Write down your value proposition.
• Discuss with each other: state your value
proposition to others .
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How to Create Board Options:
• Articulate your value proposition: strategic,
industry, contacts.
• Clearly articulate where you are:
audit/oversight vs. advise/counsel
• Create a Board Resume
• Define your Board Resume distribution
channels
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Board Distribution Channels
• Partners who know Partners in law firms—corporate not
tax partners.
• Other Board members, check out Guidestar.com
investing business week (name of person)
• Tax Partners at CPA firms who can refer you to audit
partners. 
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Board Distribution Channels
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Recruiters. 
National Association of Corporate Directors
Boardoptions.com
Boston Club
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Your Bumper Sticker
• I only have time to serve on one Board. I
want to make it a good one.
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Give it Two Years!
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Managing Risks.
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D&0 Liability Insurance
• Get your own insurance agent to give you a
second opinion about its adequacy.
• Make sure you are covered for actions taken
while you are a Board member even if the
law suit takes place after you have left the
Board.
• Who selects your attorney?
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Reputation Risks
• Terms protect you.
• Write your resignation letter and give it to
the President/Chairman and leave the date
blank.
• Ask for dates of full Board meetings and
committee meetings up to one year in
advance.
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Compensation Issues.
• Annual Retainer vs. Meeting Fees.
• Equity: .5-1.5%.
• Key negotiation should be on the amount of
equity and the pay-out of equity.
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Next Steps
• Review the Board of Director Talent Bank
in Boardoptions.com. Complete the
“submit your credentials” information.
• Email to [email protected]
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MORE RESOURCES
www.boardoptions.com
www.nacdonline.org
www.directorship.com
www.boardroominsider.com
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