Emily Gray named the first BoardWalk Board Member of the Month

Last month, we announced a new initiative, the BoardWalk Board Member of the Month,, designed to recognize those board members who "labor out of the limelight but who themselves are magnets for talent, sparks for imagination, and centers of excellence in their support of an organization and its mission."

From the many exciting nominations you sumbmitted, we are pleased to have selected our first honoree: Emily Gray, Chair of the Emeritus Board, The Schenck School. In their nomination, Emily's board colleagues cited her collaborative workstyle, indefatigable efforts and standards for board involvement.

In honor of her selection, Emily and the school will be presented with a custom-designed wall hanging, Jubilant Generosity, one of a series of such panels BoardWalk has commissioned for the purpose from quilt artist Judy Loope of Salem, Virginia.

Habitat for Humanity names Liz Blake SVP of Advocacy, Government Affairs & General Counsel

Habitat for Humanity International, the world's foremost housing ministry, has named Elizabeth Blake to the new role of Senior Vice President of Advocacy, Government Affairs and General Counsel. BoardWalk Consulting had the privilege of advising Habitat on this appointment.

Liz joins Habitat after a highly impressive business career in the for-profit sector, wherein she held executive leadership positions at three NYSE companies: U.S. Airways Group, General Electric, and Cinergy Corporation, among others. In addition to her extensive work in litigation, corporate mergers and regulatory compliance, she also has significant experience in government affairs, internal audit, security and investor relations.

Among her long list of civic and charitable involvements, Liz was the first woman to be named chair of the Ohio Board of Regents, a body appointed by the Governor that is responsible for policy oversight and budgeting authority for 38 Ohio colleges and universities on 65 separate campuses.

Tropics Foundation names HollyBeth Anderson first Executive Director

For over 30 years ago, the Tropical Agriculture Research and Higher Education Center, known more commonly by its Spanish acronym, CATIE, has championed graduate education, sustainable agriculture and natural resource management from its home base in Costa Rica, and in the process became one of the foremost centers of its kind in the world.

To support its mission of education and economic development, CATIE recently created The Tropics Foundation to expand its reach in the United States. Last month, with the help of BoardWalk Consulting, Tropics’ board selected HollyBeth Anderson as its first Executive Director to lead efforts to garner support for CATIE’s graduate programs in agriculture, natural resources and rural development.

HollyBeth brings extensive experience in global collaboration to her new role at the Foundation. Long drawn to the international arena and a fluent speaker of Spanish, HollyBeth served most recently as the Vice President, International division for the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, representing Atlanta’s economic interests in Europe and Latin America. Coupled with her prior experience in Europe and Latin America with Cartier and, earlier, the French Foreign Trade Minister, HollyBeth offers just the combination of passion and expertise to make The Tropics Foundation a forceful development partner for for CATIE.

Hands on Network: Go West for board service

In another of a recent series of board assignments for Hands On Network, we are searching for senior board prospects based west of the Mississippi who can bring experience in technology, financial services, retailing or entertainment in support of the cause of volunteerism.

Hands On Network is one of the country's leading agents for community action. Building on an asset base of several hundred thousand volunteers in service of nearly 50,000 annual projects nationwide, Hands On and its 55 affiliates have joined with 30 of the nation's most enterprising corporations to tap 6.4 million volunteers and 100,000 volunteer leaders over the next two years.

Continuing a board development effort started almost two years ago, HON is once again in the market for senior board talent, this time focused on the western half of the country. If you or an executive you respect might be receptive to such a challenge, please follow the link below.

Alabama Historical Commission
Search Mandate: Executive Director
Status: Search just launched; write-up pending.

Habitat for Humanity International
Search Mandate: Senior Vice President, US & Canada Operations
Status: Client is interviewing candidates or is scheduled to do so. (view Leadership Profile)

Search Mandate: Vice President of Organizational Learning
Status: Prospects being developed; inquiries welcomed. (view Leadership Profile)

Harvest Foundation
Search mandate: Executive Director
Status: Prospects being developed; inquiries welcomed.
(view Leadership Profile)

Presbyterian Church (USA)
Search mandate: Executive Director, General Assembly Council
Status: Client has met the full slate of endorsed candidates; decision pending. (view Leadership Profile)

Southern Education Foundation
Search mandate: Senior Program Officer
Status: Client has met the full slate of endorsed candidates; decision pending. (view Leadership Profile)

E-mail: sam@boardwalkconsulting.com
Telephone: 404-BoardWalk (404-262-7392)
On the Web: http://www.BoardWalkConsulting.com