William Penn Life, 2004 (39. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2004-03-01 / 3. szám
HMUSHSUBäS&iS^I "It is important to add that this process will be open. For good corporate governance, there must be feedback and ideas from our membership." Corporate governance and strategic planning by Steve Varga, Chairman of the Board On March 12 and 13, the William Penn Association Board of Directors will hold the first of several special meetings to discuss corporate governance and strategic planning. Over the past two decades, the Association has led the way in developing new and innovative products. It is with this same ingenuity and leadership that the William Penn Association will work towards advancing corporate governance and strategic leadership in fraternal organizations. We have invited two speakers to attend our conference. The first presenter, Char Kinder of Discovery Works, will focus on "Leadership." The objective of this workshop is two-fold: first, to have the Board of Directors understand our role in improving the William Penn Association's image within our community; and, secondly, to help the Board develop skills to communicate and interact more effectively with our members. Our second presenter will be Ralph Manning, Esq. Ralph is the Association's legal counsel, and I have requested that he provide an overview of our fiduciary responsibilities as Directors. In today's world, corporations are the subject of attack and litigation for unethical and illegal practices, and fraternals are no exception. While the current flood of government regulations are focused primarily on large public/private corporations, fraternals should not feel that they have been forgotten. It is just a matter of time before we are subject to the same regulations, and it is important for the William Penn Association to establish internal controls and safeguards against fiscal irresponsibility and unethical practices. Next the Board will begin the process of developing and implementing corporate governance policies. In this session, the Board will define its duties and the duties of the Chairman, develop self-performance guidelines, establish financial safeguards and ensure all legal and ethical procedures are met. In subsequent conferences, the Board will look at organizational issues to define the mission of the Association and the means for obtaining those ends, set executive limitations and define the relationship between the Board and its Officers. It is important to add that this process will be open. For good corporate governance, there must be feedback and ideas from our membership. The Board is currently reviewing several ways to include the membership in this process. Some of you may ask why is corporate governance important. My response to that is simple. Leadership compels us to think about the future and not the past. It requires us to put into place guidelines and policies that will ensure a successful future. As a Board we must realize that our responsibility to our membership is to dream big dreams and to find the ways to get us there. We should not be muddled down in the present or past. It is extremely ineffective for the Board to spend countless hours debating non-board issues, such as plumbing repairs, paint colors or administrative items. We are responsible for the future of the organization and as such we must concentrate on developing the future, how the Association can grow and how we can better serve our members and community. Corporate governance is the process that will allow the Board to concentrate on just that. US William Penn Life, March 2004 3
