BoardProspects Launches Online Professional Community Dedicated to Building Better Boards

Founding Team Member of LinkedIn, CEO of Plaxo.com and others join esteemed advisory board to support the first platform overhauling the boardroom recruitment process

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BoardProspects, the online professional community dedicated to building better boards, today announced the launch of its online professional network connecting boards and prospects. BoardProspects advances organizations beyond the traditional “who do you know” boardroom recruitment conversation by enabling two-way search and matching capabilities to fill open positions on boards of directors and advisory boards. The BoardProspects community also provides educational resources from leading boardroom experts.

“It is impossible to overstate the importance of an advisory board to the success of a private company in today’s business environment”

To date, post-Enron corporate governance reforms such as Sarbanes-Oxley have only been as effective as the individuals who implement them in the boardroom. As such, BoardProspects recognized a true need for an overhaul of the boardroom recruitment system from the ground up. This new platform leverages social and professional networks to connect organizations and individuals, creating a unique two-way boardroom recruitment conversation that has not previously existed in the boardroom space.

BoardProspects transforms the way that boards and prospects connect, communicate and serve. Supporting this vision, BoardProspects has built an elite advisory board of seasoned professionals including:

• Steve Maxwell, former venture capitalist and executive recruiter at both Russell Reynolds Associates and Korn/Ferry International;
• Justin Miller, CEO of Plaxo.com and president of Comcast Silicon Valley;
• Misiek Piskorski, professor at Harvard Business School;
• Yan Pujante, founding team member of LinkedIn where he served as their chief software architect and director of technology;
• Kathryn Swintek, managing partner for Golden Seeds, New York City.

BoardProspects’ sponsors include industry leaders who recognize the importance of effective corporate governance and efficient boardroom recruitment: NASDAQ, Goodwin Procter LLP, Institutional Shareholder Services, Inc., Pearl Meyer & Partners, BDO USA, LLP and the Boston Business Journal. Demetrios Skalkotos, senior vice president, NASDAQ OMX Corporate Solutions, stated “The mission behind BoardProspects aligns well with our efforts to improve boardroom efficiency, transparency and best practices. We have a broad network of public and private boards that have benefited greatly from our Directors Desk board portal, and we look forward to connecting these decision makers with this much needed professional community.”

BoardProspects transforms boardroom recruitment and fortifies existing boards of directors through the following features:

• BoardSearch – A two-way search function, matching prospects and boards based on the expertise and background that BoardProspects members submit in order to create profiles on the site.
• BoardBlogs – A consistent stream of educational blogs from leading, independent experts, relevant to the roles and responsibilities of boards.
• BoardMoves – An aggregation of news, hires and developments, posted by participating boards and prospects.
• BoardNews – A feed of breaking news about boards of directors and boardroom issues from around the world.
• BoardKnowledge – An educational resource and knowledge base where members can find the latest trends in corporate governance and other key issues impacting the boardroom through blogs, white papers and webinars from BoardProspects’ sponsors.

“As a lawyer that advised non-profit and for-profit entities on corporate governance and boardroom matters, I saw a common theme with many of the companies that struggled with executive leadership and boardroom management – a lackluster recruitment process,” said Mark Rogers, founder and CEO of BoardProspects. “We are excited about the support we’ve received from the business community thus far and are proud to launch the first-of-its-kind online community that will transform the way boards are formed and governed.”

Non-profit organizations, private and public companies interested in learning more should contact BoardProspects at [e-mail]. If you are attending TechCrunch Disrupt SF 2012, visit BoardProspects in the Startup Alley.

BDO

“The boardroom has evolved into a key stage for the oversight of corporate responsibility and transparency for investors,” said Amy Rojik, national assurance director at BDO USA, LLP. “Attracting and maintaining high caliber directors charged with corporate governance is an area of emphasis for all companies. BDO is fully supportive of BoardProspects’ commitment to recruitment and initial and continuing education of current and future board members.”

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay

“Non-profits can find it challenging to find strong candidates to fill board seats who have the expertise to help address specific strategic business challenges,” said Wendy Foster, president and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay. “BoardProspects has created a tool to help organizations go beyond the ‘who-do-you-know’ recruiting practice. It will also serve as an educational resource to existing boards as they strive become better board members.”

VERC Enterprises

"It is impossible to overstate the importance of an advisory board to the success of a private company in today’s business environment,” said Leo Vercollone, CEO of VERC Enterprises. “BoardProspects will serve as an invaluable resource for finding advisory board candidates who best meet the needs of a company."

TechCrunch Disrupt SF 2012

TechCrunch Disrupt SF 2012 (http://techcrunch.com/events/disrupt-sf-2012/) is TechCrunch’s sixth annual conference in San Francisco. The format combines top thought-leader discussions with new product and company launches. During morning executive discussions, technology-driven disruptions in many industries will be debated. Afternoons are reserved for the Startup Battlefield, where 30 new companies will launch for the first time on stage, selected to present from more than 1,000 applications received from around the world. The winning company will receive a $50,000 grand prize and the Disrupt Cup at the conclusion of the conference. The conference is Sept. 10-12, 2012, at The Concourse at San Francisco Design Center located at 635 8th St. (at Brannan) in San Francisco's downtown SOMA district.

About BoardProspects

Headquartered in Boston, Mass., BoardProspects is the online professional community dedicated to building better boards. The Company connects individuals and organizations while providing educational resources and tools to improve boardroom recruitment and service. For additional information please visit www.boardprospects.com.