"Membership in the Society, and taking advantage of all is has to offer, has been an essential component of doing my job effectively from day-one. The value added to my work from the relationships I have built with the Society's staff and fellow members simply cannot be quantified. I am continually impressed by the willingness of Society members to share knowledge with one another and act as a support network in tough times. It goes to a level unmatched by any other organization that I have been a part of."
Douglas K. Chia
Senior Counsel &
Assistant Corporate Secretary
Johnson & Johnson
“The Society has been an invaluable resource, providing a network of experts on all aspects of securities and governance, information about company practices for all types of companies from small to large, and excellent education and networking opportunities. I couldn't do my job (at a mid-cap company) without it!”
Barbara Blackford
Executive Vice President,
General Counsel & Secretary
Superior Essex Inc.
"I joined the Society in 1998 and have found it to be one of the most rewarding experiences of my career. It has provided me with a professional network that has been invaluable to me in my work as a corporate secretary and as a securities lawyer. And I can honestly say that I have yet to attend a Society seminar or meeting where I didn't come away with a valuable insight on some aspect of corporate governance or securities law that I could immediately put to work when I returned to the office. All in all, I think that the Society offers a unique value proposition to corporate secretaries and governance professionals."
Kenneth Wagner
Vice President, Assistant General Counsel,
Assistant Secretary and Chief Compliance Officer
Peabody Energy Corporation
Networking - Our members share best practices and experience at live events, through teleconferences and e-mail, and more formally through our Mentoring Program.
Education - Topics at our recent National Conference included: Hot Issues for Audit & Governance Committees, and Compliance Issues and the Board
Publications - such as Board Committees, Corporate Minutes, Current Board Practices (6th Study), D&O Questionnaire, Independent Board Leadership: Non-Executive Chairs, Lead Directors and Presiding Directors, Logistical Arrangements for Board Meetings
Online Tutorials - Fundamentals of the Corporate Secretary: Supporting Your Board (which deals with meeting logistics and communications challenges) and Corporate Minutes: What You Need to Know
Online Members Library - hundreds of documents at your fingertips: sample resolutions, charters, meeting calendars, policies, bylaws, and more
Education - Recent Conference topics included: Hot Issues with Pension Funds/Shareholder Activists, Hot Issues Large Institutional Investors, Hot Issues with Proxy Advisory & Governance Ratings Agencies, Notice & Access – 2008 Experience, 2009 Planning
Publications - such as Manual for Solicitation of Proxies, Planning and Preparing for the Annual Meeting of Shareholders, and Suggested Guidelines for Public Disclosure and Dealing with the Investment Community
Online Tutorials - Shareholder Proposals: How Do You Handle Them?
Networking – Our members share their experiences in committee meetings, chapter meetings, Society-wide events and through our online Shareholder Proposals Network – a combination of private discussion board and Intranet.
Online Members Library - law firm memos analyzing recent SEC actions, copies of “No action” requests to the SEC and the commission’s responses.
Education – There is an “SEC Update” at almost every Society-wide meeting as well as many chapters and regional conferences. Topics at our recent National Conference included: What’s Hot with the Delaware Judiciary and Hearing from Former SEC Voices (a panel discussion with four former directors of the SEC Division of Corporation Finance).
Publications - such as Assisting Insiders with Federal Securities Law Compliance: A Guide for the Corporate Secretary, Insider Trading Policies: A Representative Sampling, and Suggested Guidelines for Public Disclosure and Dealing with the Investment Community
Networking – The members of our Securities Law and Corporate Practices committees meet regularly and discuss current issues and rule proposals, produce analysis, write comment letters to the SEC, and meet twice a year with the SEC Division of Corporation Finance.
Online Members Library – comment letters to the SEC, PCAOB, FASB and other bodies; law firm memos analyzing recent proposed rules.