Rocky Mountain Chapter

Next Chapter Meeting

Corporate Governance For Non-Profits And Private Companies
(Why do I care about SOX?)

Hosted by HindmanSanchez P.C

You are invited to attend a live breakfast meeting of the Rocky Mountain Chapter. Also available via audio conference and webcast.

PLEASE NOTE: The breakfast cost for members and guests is $20.00. There is a $10 charge for accessing the webcast presentation. Please register by Mon., May 14th at the registration link above. Checks should be made payable to "Society of Corporate Secretaries and Governance Professionals."

WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO BRING A GUEST

The chapter will apply for accreditation in Colorado and Nebraska. You may apply for accreditation on your own if you'd like credit from other states.

PROGRAM:

If you are involved with, or on the board of, a non-profit or private company, this presentation is a must.

A moderated panel will explore governance best practices, board responsibilities and decision making at privately held businesses and non-profits, including how SOX guidelines impact business decisions for the private and public companies they do business with. Other topics will include roles and responsibilities, including the role of the corporate secretary with regards to compliance. Feel free to bring questions for moderator Amelia Adair of HindmanSanchez and panelists Eric Hilty, General Counsel of the MS Society, and Corporation Service Company's General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, George Massiah.

Panelists:

Amelia Adair - Attorney, HindmanSanchez
Amelia Adair has practiced law for 20 years, including nine years in the community association industry, most recently with the Jefferson County law firm of HindmanSanchez. HindmanSanchez has the largest portfolio of homeowner and condominium association clients in Colorado, in addition to representing non-profits and closely held corporations. Amelia's wide variety of experience includes appointed board positions for a major residential homebuilder in Washington State, in-house counsel for a technology firm, and representing privately held businesses and non-profit clients throughout her career.

Among other non-profit board positions, Amelia was a Trustee of the Seattle King County Bar Board, and past president of a 501(c)(3) charity, Family Law CASA of King County. She has a strong interest in policy governance and helping non-profit and for-profit boards make effective decisions then take action.

Amelia is currently a member of the Colorado Association of Parliamentarians and the Community Associations Institute. She is licensed in Colorado and Washington State, received her J.D. from the University of Denver College of Law in 1991 and her B.A., magna cum laude, in Anthropology from the University of Colorado in 1986.

Eric Hilty - Chief Legal Officer and Executive Vice President National Multiple Sclerosis Society
Eric Hilty started in 2011 as the Chief Legal Officer for the National MS Society. The National MS Society is a non-profit organization that has 1250 employees and countless volunteers in 45 Chapters covering every state. The Society provides programs and services to individuals with MS, is the largest funder of MS research, and is dedicated to a world free of MS. Eric's responsibilities include supervising risk management, corporate governance, policy development and implementation, vendor contract review, research contract negotiation, and human relations advice and counsel.

Prior to joining the National MS Society, Eric was Senior Vice President and Assistant General Counsel for Apartment Investment and Management Company (AIMCO). At AIMCO, among other responsibilities, Eric managed the company's litigation from 2003-2011. Prior to joining AIMCO, Eric was a partner at Holland and Hart in Denver in the commercial litigation group. Eric joined Holland and Hart in 1993 after completing a one-year clerkship with Judge Wade Brorby on the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. Eric is a 1992 graduate of the University of Denver College of Law holds a B.A. in History and Economics from Trinity University from 1988. Eric also currently serves on the board of Invest in Kids.

George A. Massih III
George A. Massih III has served as vice president, general counsel, and secretary of Corporation Service Company® (CSC®) since 2003. From 1997 to 2002, he was assistant general counsel and vice president of Product Management for CSC. Prior to joining CSC, Massih served as associate general counsel for the Rollins group of public companies, including Rollins Environmental Services Inc., Matlack Systems Inc., and Rollins Truck Leasing Inc. in Wilmington, Delaware, from 1989 to 1997. From 1986 to 1989 he was an associate at Bray, Walther & Reardon in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the practice of labor and employment law.

Massih was appointed to the board of directors of the Association of Corporate Counsel's Delaware Valley (DELVACCA) Chapter in 2003. He is the recipient of the 2005 Corporate Counsel Technology Institute's annual award and a distinguished guest lecturer at Widener University School of Law. In 2010, CSC's legal department was selected as a finalist for the ACC's DELVACCA chapter Law Department of the Year.

Massih is a 1983 graduate of Lafayette College where he received a BA degree in Economics and Business with honors. He received his law degree from Villanova University School of Law in 1986 and is admitted to the bar in Pennsylvania and New Jersey and as corporate counsel in Delaware.

Audioconference/Webconference:

If you are unable to attend this meeting in person, we are pleased to offer our members and guests the opportunity to participate in this meeting via webcast, courtesy of ReadyTalk. Upon registering you will receive the dial in information via e-mail.

Download the free ReadyTalk app from the iTunes store to join our conference on your iPad.

Click here for a replay of the February 16th webinar.

Electronic Board Books in the Boardroom

PROGRAM: A brief history/evolution of board books from paper to electronic will be provided. Panel will reflect the technical (IT) security and legal/compliance perspective as to what a company should look for in an electronic board book tool and what measures to have in place to ensure the security of the data. Panel will also discuss the logistics of adopting an electronic board book and the process, training, integration and crossover/switch from paper to electronic for the end user. Panel will NOT be advocating for a specific vendor so much as discussing what to look for when reviewing the multiple vendors available.

Panelists:

Patrice Blaeser, Assistant Corporate Secretary - Xcel Energy Inc.
Patrice Blaeser is Assistant Corporate Secretary for Xcel Energy Inc. with responsibility for parent company board and committee meeting management, along with related records and document management and retention; subsidiary management; and regulatory and state filing requirements. As Assistant Corporate Secretary of Xcel Energy and its various subsidiaries, she serves as liaison between management and the board of directors. Blaeser joined Xcel Energy in April 2004.

As a legal and compliance professional for more than 25 years, Blaeser has held corporate secretary, compliance, legal research, and paralegal positions at Xcel Energy, Piper Jaffray, Prudential Home Mortgage, and private law firm J. Oakes and Associates.

Blaeser earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Communications and Legal Studies from the University of Minnesota, and an Associate Degree and Certification in Paralegal Studies from Inver Hills Community College.  Blaeser anticipates completion of a Masters Degree in Business Administration in May 2012.

Timothy L. Peterson, Director I/T Operations - Xcel Energy, Inc.
Mr. Peterson is Director of I/T Operations for Xcel Energy. In this role, he is responsible for all Information Technology Operations and Client Services functions. As a member of Xcel Energy's Senior Leadership Team, Mr. Peterson is expected to drive innovation and transformation in the company by leveraging technology to create business value.

Peterson joined Xcel Energy in 1999 as a Technology Architect. Mr. Peterson has held a number of key leadership positions within Xcel Energy, primarily focused on Architecture, Infrastructure Management, Operations, & Client Services. Peterson has led several transformational programs at Xcel Energy and has demonstrated the ability to build high performing teams.

Peterson holds a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from Devry University with a specialization in e-commerce. 

Click here to download the meeting presentation.

Chapter Meeting Schedule