Tom Okarma presented at the April Forum for Business and the Arts to an audience of about fifteen at the Naperville Municipal Building. The topic was Board Development, how to be a good board member, the vetting process and retention. Tom is and has been a member of dozens of boards from large to small, corporate to nonprofit. His experience ranges from Wall Street to being past president of the People’s Resource Center. He spoke to the problems, about who is on them, what they’re doing and what they’re not doing.
“There are some things that a board must be crystal clear on,” he says. “Why do we exist? How do we serve the community? What is our strategy? How are we going to execute?”
Recommending that board members should not necessarily be family and friends, board members should be passionate about the mission.
Directors should come from diverse backgrounds and have complimentary skills and good communication and listening skills. Engaging conversation and debate is valuable. It is important to have critical thinkers and not a room of people who only agree. There is a benefit to
“There are some things that a board must be crystal clear on,” he says. “Why do we exist? How do we serve the community? What is our strategy? How are we going to execute?”
Recommending that board members should not necessarily be family and friends, board members should be passionate about the mission.
Directors should come from diverse backgrounds and have complimentary skills and good communication and listening skills. Engaging conversation and debate is valuable. It is important to have critical thinkers and not a room of people who only agree. There is a benefit to
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