Corporate Governance as a Societal Imperative - American corporations have become the focus of significant, often unfair societal and political criticism, which has intensified since the financial crisis of 2008. Whether public, private, for-profit, or not-for-profit, corporations have a significant responsibility to the many constituencies in their societal matrix, which includes shareholders, employees, communities, clients, and customers. Dr. Landgraf will examine the roles and responsibilities of boards of directors in ensuring both short-term and long-term focus on these societal responsibilities. He will address the importance of corporate governance, shareholder activism, and performance metrics in maximizing societal value, with emphasis on the variables that impact structure and outcomes.

Kurt Landgraf ’68 H’08 was president and CEO of the Educational Testing Service from 2000 to 2013. He previously held leadership positions at DuPont, including chief operating officer, chief financial officer, and chairman and chief executive officer of the DuPont Pharmaceutical Company, and at the Upjohn Company. He now serves as a board member of the Louisiana-Pacific Corporation, Corning Incorporated, and Remedy Pharmaceuticals.