BRENTWOOD, Tenn. — July 11, 2024 — Merit Janow, chair of the board at Mastercard was named “Independent Director of the Year” today by Corporate Board Member as part of the magazine’s 6th annual Board Leadership Awards, presented in partnership with AlixPartners.
Janow was recognized by a distinguished panel of public company board members for her efforts leading Mastercard’s CEO transition, as well as playing a key role in Mastercard’s cybersecurity leadership to fight quantum- and AI-computing fraud, which are essential to the success of the company. She is also a Director at The New Economy Fund, Aptiv PLC, American Family Funds, Inc., American Funds Insurance Series, Inc., and Capital Income Builder.
Janow is one of three honorees this year’s committee recognized for their work this year. The others are:
Dale Wolf, Chair, Molina Healthcare, is recognized with the Courage in the Boardroom honor for his difficult work revitalizing the family-controlled firm, bringing in new leadership and overseeing a near-tenfold increase in enterprise value from approximately $2 billion in 2017 to over $20 billion in 2023.
Ram Charan, bestselling author and advisor to boards and CEOs, is recognized with the Greatest Impact on Corporate Boards honor for his decades of work improving corporate governance worldwide. During a career spanning more than 40 years, Charan has advised executives and directors on many Fortune 500 companies, served on the faculty of numerous business schools and authored more than 30 books that have sold over four million copies, including the classic Boards that Lead, considered essential reading for new board members worldwide.
Corporate Board Member will also be presenting a Lifetime Achievement award to TK Kerstetter, co-founder of Corporate Board Member and creator of Inside America’s Boardrooms, who has served and helped shape the corporate governance community for more than 25 years. He launched the Boardroom Summit 20 years ago and is serving as this year’s co-chair.
The awards will be presented in person on Sept. 16 during Corporate Board Member’s 20th annual Boardroom Summit and Peer Exchange at the Marriott Marquis in Times Square, followed by a panel discussion with Janow, Wolf, Charan and Kerstetter. For more information or to register for the event: https://boardmember.com/boardroomsummit/
“It’s fitting to be honoring such expert leaders in the board governance community at our 20th anniversary Boardroom Summit,” said Jamie Tassa, publisher, Corporate Board Member. “At a time with so much change, uncertainty and challenge, they once again show that great, involved directors are critical players in the life and success of public companies.”
Adds Joe Shalleck, managing director, AlixPartners, who acts as a special advisor to the judges throughout the process: “Faced with so many truly strategic challenges—from technology to geopolitics to talent—this year’s honorees showcase the essential, painstaking work of great public company directors. They have never been more central to the outperformance of truly great companies.”
About the Selection Committee
What makes the Board Leadership Awards unique is that they are selected by a peer group of exceptional, experienced public company directors. The 2024 selection committee includes: Larry Kellner, an experienced director who accepted our Courage In The Boardroom award in 2023 for Marriott; Ellen Kullman, Executive Chair of Carbon and a board member at Goldman, Amgen and Dell and our 2020 Director of the Year; John Lundgren, Chair, Visa, director, Callaway Golf and our 2023 Director of the Year; Lionel Nowell, lead independent director at Bank of America and our 2022 Director of the Year; Mike O’Neill, retired chairman of Citigroup and our 2019 Director of the Year; Maria Sastre, Board Member, General Mills and O’Reilly Auto Parts; Nigel Travis, Retired Executive Chair, Dunkin’ Brands, chair, Abercrombie & Fitch and Advance Auto Parts; Mike White, Board Member, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Former Board Member, Whirlpool Corp. and Kimberly-Clark, Former Chair and CEO, DIRECTV.
