National Association of Corporate Directors - History

History

NACD was founded in 1977 with the goal to educate directors. In 1978 it announced the first comprehensive Director Education Program. Ten years later, NACD recognized the first Director of the Year. In 1993, NACD published its first Blue Ribbon Commission Report, offering ten principles to guide audit committees and their oversight of the financial reporting process, as well as risk management and internal and external auditors. In the early 2000s, NACD’s Blue Ribbon Commission Report on Board Evaluations helped optimize board composition, while the organization helped shape Sarbanes-Oxley and influence the new New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) & NASDAQ listing rules. In 2004, NACD co-found the Global Director Development Circle, launched in response to the need to keep directors ahead of international corporate governance and legislation. This program led NACD to globalize the Certificate of Director Education program in 2006. In 2010, NACD acquired Directorship magazine, a magazine dedicated for today’s corporate officers and board of directors.