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Summary of September 24th 2009 Breakfast

"Mid market CEOs gain valuable insights from prominent business leaders at The Board of Veteran CEOs forum"

Prominent business leaders headlined the recent Board of Veterans CEOs forum held on September 24. Robert Weissman (former Chairman and CEO of Dun & Bradstreet), Steven Rice (former CEO of Stamford Federal Savings Bank), and Jules Kroll (founder of Kroll Inc) provided insights to critical issues facing mid market CEOS, ranging from maximizing opportunities to build sustainable growth during the current economy to reinventing leadership and engagement strategies to revitalize the workforce.

Specifically, Bob Weissman, who spent over 30 years working as a CEO for several companies and who has led over 200 acquisitions and directed 11 public companies; his comments ranged from the criticality of leadership establishing urgency to insights of the intricacies of managing M&A's, especially when foreign companies are involved and a need to integrate cultures and create a shared vision which are critical to ultimately driving results.

Steve Rice, who has a distinguished career in banking and currently serves as the Presiding Director for Allegheny energy; he was helpful in outlining the issues facing raising capital. This was especially critical given the current economic issues facing mid level businesses, and the challenge to reinventing business opportunities to create the appropriate level of risk and reward that helps to drive investment decisions.

Jules Kroll, who is acknowledged as the founder of the modern investigations, intelligence, and security industry and whose global risk management consulting company was acquired by Marsh and McLennan; his comments included an appreciation for the role of leadership; the value of being confidant and optimistic and the impact on your organization and investors, especially in down economies; and the absolute necessity to have a strong ethical foundation that drives accountability in decision making and governance.

Wayne Wald and Paul Pollock, Partners at Katten Muchin Rosenman, LLP and experts in legal matters involving M&As also joined these extraordinary leaders. Together these resources proved to be extremely helpful to the 12 mid market CEOs who attended the forum. There was a range in industries – aircraft manufacturing, mutual funds, lighting manufacturing, investment bank, metal manufacturing, and retail check casing stores to name a few. Several attending CEOs lead corporations trading on the NYSE, while others are privately held.

As a result, the exclusive forum (membership is reserved for current and former CEOs only) served to foster frank and meaningful discussion that assisted CEOs to more effectively evaluate many of the issues impacting their businesses. Feedback from the forum was overwhelmingly positive, emphasizing the tremendous value there was to discussing critical business issues with such experienced and accomplished business leaders. As a result, several CEOs have joined the Board and interest is growing for next month's forum (scheduled for November 5th).

The Board CEO Ted Santos commented, "We are very pleased with the initial response and are excited about the future. We're confident The Board of Veteran CEOs will provide valuable services and insights to assist mid market CEOs".