Mason Alumni & Faculty Presenter Series: Membership on a Non-Profit Board with Susan Rucker '78

Presented on: Monday, July 27th at 9:00 AM EDT




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Membership on a Non-Profit Board Presented by Susan Rucker '78 Recorded live on November 28, 2017 Being on a non-profit board can be a wonderfully rewarding experience… IF you approach it the right way. Being on a non-profit board requires you, as a director, to think about the role of governance. Governance authorities indicate that board members owe their organization certain duties. These duties are lived out by making decisions in the best interest of the charity and its mission, free from undue influence. This webinar will talk about the substantial rewards and potential pitfalls of board membership, best practices in boardsmanship and governance, and will explore some of the real life experiences of our presenter in her varied roles as board member, management team member, and operating board executive. We will strive to answer these questions: What is the role and responsibility of a board member? What skills/types of people are boards looking for? What resource commitment is typical for a board member (time, money, talent, etc.)? Why would you be a good fit for a particular board? How is governance different from being a volunteer or a member of management? When should you say no to being on a board? Whether you are on a board already, looking to understand how to be a more effective member, or seeking to join a board, this webinar will help you consider important issues before you join, and what impact your membership will have both on you and the organization you will be represent. Presenter Biography: Susan Rucker is a seasoned executive with over thirty years of experience managing high performance teams and growing businesses. She has served as a senior operating executive in the professional services, technology, and higher education industries, an audit and consulting partner in one of the Big 4 accounting firms, and has managed businesses of over $100 million in annual revenue. She has managed domestic and global businesses, growing them through internal initiatives and acquisitions. Mrs. Rucker currently serves as the CFO at the Raymond A. Mason School of Business at the College of William & Mary, and also has an independent consulting business where she does executive coaching and strategic consulting for businesses. As the CFO of the Raymond A. Mason School of Business, Mrs. Rucker provides information and support for the work of the board of the William and Mary Business School Foundation. Mrs. Rucker started her career at KPMG. During her 24 years there, she served as an audit partner, consulting partner, National Partner in Charge of Outsourcing, and the first Partner-In-Charge of international product development. Mrs. Rucker served in national positions in the Healthcare and Higher Education industries including holding the position of National Industry Director for Healthcare Providers and serving on the both the National Healthcare and National Not-For-Profit Leadership teams. Among her healthcare clients were numerous academic medical centers, national healthcare organizations, and community hospitals. She also worked with healthcare payers, both captive and free-standing, and with med tech and medical device companies. Mrs. Rucker has worked in global environments managing people in over 30 countries. A skilled communicator and facilitator, she has worked with boards and CEOs developing and implementing business strategy. Mrs. Rucker has held senior management positions at the Raymond A. Mason School of Business, KPMG, Unisys, and Tatum LLC. In addition to managing client service delivery, Mrs. Rucker has also managed information technology, recruiting, human resources and accounting and finance functions. Board Experience: Chair of LifeSpire of Virginia, a multi-site operator of continuing care retirement communities in Virginia Committee chair and board member for the Patient Access Network (PAN) Foundation, one of the top 100 charities in the US on the Forbes Largest Charities List in 2015 Treasurer for the River Road Church Endowment Fund Former board chair and member of the board for the Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond Former board member for the Virginia Voice, a reading and information service for those that have difficulty reading printed material