Section 6.15: Public Director Nomination Operating Procedures
I. Purpose and Scope
The Board of Directors will be responsible for the recruitment and appointment of the ASSP Public Director.
The Board will seek an industry executive to contribute to the Board’s strategic deliberations, including ongoing work to expand corporate services and understanding the impacts of changes and trends in the market. The role requires business acumen to inform deliberations and contribute to growth.
II. Recruitment
It is the responsibility of the full Board of Directors to recruit for the Public Director position. To do this effectively the board must cultivate relationships year-round, using a variety of sources including professional networks and ASSP/Industry events. The activities undertaken by the Board will be tracked in the Board KPI spreadsheet.
When recruiting candidates, the Board should consider that the ideal public director candidate:
- Will be a CEO or a high-level executive. A demonstrated track record of success for a Direct Business Unit Leader is valuable to this position.
- Must understand the culture of a member organization and the balance between business needs and meeting member needs.
- Holds safety as a core value.
- Understands industry trends and the connection that safety plays in driving operational excellence.
A recruitment package outlining organizational information, expectations of the public director, conflict of interest policy, and desired qualities will be made available to the Board of Directors annually and can be used year-round to open conversations with potential candidates. Board members will report who they have shared a recruitment package with to governance@assp.org. ASSP professional staff will share the pipeline with the Board and ask for periodic updates/touch bases from the Board.
While the board should aim to have a number of candidates in open conversation about the role, it is recommended to limit the nomination process to one or two candidates. This is to avoid damaging valuable professional relationships with potential future candidates. The Public Director nominations committee will utilize a prepared rubric to prioritize candidates asked to submit a nomination package.
III. Nomination Committee
The Public Director Nomination Committee is responsible for vetting candidates and will recommend a candidate to the Board of Directors for approval.
- Committee Membership
The members of the Public Director Nominating Committee will include the President-Elect, serving as Chair, and Senior Vice-President. Two (2) additional members shall be appointed by the Board President. In addition, the Chief Executive Officer will serve on the committee without a vote. Committee terms will begin upon appointment and conclude after the Public Director is approved. In the event of a tie committee vote, the vote will be brought to the full Board of Directors.
- Interviewing Candidates
The candidate(s) will be interviewed by a sub-set of the Nominating Committee following a standard interview format. Interviews are 30 - 60 minutes in length and will be recorded and reviewed by other members of the Nominating Committee. The interview(s) will be made available to the full Board prior to the vote.
- Evaluating Candidates
The candidate evaluation process is designed to prepare the Nominating Committee for a calibration discussion, which will result in the selection of a candidate for Public Director. Staff will prepare an evaluation rubric that the Nominating Committee members will use to prepare for full committee discussion.
From the information in the candidate evaluation packages, the nominating committee should seek to understand the values, experiences, and skill sets (mind set, skill set, tool kit) that a candidate can bring to ASSP.
- Meetings and Schedule of Events
The committee will meet virtually as needed in the time leading up to the appointment of a new Public Director (every 3 years or as needed).
- Organizational Relationships
The committee is accountable to the Board of Directors. Professional staff will support and coordinate the committee’s operations.
IV. Conflict of Interest
A. Nominating Committee
Should a member of the nominating committee have a conflict of interest with one or more of the potential candidates, the member will no longer serve on the committee. The President will select a replacement.
B. Board of Directors
Any member should disclose the nature of their relationship with a candidate and if a conflict exists with the nominee(s), the member will also recuse themselves from discussion and voting should the candidate move forward to the full Board vote.
V. Electing the Public Director
The Nominating Committee presents a consensus recommendation to the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors elects the Public Director with a majority vote.
Approved By/Date: Board of Directors | 1/2024
Next Revision Due: 1/2027