2005 BoardWalk Governance Fellows announced

October 1st marked the start of our fourth year of service to nonprofit organizations and the foundations and people who support them. In honor of our mission, advancing excellence in the boardroom^SM, we are pleased once again to name several recipients of our now-annual BoardWalk Governance Fellowships.

This year, we are pleased to announce four Fellowship winners from three southern states: Kathy Bremer, Liz Brister, Dorothy Jordan, and Bettie Murchison. In addition, Harvard was so impressed with the calibre of our applicants that, through the generosity of an anonymous donor, HBS was able to offer financial support to two additional nominees, Maureen Darcey and Carolyn Lovett.

Our fellowship provides tuition support for a volunteer board member of a mid-sized nonprofit to attend the highly acclaimed Harvard Business School course entitled "Governing for Excellence: Critical Issues for Board Leadership." Taught by leading professors from several of Harvard's graduate schools, the course attracts some 70 board members from nonprofits and foundations in the US and a dozen or so other countries each year.

Special thanks to our selection advisory committee--Anne Skae, Chair of the Center for the Visually Impaired; Emily-May Richards, Vice-Chair of the Atlanta Women's Foundation; and Rick Hirsekorn, Chair of the Chatthoochee Nature Center--for their assistance in helping us choose from among the 33 nominees for this year's Fellowships.

Habitat for Humanity launches search for General Counsel

Just as this month's smorgasBoard was going to press, Habitat for Humanity, the world's most famous ecumenical housing ministry, asked BoardWalk to assist in its search for a new Vice President and General Counsel. Reporting to the new CEO of Habitat for Humanity International, the GC will be responsible for developing and implementing the organization's legal strategy in support of worldwide operations.

We will be developing fuller details in the coming days, but it is clear that HFHI will be searching for a senior legal advisor well-versed in such areas as risk management, international transactions, trademark and copyrights, employment, contracts, fair housing, real estate. Experience with tax-exempt organizations would be a decided plus, as would a passion for Habitat's mission.

If you or a senior attorney you respect is ready to move from success to significance, please contact us for further details. We are actively seeking candidates who bring diverse experiences and perspectives to the organization's senior management team.

Habitat and its affiliates now build houses in over 100 countries, so the breadth of responsibilities is truly awesome.

"The Business of Growth," February 20-22, 2006

Southern California weather, best-of-class practitioners in marketing and state-of-the-art tools should make a winning combination for a compelling conference next February on nonprofit marketing.

Entitled The Business of Growth: Mission, Message and Measures, the conference will bring together peers and best thinkers on growth issues critical to your nonprofit. Sponsored jointly by the American Marketing Association and the AMA Foundation, the conference will be of special interest to board members, EDs and any other nonprofit leader interested in the link between an organization's mission, its marketing and its impact.

Please join us in San Diego from February 20 through 22, 2006. Full disclosure: BoardWalk's Sam Pettway has the privilege of chairing the conference planning committee.