Society of Corporate Secretaries and Governance Professionals Elects New Chair and Directors at 2015 National Conference

CHICAGO, June 26, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The Society of Corporate Secretaries and Governance Professionals ("Society") is pleased to announce the election of Dannette L. Smith as Chair of the Society's Board of Directors for the 2015-2016 year. Ms. Smith is Secretary to the Board for UnitedHealth Group Incorporated in Minnetonka, Minnesota. Ms. Smith was a member of the Board of Directors from 2009 to 2014 and has served in various Society leadership capacities, including as chair of the Nominating and Governance Committee, chair of the Corporate Practices Committee and President of the Twin Cities Chapter. Ms. Smith takes office this week at the Society's 69^th National Conference in Chicago, Illinois.

Shelley J. Dropkin, Deputy Corporate Secretary & General Counsel, Corporate Governance at Citigroup Inc. in New York, New York, was elected Chair-Elect of the Society's Board for 2015-2016. Ms. Dropkin was a member of the Board of Directors from 2008 to 2012 and served as chair of the National Conference Committee in 2014 and President of the New York Chapter in 2007-2008.

The following Society members were elected to the Board of Directors:

• Kristin Caplice, Vice President, Senior Corporate Compliance and Governance Counsel, Cimpress
• Corinna B. Cherian, Vice President and SEC Counsel, City National Bank
• Angela Hilt, Vice President, Corporate Secretary & Associate General Counsel, The Clorox Company
• Jeffrey Iredell, Director of Sales, CT Corporation
• Christoph Pereira, Chief Corporate, Securities & Finance Counsel, General Electric Company
• Wendy C. Skjerven, Corporate Secretary, Vice President-Associate Group, General Counsel, Travelers Companies, Inc.

This year's conference titled Connect ǀ Communicate ǀ Collaborate had over 800 attendees who had  the opportunity to attend their choice of over 30 breakout sessions that focused on a variety of topics designed for governance professionals at public companies of all sizes, as well as private and nonprofit entities.

The conference featured an opening address by Mary Jo White, Chair, U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission, luncheon speaker David Axelrod, Former Senior Advisor to President Obama, Author, Former Reporter & Columnist for the Chicago Tribune and ABC News political commentator, and closing speaker syndicated columnist and bestselling author Cokie Roberts. There was also a session titled Board Oversight of Cybersecurity Risk featuring Richard A. Clarke, Chairman and CEO, Good Harbor Security Risk Management.

About the Society of Corporate Secretaries and Governance Professionals
Founded in 1946, the Society is a professional association of over 3,200 governance professionals who serve 1,800 public, private and not for profit companies of most every size and industry. Its members support the work of corporate boards and executive management regarding corporate governance and disclosure, compliance with the corporate and securities laws and regulations, and stock exchange listing requirements.

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SOURCE Society of Corporate Secretaries and Governance Professionals

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