Whitman : Dean elected to Aflac board of directors
UPDATED: May 15, 2012, 4:25 p.m.
Melvin Stith, dean of the Martin J. Whitman School of Management, was elected to the board of directors of Aflac Inc. at the company’s annual meeting this month.
In April, Stith announced he would end his tenure as dean of Whitman, a position he has held since January 2005. He said his new position on the board of directors at Aflac is not related to his departure from Whitman and thathe thinks the two jobs are very complementary positions.
‘They really go hand in hand, it’s not a move from one to the other one,’ he said. ‘I have served on several other corporate boards, and I think it’s something that business school deans do.’
Stith said his seat on the board of directors at Aflac will have no effect on his departure from Syracuse University. His departure is scheduled for the end of the 2013 spring semester, but this date is subject to change should a viable replacement for Stith be found earlier.
Dan Amos, CEO of Aflac, offered Stith the position on the Aflac board of directors. Stith said he and Amos knew each other from their time serving together on another corporate board. Amos had previously asked Stith if he would be interested in a seat on the board if one were to become available.
‘We’re pleased to welcome Dr. Stith to the Aflac Incorporated board of directors,’ Amos said in a statement. ‘Dr. Stith brings a wealth of leadership skills, management experience and financial acumen to our board and we look forward to his many contributions.’
As a member of the board of directors, Stith said he will work with Amos and other senior members on the company’s strategic direction; travel to and learn about the market in Japan, where Aflac does 80 percent of its business; and serve on the governance committee.
Stith said holding such a position would have positive effects for Whitman, as it would foster relationships with CEOs and CFOs and give students the ability to meet with and learn about the work done at various companies.
Amos visited the university in 2011, shortly after the tsunami in Japan, Stith said. Amos spoke with students about being a CEO of a company that does significant business in a country in the wake of a natural disaster.
Said Stith: ‘We use these relationships to do a lot of different things to make the business school better.’
Published on May 15, 2012 at 12:00 pm
Contact Casey: cffabris@syr.edu | @caseyfabris
