Enhancing audit committee leadership and influence
Audit committees play an extraordinarily important role in corporate governance. They are a critical player in establishing confidence and trust in capital markets by ensuring high-quality, reliable financial reporting. In addition, many audit committees are now charged with overseeing additional risks, including vitally important areas such as cybersecurity.
Chairing the audit committee of a large public company is difficult. There are no one-size-fits-all solutions. Success requires judgment, developed from personal experience and insight from others who have faced similar situations.
Since 2007, the Central Audit Committee Network (CACN) has helped its members—the chairs of the audit committees at large public companies—succeed. Three times each year, Central members gather for a confidential group discussion. The conversations sometimes feature world-class guests, but the members’ voices dominate, and the agendas are driven by the audit chairs.
Tapestry Networks orchestrates the network, building on 15 years of convening board leaders in meaningful conversations. Tapestry helps members prepare for meetings with insightful, original reading material that draws upon tailored research and pre-meeting interviews with members and other leading thinkers. The meetings are synthesized into post-meeting publications that can be shared with colleagues. Everything is done under a non-attribution agreement that ensures candor and protects personal and company confidentiality.
Our members include:
- Diane Aigotti, GATX
- Kapila Anand, Elanco Animal Health
- Bruce Besanko, Diebold Nixdorf
- Jeff Boromisa, Wolverine World Wide
- John Bryant, Ball Corp, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, and Compass Group
- Stuart Burgdoerfer, Progressive
- Pat Condon, Entergy
- Frank Dellaquila, Reliance Steel & Aluminum
- Candy Duncan, Discover Financial Services
- Lisa Flavin, Caleres
- Cheryl Francis, Morningstar
- Marla Gottschalk, Big Lots and Reynolds Consumer Products
- Mike Hanley, BorgWarner
- Rejji Hayes, Fortive
- Cara Heiden, Casey's General Stores
- Sandy Helton, OptiNose
- Jay Henderson, Illinois Tool Works and Northern Trust
- Frank Jaehnert, Nordson
- Ginger Jones, Tronox Holdings
- Laurette Koellner, Celestica, Nucor, and Papa John’s International
- Blythe McGarvie, LKQ Corporation
- Cary McMillan, Hyatt Hotels
- Michael Merriman, Regis
- Ralph Nicoletti, Arthur J. Gallagher
- Neil Novich, Hillenbrand
- Lisa Payne, Rockwell Automation
- Derrick Roman, WEX
- Abbie Smith, HNI
- Sherry Smith, Deere & Company
- Michael Todman, Brown-Forman
- Richard Wallman, Roper Technologies
- Phoebe Wood, Invesco and Leggett & Platt
- Ray Young, International Paper
PUBLICATIONS

