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 2012, the Southwest Audit Committee Network (SWACN) has helped its members—the chairs of the audit committees at large public companies—succeed. Four times each year, Southwest 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:
- Curt Anastasio, Chemours and Par Pacific Holdings
- Mark Baldwin, KBR, Inc.
- Lee Canaan, EQT Corp
- John Carrig, Forum Energy
- Vanessa Chang, Transocean
- Nick Chirekos, Peabody
- Marcela Donadio, Norfolk Southern and NOV
- Barbara Duganier, MRC Global
- Rodney Eads, NOW Inc.
- Paulett Eberhart, LPL Financial Holdings
- Ryan Edone, LGI Homes
- Marty Ellen, Eagle Materials
- Donna Epps, Texas Pacific Land Trust and Texas Roadhouse
- Teri Fontenot, AMN Healthcare Services
- Tom Gilligan, KB Home
- Sue Gove, IAA, Inc.
- Lou Grabowsky, Griffon Corporation
- Mark Hawkins, Toast
- Mercedes Johnson, Synopsys and Teradyne
- Don Kendall, Talos Energy
- Debbie Kissire, Celanese
- Holli Ladhani, Marathon Oil
- Cathy Lego, Guidewire Software
- Teresa Madden, Cooper Companies and Enbridge
- Gil Marmol, Foot Locker
- Ellen Masterson, Insperity
- Angela Minas, Crestwood Equity Partners and Vallourec
- Royce Mitchell, Pioneer Natural Resources
- Mary Ricciardello, Devon Energy
- Don Robillard, Cheniere Energy and Helmerich & Payne
- Brenda Shroer, Antero Resources
- Dunia Shive, Kimberly-Clark and Trinity Industries
- Janice Stipp, ArcBest Corporation
- Hilliard Terry, Upstart Holdings
- Valerie Williams, Devon Energy and DTE Energy
- Billie Williamson, Cushman & Wakefield
- Laura Wright, CMS Energy
PUBLICATIONS
July 2023 Major allegations and significant suspected frauds trigger board-led investigations. Costly, complex, and time consuming, these investigations often involve financial, accounting,
April 2023 Audit committee agendas have never been more crowded. A volatile macroeconomic environment, a spate of new reporting requirements, and rapidly evolving technologies all mean that a
December 2022 As business, regulatory, and risk environments evolve and become increasingly complex, internal audit (IA) must also evolve. In addition to providing objective assurance, internal
August 2022 Most board members agree that a company’s greatest asset is its people. The pandemic has thrust people, talent, and leadership into the forefront of large public company boards’ co
April 2022 Cybersecurity oversight is a challenge for the board of every large company. The threat landscape is constantly changing; Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is the latest in a string of
November 2021 Environmental and social issues dominated the 2021 proxy season. Companies faced pressure from investors, employees, customers, and regulators to both enhance their environmental,
