7:45 a.m. - 8:15 a.m. Registration and Networking
8:15 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. Program
Few companies today are immune from shareholder activism, and the pace of new campaigns continues to accelerate. While front-page headlines highlight large company activist campaigns, smaller-cap companies are the primary target of activist investors. What trends are emerging in public activism? Besides board composition, what are the focus areas for campaigns? This program includes key learnings and case-study sharing from an experienced team of board directors with direct involvement in activist campaigns.
Don't miss this program for directors who want to be prepared for a high-probability encounter with activist shareholders.
Speakers VenueUniversity of Miami School of Business
5250 University Drive
Coral Gables, FL 33146
Member Price: Complimentary
Non-Member Price: $35
1 Collaborative Credits
President
Evelyn D'An is an experienced independent board director and chair of audit, compensation, and nominating/governance committees, as well as a CFO, former Big 4 audit partner, and Hispanic business leader. She spent 18 years with EY where she served clients in retail, consumer products, technology, financial services, media, and other sectors. She was also senior vice president of Finance and Accounting for Brightstar Corp., a Miami-based $5 billion global distributor and service provider for the wireless industry, and the CFO of Brightstar ERV (ERecycling Verizon).
Partner
Keith E. Gottfried focuses his practice on advising public companies in a broad array of industries on shareholder activism defense matters. As the head of the firm’s top-ranked shareholder activism defense practice, Keith advises public companies on preparing for and/or responding to activist shareholder campaigns, including high-profile proxy contests, special meeting demands, consent solicitations, and withhold vote campaigns, as well as unsolicited takeover offers and negotiated and contested M&A situations. Keith also advises public companies and their boards on strategies for making a company less vulnerable to activist shareholders, shareholder engagement, investor communications, corporate governance issues, board composition enhancement, and other board advisory matters.
Director
Mr. Lowell W. Robinson serves as Director of Aratana Therapeutics, Inc. since May 21, 2018. He served as Chief Financial Officer at Vertro, Inc. (also known as, MIVA. Inc.) from December 18, 2006 to March 13, 2009 and also served as its Chief Operating Officer from August 15, 2007 to March 13, 2009. Mr. Robinson served as Chief Administrative Officer at Vertro, Inc. since December 18, 2006 and also served as its Principal Accounting Officer. He served as Chief Financial Officer of PRT Group. Previously, he served as the Chief Financial Officer and Chief Administrative Officer at HotJobs.com Ltd., an online recruiting and job search engine, from 2000 to 2002 when HotJobs.com Ltd. was sold to Yahoo! Inc. He is a highly regarded financial and operating executive with thirty years of global strategic, financial, turnaround and M&A experience.
Director
A highly respected veteran retailer, J. David Scheiner is the former Chairman of the Board of Directors of Perry Ellis International, and is currently a member of the Board of Directors of the Strategic Forum and a board member of the Florida Chapter of NACD. David is a board member and business consultant for SIB, a fixed cost reduction company and a member of the Board of Directors of Anatomie, a Luxury Woman’s apparel company. He is also an international business consultant to companies in the retail and wholesale fields, as well as investment banks and private equity groups investing in the consumer retail industry. David served as the president and chief operating officer of Macy's Florida/Puerto Rico, a division of Macy's Inc., before retiring in 2009. With $2 billion in revenue and over 10,000 employees, Macy's Florida/Puerto Rico is a department store well known for its ability to understand its diverse market.
