Catalyst’s Former President & CEO Ilene H. Lang Named to NACD Hall of Fame (Media Release)

NEW YORK (August 7, 2014)—Catalyst announces that Ilene H. Lang, Former President & CEO, Senior Advisor,  and Honorary Director, Catalyst, will be inducted into the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) Hall of Fame, which is made up of a select group of individuals whose influence on corporate governance is recognized by boardroom members across the United States. Ms. Lang and the other honorees will be celebrated during the NACD Directorship 100 Gala on December 3 in New York City, along with those named to the 2014 NACD Directorship 100, the annual list recognizing leading corporate directors, corporate governance experts, policymakers, and influencers who significantly impact boardroom practices and performance.

“As the advocate for the profession of directorship, NACD is honored to recognize these leaders for their commitment to excellence and insights both in and around the boardroom,” said NACD President & CEO Ken Daly.

“This recognition honors Ilene’s deeply personal and professional commitment to Catalyst’s global mission of changing workplaces and lives by advancing more women to corporate board service and leadership positions,” says Deborah Gillis, President  & CEO, Catalyst. “As a leader and board director, Ilene is a role model, working tirelessly to show companies the benefits of having more women on boards, and giving them concrete ways to tap the talents of board-ready women.”

In the 10 years that Ms. Lang led Catalyst (from 2003 to 2013), among her top priorities was increasing women’s representation on corporate boards, and she spearheaded initiatives, such as the Alliance for Board Diversity, and more recently, the Catalyst Corporate Board Resource program. To recognize her work, Catalyst established the Lang Legacy Fund, an individual giving program meant to sustain the growth she directed, and honor her impact on the world of women and business.

Even before coming to Catalyst, Ms. Lang was a champion for advancing women to board service. She broke barriers as a pioneering woman in the tech sector, becoming founding CEO of AltaVista Internet Software Inc. and Senior Vice President of the Desktop Business Group at Lotus Development Corporation. She has served on numerous corporate, private, and nonprofit boards, including Adaptec(acquired by PMC), Art Technology Group (acquired by Oracle), Planet All (acquired by Amazon), and the Tufts Health Plan. Ms. Lang is a member of the National Board Development Committee of the Girl Scouts of the USA and served on the Global Agenda Council on Women’s Empowerment at the World Economic Forum from 2008-2014. In 2013, she was awarded the Foreign Policy Association Medal.

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ABOUT CATALYST
Founded in 1962, Catalyst is the leading nonprofit organization expanding opportunities for women and business. With operations in the United States, Canada, Europe, India, Australia, and Japan, and more than 700 members, Catalyst is the trusted resource for research, information, and advice about women at work. Catalyst annually honors exemplary organizational initiatives that promote women’s advancement with the Catalyst Award.

ABOUT NACD
The National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) is the advocate for the profession of directorship and the recognized authority focused on advancing exemplary board leadership and establishing leading boardroom practices. Informed by more than 35 years of experience, NACD delivers insights and resources that more than 14,000 corporate director members rely upon to make sound strategic decisions and confidently confront complex business challenges. NACD provides world-class director education programs, national peer-exchange forums, and proprietary research to promote director professionalism, ultimately enhancing the economic sustainability of the enterprise and bolstering stakeholder confidence. Fostering collaboration among directors, investors, and governance stakeholders, NACD is shaping the future of board leadership.