WASHINGTON, DC, May 16, 2005 -- BoardSource, the premier source for nonprofit governance information, today announced the release of the Assessment of the Chief Executive online tool, co-authored by BoardSource and Josh Mintz and Jane Pierson of Cavanaugh, Hagan and Pierson, Inc.

Assessing the chief executive is one of the board's primary governance responsibilities and is critical to the success of the chief executive and the organization as a whole, especially in today's environment of increased media and IRS scrutiny. A nonprofit board should carefully document the assessment process and establish a plan for measuring performance based on the organization's strategic objectives.

"When a board fails to conduct an annual assessment of the chief executive, it loses opportunities to shape the CEO's future performance, to reward the CEO for a job well done, and to counsel the CEO towards better performance," said Deborah Hechinger, president and CEO of BoardSource. "This can create high turnover in the CEO position, an expensive and undesirable consequence of a board's inaction."

The Assessment of the Chief Executive tool is designed to help the nonprofit board evaluate the performance of the chief executive, provide honest feedback, set goals for the upcoming year and document the assessment practice. It can also assist with setting an appropriate chief executive compensation package. The online tool includes questions based on the principles of best practices and standards for nonprofit chief executives, and provides a consistent point of comparison from year-to-year. In addition, responses to the Assessment of the Chief Executive are anonymous, enabling board members to share information and opinions more openly.

The Assessment of the Chief Executive is available for purchase at http://www.boardsource.org/assessment or by calling 800-883-6262. The tool is also available in print format.

BoardSource

BoardSource, formerly the National Center for Nonprofit Boards, is dedicated to increasing the effectiveness of nonprofit organizations by strengthening boards of directors. Through programs and services, BoardSource provides solutions and tools to improve board performance, acts as a convener and facilitator in the development of knowledge about boards, promotes changes and innovation to strengthen governance, and serves as an advocate for the value of board service and the importance of effective governance. BoardSource is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

Web Site: http://www.boardsource.org