As the Harvard Business School confronts the challenges of the 21st century, the support and guidance of its graduates are more critical than ever. Three advisory boards, staffed by volunteer alumni and other distinguished business leaders, offer HBS direction and support when looking toward the future. The Alumni Association Board of Directors, the Board of the Directors of the Associates, and the Visiting Committee all assist HBS in ways that bring a valuable viewpoint to the School. James C. Schroeder, executive director of External Relations, believes the members of these boards "act as an important set of eyes and ears to our external constituency." Their ideas and perspectives "help us think about the direction the School should take in a very complex and ever-changing social and economic environment." Through these insights, HBS gains a better sense of where its success lies, in which direction it should proceed, and what the future may bring.

The Alumni Association Board of Directors

The Alumni Association Board of Directors serves as an important link between alumni and the School. Comprising some 45 graduates, the board holds three formal meetings a year to communicate the interests and concerns of HBS alumni worldwide to the Dean, faculty, students, and staff of Harvard Business School. Members work to enhance the well-being of HBS alumni and improve the ongoing education and participation of all HBS graduates. As president of the board, Edmund A. Hajim (MBA '64) feels his volunteer work not only has helped make measurable differences, but has allowed him to "make a special contribution by working on ways to connect the alumni to the School." Hajim, chairman and CEO of ING Furman Selz, considers alumni to be one of the School's most important resources. His bimonthly status reports in the Bulletin keep alumni informed about the board's ongoing work.

The Board of the Directors of the Associates

The Associates of Harvard Business School are individuals that have close personal and strategic ties to HBS. The goal of the Board of the Directors of the Associates (BDA) is to help the Dean deal with the challenges that affect the School and its senior faculty. Made up of 130 alumni, friends, and their spouses, the BDA meets once a year to provide feedback on the School's latest programs and initiatives. By focusing on current research, course development, administrative and organizational challenges, and strategic governance issues facing the School, the BDA plays an important role in offering both counsel and support. According to BDA chairman Raymond V. Gilmartin (MBA '68), chairman, president, and CEO of Merck & Co., "The interaction between the board, the Dean, and the faculty is very open and candid. It's clear to me, and to all members of the board, that our ideas and challenges are valued and that they do make a difference." It is this easy interaction that fosters the BDA's positive and effective support of the School.

The Visiting Committee

The Visiting Committee, created to offer outside assistance and expert advice, reviews what is happening at HBS, meets annually, and reports to the University's Board of Overseers every three years. By appraising the School's goals and how they are achieved, the committee acts as an independent sounding board and provides informal advice on the direction of the School. Chairman C.D. ("Dick") Spangler, Jr. (MBA '56), president emeritus of The University of North Carolina, finds his work on the committee both rewarding and a great honor. He believes that "if Harvard is successful in its efforts, business leadership in the United States and around the world will be strengthened." Moving HBS in a focused direction through the process of evaluation is a great advantage. The committee, consisting of some 47 HBS alumni and academics from other universities, acts as an external source of knowledge and offers a valuable outside perspective on the state of the School.

— Elena N. Berg

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