Business Ethics: Why Good People Do Bad Things?

Thursday, May 15, 2008
7:30 – 9:30AM
Location: WSGR

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What is “ethics?”  What role should it play in business decisions?  How do companies develop an ethical culture? How do ethical companies compete against competitors who may not be ethical, i.e., are ethical companies at a competitive disadvantage?  Conversely, do ethical practices really increase shareholder value?  What are the respective roles of the board and management in maintaining ethical practices?  Join our expert panel as we review a case study on business ethics, discuss the common traits in companies suffering an ethical collapse and explore the attributes of ethical corporations.

The NACD Silicon Valley Chapter is pleased to present this joint program with Santa Clara University’s Markkula Center for Applied Ethics.

Our panel consists of:

Jim Balassone

Mr. Balassone directs the business ethics programs of the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University. He manages the Center’s cornerstone offering in this area, the Business and Organizational Ethics Partnership.  Balassone has worked with boards, executives, and management teams on the topics of business ethics, obstacles to effective ethical behavior, and implementing campaigns for improving ethical culture.  Prior to joining the Ethics Center, he worked at several start-ups, was executive vice president for marketing and then sales at Hitachi Data Systems, and held a broad range of line and staff positions at IBM.  Balassone serves in various volunteer alumni roles for his alma mater, Princeton University. He holds an MBA in finance from New York University.

Mark Bertelsen

Mr. Bertelsen is a senior partner at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati.  He joined the firm in 1972, was the firm’s Managing Partner from 1990 to 1996 and has advised senior management of technology companies for over 30 years.  He received his law degree (J.D.) from Boalt Hall School of Law, University of California, Berkeley, in 1969, and a B.A. in political science from the University of California, Santa Barbara, in 1966.  Mr. Bertelsen currently serves on the Board of Directors of Autodesk, Inc. and Informatica Corporation and is a Trustee of the U.C. Santa Barbara Foundation, having served as its Chair from 2001 — 2003.

David Sugishita

Mr. Sugishita serves as the Non-executive Chairman and Chairman of the Audit Committee as well as the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee of Atmel Corporation.  He also serves as a Director and Chairman of the Audit Committee for Ditech Networks as well as a Director for Micro Component Technology.  Since 2000, Mr. Sugishita has taken various short-term assignments including EVP of Special Projects at Peregrine Systems from December 2003 to July 2004 and EVP/CFO at SONICblue, Inc. from January 2002 to April 2002.  Prior to 2000, Mr. Sugishita held various senior financial management positions at Synopsys (SVP/CFO) from 1997 to 2000; Actel (SVP/CFO) from 1995 to 1997; Micro Component Technology (SVP/CFO) from 1994 to 1995; Applied Materials (VP/Corporate Controller) from 1991 to 1994; and National Semiconductor (VP/Finance) from 1978 to 1991.  Mr. Sugishita holds degrees in business administration from San Jose State University (B.S.) and Santa Clara University (M.B.A.).

Moderator, Richard C. Blake

Mr. Blake is a senior associate at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, where he practices corporate and securities law.  He specializes in private and public offerings, public company representation, mergers and acquisitions, and corporate governance counseling.  Prior to joining the firm, he clerked for Judge J. Clifford Wallace of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and Justice I. Daniel Stewart of the Utah Supreme Court.  Mr. Blake holds a law degree (J.D.) and B.A. in English from Brigham Young University.  Mr. Blake has worked with the NACD Silicon Valley Chapter since 2005 and currently serves as a member of its board of directors