10.1 List Board members.
10.2 Summarize any recent Board changes.
10.3 Provide biographies of Board members.
10.4 What other corporations are Board members associated with? Are they important? Why?
10.5 List any other news items about Board members (social clubs, political activity).
10.6 Summarize which Board members are most vulnerable.
Basic information on the Board of Directors is available on the Form DEF14A (the Proxy Statement) from the SEC’s EDGAR database, as well as in the company annual report and the company web page. Little Sis allows you to search by individual, and shows how they connect to others in industry and government.
Rank and Filed uses SEC documents to create graphs of corporate interlocks.
Use a general news search to look more carefully at board activity. Also, make sure to examine local newspapers and media outlets in the city in which the firm is located. Some of this information may not show up in a general search.
Firms and top management are increasingly using a variety of social media, and it is becoming an important research tool. LinkedIn is a popular business social-networking site. You need to be a member to search (membership is free), and you can search by companies as well as individuals. Facebook is becoming very popular with individuals and firms, and can be a great source of information. You need to be a member but membership is free.
Public databases available through government agencies may provide important information on individuals. Secretary of State offices often provide corporate databases that include lists of officers, such as a board of directors (an example from Massachusetts here).
UMass Resources (for UMass students only)
Mergent Online is the best site for accessing SEC documents, as well as gathering additional information on directors.
ABI/ Inform Global is a comprehensive source for business news.