A board member by design… but not default
Avedon was serving as Merck’s CHRO in 2005 when she was appointed to her first board seat at Lincoln Financial — certainly an unconventional place for someone without a background in insurance. However, she joined at the encouragement of the company’s board chair and CEO. He told her that he already had plenty of insurance experts, but really needed someone to bring a human capital lens to the board.
That early experience shaped her board philosophy: Board directors need more than technical skills — they need to be strategic partners who understand people, process and transformation. Avedon’s subsequent board roles, including currently serving on Generac, Acuity and Cornerstone Building Brands, highlight the breadth of experience and expertise she brings to the boards.
“Boards want more than HR,” she said. “My M&A, global experience and transformation work matter just as much.”
Shaping board culture and building trust
Bennett Morgan, lead director at Generac, said that the board sought Avedon because of what he called her “strategic chops.”
Avedon is currently the chair of the Compensation and Human Capital Committee for Generac, helping to drive improvements to leadership development and succession planning at the company. She has built trust among her fellow directors and with management on these critical and sensitive matters. Bennett credits her with “moving the rock up the hill” on process and consistency.
“We wanted a CHRO, but not just a specialist,” he said. “And importantly, she’s a seasoned business leader, not just an HR expert…. We couldn’t get where we needed to be until Marcia joined.”
“CHRO-plus”
Indeed, Avedon’s board contributions amount to something akin to a “strategic specialist” — an HR expert whose impact is felt well beyond that one area. She has proven adept at facilitating difficult boardroom conversations and in coaching and mentoring fellow directors as they embark on board service.
“I call it CHRO-plus,” she said. Avedon coaches other CHROs seeking board positions and asks, “What are all of the other areas of your experience that could prove valuable to a board?”
Avedon and Morgan are candid about why CHROs remain relative rarities on boards. There are limited spots, for one thing. Further, decision makers often have only limited exposure to truly strategic CHROs.
“If they’ve never worked with a world-class CHRO, they just don’t see it.” Bennett adds, “Most of the great companies are human capital–driven, led by strategic CHROs at the table with the CEO — not just on people, but on strategy.”
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Marcia Avedon’s board career is a testament to the strategic value CHROs bring — not just in talent and culture, but in governance, strategy and transformation. Her story offers a powerful argument for why boards should look beyond traditional backgrounds, and why strategically minded CHROs can be such a powerful force as directors. As companies face accelerating change, the missing voice in the boardroom may be the one best equipped to help them thrive.