NACD Atlanta Chapter today announced that Cindy Baerman and Kelly Barrett have been named 2025 NACD Directorship 100™ honorees in the category of Directors.
ATLANTA, Oct. 30, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Presented annually by the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD), the NACD Directorship 100 Awards honor the most influential leaders in corporate governance. Each honoree is recognized for demonstrating excellence in the boardroom and advancing governance practices through innovation, integrity and courage.
Cindy Baerman serves on the Board for FPL Foods, Chair of the National Association of Corporate Directors – Atlanta, and as the CEO of Executive Advisory Services. As CEO of Executive Advisory Services, Ms. Baerman advises several CEOs in the arena's Sales Force Effectiveness, CEO Succession and Total Rewards Strategy in both High Growth Private and Large Public Companies.
Ms. Baerman previously served as Chair of the Compensation and Benefits Committee at Epi Breads and as Director with Quaker Maid Meats. As a Director on the Graphic Packaging International Limited Board, Ms. Baerman was integral identifying in two European acquisitions. Ms. Baerman has also served on several not-for-profit boards.
"As a NACD member over the past 15 years and a Certified Director, I am truly honored to receive this recognition. It is especially meaningful to be recognized with my fellow Board Member, Kelly Barrett, who has absolutely excelled in her Board Service over numerous Boards," said Ms. Baerman.
Kelly Barrett retired from The Home Depot as Senior Vice President-Home Services. In that role, she ran and oversaw the strategy of the $5 Billion Home Services division of The Home Depot.
Ms. Barrett serves on the Boards of Piedmont Realty Trust, where she is Chair of the Board and Chair of the Audit Committee, Americold Realty Trust, EVERTEC and Louisiana-Pacific Corporation. Ms. Barrett formally served on The Aaron's Company and State Bank Financial Corporation Boards. She holds the NACD Directorship Certification and the NACD Certificate in Cyber-Risk Oversight.
Ms. Barrett served on multiple non-profit boards including YMCA of Metro Atlanta where she was Chair of the Board, Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta, Partnership Against Domestic Violence and Atlanta Rotary Club. She is currently on the boards of NACD-Atlanta, Georgia Tech's Scheller Business School where she was Chair of the Board and Georgia Tech Board of Trustees where she is Chair-Elect.
"There is nothing more humbling and honoring than a peer who you deeply respect nominating you for such a special recognition. I am excited to be honored along with fellow NACD Atlanta Board member, Cindy Baerman, who continues to lead our chapter to new heights," said Ms. Barrett.
The 2025 NACD Directorship 100 Awards Gala will be held Dec. 11 in New York City.
The black-tie event will celebrate six distinct honors:
- B. Kenneth West Lifetime Achievement Award
- Public Company Director of the Year
- Private Company Director of the Year
- Nonprofit Director of the Year
- NACD Directorship 100: Directors
- NACD Directorship 100: Governance Professionals
"These honorees exemplify leadership excellence, making a lasting impact on the boardroom and beyond," Peter Gleason, CEO of NACD said. "We look forward to celebrating their achievements at our upcoming gala, where they will be recognized for their commitment to advancing governance and driving progress."
This year's honorees will also be featured in Directorship® magazine's annual coverage of the Most Influential People in Boardrooms and Corporate Governance.
For more information on the NACD Directorship 100 Awards and this year's honorees, click here.
About NACD
The National Association of Corporate Directors® (NACD®) is the leading member organization for corporate directors who want to expand their knowledge, grow their network and maximize their potential. For more than 47 years, NACD has helped boards and the business community elevate their performance and create long-term value. Our leadership continues to raise standards of excellence and advance board effectiveness at thousands of member companies.
NACD's value insights, professional development events and resources, such as the NACD Directors Summit™ and the NACD Directorship Certification® program, support boards in navigating complex challenges. With a growing network of more than 24,000 members across more than 20 Chapters, boards are better equipped to make well-informed decisions on the critical, strategic issues facing their businesses today. Learn more at www.nacdonline.org.
Media Contact
Marina Finnegan, MHC, NACD, 1 919-452-3603, [email protected], https://www.nacdonline.org/
SOURCE NACD
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