Jarvis V. Hollingsworth’s path to board service was unorthodox, coming from a background as a lawyer rather than a C-suite executive. His early board experience came through nonprofit and government appointments. His first publicly traded corporate board opportunity arose unexpectedly during an interview for a General Counsel position. Hollingsworth believes his unique combination of skills, including his military leadership experience and corporate governance expertise, made him an attractive board candidate. He acknowledges that race likely played a factor in his appointments after meeting the core qualifications.
Hollingsworth has seen firsthand how diversity of backgrounds and thought has positively impacted board decisions. He advises aspiring directors that each path to the boardroom is different, and opportunities can arise from unexpected places. He recommends candidates assess their own experiences and potential contributions to target the most suitable board opportunities. Hollingsworth emphasizes the importance of functional knowledge over deep industry expertise, noting the expanding range of skills boards seek today, such as technology and human resources.
To establish himself as a peer despite initial doubts, Hollingsworth focused on being the best director he could technically – always well-prepared, participating actively, and offering strategic insights. He believes minority representation on boards will level off but not increase significantly in the coming years. Hollingsworth advocates for making the business case for diversity, emphasizing how minority directors with great experience strengthen the boardroom and company performance. He also highlights the role of institutional investors in promoting diversity and suggests a fair process where candidates of all backgrounds are considered. His parting advice to aspiring directors is to identify their skills and passions, work their networks, build relationships with search firms, and excel in their current roles to showcase their strengths.
