Gerald L. Holm began his career with the Boeing Company in Huntsville, Alabama as a Research Engineer on the Saturn V Space Program in 1962. His assignment was trajectory computation and analysis. He left Huntsville in 1969 to go to Boeing's Seattle Aerospace operations.
Mr. Holm joined Beneficial Corporation in 1970 as part of a team overseeing the development and installation of a data processing network that would link Beneficial's 1,800 loan offices to a centralized computer center. He became President of Beneficial Data Processing Corporation in 1974. He assumed the responsibility for mergers and acquisitions in 1978 and became a director and member of the executive committee of the Beneficial Board of Directors in 1980. He retired as Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors in 1987 and remained a director until 1998.
Mr. Holm was born and raised in Houston, Texas and graduated in 1962 from Texas Tech University with a master of science degree in mathematics.
Robert C. Clark was the Dean and Royall Professor of Law at Harvard Law School from 1989 through July 2003. He then served as the Harvard University Distinguished Service Professor until July 2020, when he retired and became Professor Emeritus. An authority on corporate law and corporate governance, he's written numerous law review articles and book chapters, as well as a one-volume treatise, Corporate Law, which was hailed as "the paradigm for future student texts."
Clark was a member of the board of directors of Omnicom Group, Inc. from 2002 until May 2020. In addition, for 28 years, until July 2016, he served as a trustee of TIAA, for much of that time he chaired the TIAA nominating and governance committee. From 2004 until 2018, he was on the board of directors of Time Warner Inc., where he also chaired the nominating and governance committee during much of his tenure.
A graduate of Maryknoll College, Professor Clark received his Ph.D. in philosophy from Columbia University and earned his J.D. magna cum laude from Harvard Law School in 1972.
Eileen D. Dickey joined Beneficial Corporation in 1982 where she was later promoted to the position of Manager in Beneficial's tax group. When Beneficial merged with Household International Inc., she joined Knickerbocker LLC and continued to manage many aspects of The Hodson Trust, including communications with the individual and charitable trust beneficiaries. Thereafter, she was appointed President of Hodson Services LLC where she oversees the day-to-day administration and operation of the Trust.
For many years, Ms. Dickey served as Chairman of United Cerebral Palsy of Morris/Somerset of Chester, New Jersey, as well as a board member of United Cerebral Palsy of New Jersey. Following a transfer to Delaware, she served on the board of Nativity Preparatory School of Wilmington, Delaware, during its founding years.
Daniel R. O'Brien joined Beneficial Corporation in 1984 as assistant vice president of internal audit of the Beneficial Insurance Group, and ascended to the position of chief executive officer. In 1998, Beneficial merged with Household International Inc. At that time, he was named managing director and chief executive officer of Household's insurance group and assumed responsibility for the combined insurance operations of the merged companies. He served in that capacity until his retirement from Household in 2002.
During his career, Mr. O'Brien served as a board member of several insurance industry associations.
Mr. O'Brien received his bachelor's degree in mathematics and business from Long Island University, and his master's degree in business administration from Boston University.
Keith L. Pladsen joined Beneficial Corporation in 1973 as assistant manager and ascended to the position of president of Beneficial's northeast group. In 1998, when Beneficial merged with Household International Inc., he was named general manager of the eastern region of the corporation and, later transferred to the United Kingdom, as Director of the personal banking operation. After several years, Mr. Pladsen was re-assigned to Household's corporate offices in Illinois where he was group director of strategic initiatives, the Sales Contract Group, and the Quality Assurance Group. In 2003, following the merger of Household and HSBC Holdings plc, he was responsible for various projects including the conversion of Household's legal document systems to HSBC platforms. He remained at HSBC until his retirement in 2008.
Mr. Pladsen is a member of the board of directors of the Yardley Makefield Emergency Unit of Yardley, Pennsylvania, served on the board of directors of Junior Achievement of New Jersey, and volunteered at the McCarter Theater of Princeton, New Jersey.
