Corporate Governance Committee and Nomination of Directors - 2005 Proxy Statement - Duke Energy
Duke Energy

Corporate Governance Committee and Nomination of Directors

All the members of the Corporate Governance Committee have been affirmatively determined to be independent within the meaning of the listing standards of the New York Stock Exchange and Duke Energy's categorical standards of independence.

The Corporate Governance Committee recommends nominees to the Board of Directors, within the limits of the Restated Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws, as amended. The Corporate Governance Committee believes that each nominee for election to the Board of Directors should:

  • Possess fundamental qualities of intelligence, perceptiveness, good judgment, maturity, high ethics and standards, integrity and fairness.
  • Have a genuine interest in Duke Energy and a recognition that, as a member of the Board, one is accountable to the shareholders of Duke Energy, not to any particular interest group.
  • Have, as a general rule, a background that includes broad business experience or demonstrates an understanding of business and financial affairs and the complexities of a large, multifaceted, global business organization.
  • Be the present or former chief executive officer, chief operating officer, or substantially equivalent level executive officer of a highly complex organization such as a corporation, university or major unit of government, or a professional who regularly advises such organizations.
  • Have no conflict of interest or legal impediment which would interfere with the duty of loyalty owed to Duke Energy and its shareholders.
  • Have the ability and be willing to spend the time required to function effectively as a director.
  • Be compatible and able to work well with other directors and executives in a team effort with a view to a long-term relationship with Duke Energy as a director.
  • Have independent opinions and be willing to state them in a constructive manner.
  • Be a shareholder of Duke Energy (within a reasonable time of election to the Board).

Any shareholder who desires to nominate or recommend an individual as a nominee to the Board of Directors should submit the recommendation in writing to the Corporate Secretary, Duke Energy Corporation, P. O. Box 1006, Charlotte, NC 28201-1006 with the proper notice, as provided in the By-Laws, as amended, between 90 and 120 days prior to the first anniversary of the previous year's annual meeting (for the 2006 annual meeting, the Corporate Secretary must receive this notice on or after January 12, 2006, and on or before February 11, 2006), and should include the following information:

  • the name and address of the recommending shareholder(s), and the class and number of shares of capital stock of Duke Energy that are beneficially owned by the recommending shareholder(s);
  • the name, age, business address and principal occupation and employment of the recommended nominee;
  • any information relevant to a determination of whether the recommended nominee meets the criteria for Board of Directors membership established by the Board of Directors and/or the Corporate Governance Committee;
  • any information regarding the recommended nominee relevant to a determination of whether the recommended nominee would be considered independent under the applicable New York Stock Exchange rules, all other information relating to the recommended nominee that is required to be disclosed in solicitations for proxies in an election of directors pursuant to Regulation 14A under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including, without limitation, information regarding (1) the recommended nominee's business experience over the past five years, (2) the class and number of shares of capital stock of Duke Energy, if any, that are beneficially owned by the recommended nominee and (3) material relationships or transactions, if any, between the recommended nominee and Duke Energy or Duke Energy's management;
  • a description of any business or personal relationships between the recommended nominee and the recommending shareholder(s);
  • a statement, signed by the recommended nominee, (1) verifying the accuracy of the biographical and other information about the nominee that is submitted with the recommendation and (2) affirming the recommended nominee's willingness to be a director; and
  • if the recommending shareholder(s) has beneficially owned more than 5% of Duke Energy's voting stock for at least one year as of the date the recommendation is made, evidence of such beneficial ownership as specified in the rules and regulations of the SEC.

The Corporate Governance Committee considers individuals recommended by shareholders in the same manner and to the same extent as it considers director nominees identified by other means. The Chairman of the Corporate Governance Committee will make exploratory contacts with those nominees whose skills, experiences, qualifications and personal attributes satisfy those that the Corporate Governance Committee has identified as essential for a nominee to possess, as described above. Then, an opportunity will be arranged for the members of the Corporate Governance Committee or as many members as can do so to meet the potential nominees. The Corporate Governance Committee will then select a nominee to recommend to the Board of Directors for consideration and appointment. Board members appointed in this manner will serve, absent unusual circumstances, until their election by Duke Energy's shareholders at the next annual meeting of shareholders.

The Corporate Governance Committee has retained Spencer Stuart & Associates, a global executive search firm, to identify and evaluate potential candidates for the Board of Directors.

The Corporate Governance Committee has recently recommended to the Board of Directors the appointment of James H. Hance, Jr., the recently retired vice chairman of Bank of America Corporation, as a director. Duke Energy is in the process of submitting an application to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for a waiver of its regulation concerning interlocking directorates. Once that waiver has been obtained, the Board of Directors will consider the appointment of Mr. Hance as a director. Since the FERC waiver is not expected to be received until after the 2005 annual meeting, Mr. Hance is not being submitted as a nominee for election as director at the 2005 annual meeting. If appointed, Mr. Hance will stand for election at the 2006 annual meeting.