Celebrating 15 Years

Chandra

McCormack

C-Level

Channel Advisory

Dallas,

Texas

2023 Cohort

Industry

Consumer Products

Area of Expertise

Finance

Immediately Qualified to Serve

Audit

Previous Board Experience

Nonprofit, Private

Chandra McCormack is a Chief Financial Officer (CFO, financial expert) and growth strategist with 30 years stewarding companies to professionalize, transform, and transact.  She has extensive public company SEC experience in the CPG sector, plus IFRS experience in the transportation and family entertainment sectors. She led Finance for a rapidly growing PE-owned company in the food broker (SMA) space and serves as a Board Member for PE-owned Premium Natural Food Holdings, while serving also as an Advisory Board member for OptimEyes.AI, an innovator in cyber security, ESG and data privacy. Chandra has led integrations and financial management in many countries and is well-traveled having lived in the US, India, and Belgium. She is actively seeking board roles that utilize her considerable insight, oversight and foresight drawn from business cycles, strategy, and the boardroom.

As a P&L owner, Chandra is known for doubling revenue while more than doubling EBITDA plus margin expansion, through M&A and organic growth in public and private equity-backed companies. At Acosta SMA, a global company with 30K employees and four PE sponsors, Chandra led Finance as the first CFO after fresh start, resulting in turnaround as the company strategically took share with four accretive acquisitions in foodservice, grocery SMA, and assisted selling and training (AS&T). Chandra led modeling and diligence, voting in M&A committee/deal review while influencing negotiation, including the addition of digital shelf management offerings to 2K CPG clients with Retailer.com and Amazon.com during COVID, coinciding with dramatic increases in online grocery sales. In her role, Chandra participated in numerous Board meetings, instilled sound governance, strategic planning, treasury, and system design for moving from 100 systems to ten, incorporating SAAS, AI, cyber and cloud solutions. She has sold three companies to private equity, led supply chain/procurement, expanded mid-market companies to multi-state, and held positions in management consulting and retail banking.

Code of Conduct: Governing Data & Emerging Tech

Boards are no longer observers of emerging technology; they are stewards of how it’s governed. This panel goes beyond awareness to examine how directors can structure oversight, define accountability, and measure governance effectiveness in AI, data use, and digital innovation. Panelists will share practical strategies for building governance systems that ensure transparency, ethical decision-making, and responsible innovation at scale.

Your First Board Meeting: A Director’s Playbook

Designed for aspiring and newly appointed directors, this session offers practical guidance on how to step confidently into your first boardroom. Learn what to expect in early meetings, how to contribute with purpose, and how to quickly build credibility and trust among seasoned peers. Gain insight into board dynamics, unspoken protocols, and the critical questions new directors should be ready to ask and answer.

Tactics that Work: Case Studies in Navigating Shareholder Activism

In this tactical, director-focused session, participants will engage in case-based exercises to dissect real campaigns and pressure scenarios. From activist letters to proxy fights, explore how boards can craft strategic responses that reinforce governance integrity, protect corporate reputation, and align with long-term priorities. Walk away with actionable tactics and frameworks to strengthen board preparedness in the face of growing investor scrutiny.

Inside the Boardroom: Resilience Planning in Action

This interactive session places directors inside the boardroom during moments of disruption. Through tabletop exercises and real-world scenarios, participants will explore how boards can apply structured frameworks to assess geopolitical risk, anticipate threats, and make decisive decisions under pressure. Designed as a classroom-style session, this breakout provides practical tools to strengthen oversight and build a proactive board response strategy in an increasingly uncertain world.

Reputation & Response: How Boards Navigate Shareholder Activism

As shareholder activism intensifies, boards face mounting pressure to defend strategy, protect corporate reputation, and engage stakeholders with clarity. This panel brings together seasoned directors to explore how boards can respond effectively while maintaining credibility, board alignment, and stakeholder trust. Hear real-world insights on navigating activism in today’s high-stakes, high-visibility environment.

Navigating Global Markets: Trade, Tariffs, and Supply Chain Strategy

As global disruptions reshape business models, this panel will explore how boards can navigate the practical complexities of trade, tariffs, and supply chain shifts across regions. Panelists will share how directors are guiding companies through regulatory changes, sourcing challenges, and new market risks, while seizing opportunities for growth and operational agility.

Strengthening Oversight: Risk Management and Board Resilience

This keynote will equip directors to think globally about risk through the lens of geopolitical foresight, cross-border tensions, and long-term instability. Learn how boards can strengthen oversight and guide enterprise-wide resilience by anticipating disruption and embedding a proactive risk culture in a changing world.