James Bodurtha, independent director, BlackRock James Bodurtha
James Bodurtha
James Bodurtha is an independent director and chairman of the compliance committee of more than 80 mutual funds with assets exceeding $70 billion for BlackRock. Bodurtha also is a founding member and the first chairman of the Independent Directors Council.
In 2004, he helped launch the IDC from what was the ICI's directors committee. The group became more independent, opened its own offices and hired its own staff. Bodurtha was involved in creating the group's bylaws and organization, to talking with directors and meeting with the SEC. He was also an integral part of launching the IDC's numerous task forces, which have looked into issues such as disclosure, 12b-1 fees, independent chair requirements and board self-assessments. He stepped down as chairman in 2006, to make way for current chair Robert Uek. He is also a member of the executive committee of the board of governors of the ICI. In 2004, Bodurtha received FD's award for mutual fund Trustee of the Year.
Bodurtha was previously an independent director for the Merrill Lynch Funds, before it merged with BlackRock earlier in 2007. From 1980 to 1993, he was a Partner in the law firm of Squire, Sanders & Dempsey, where he chaired the firm's investment company and capital markets practice. He is currently chairman of the board of Berkshire Holding Corporation which specializes in micro-contamination control. He is also a director, and until 2004, the executive v.p. of The China Business Group, a consulting group for companies doing business in China.