Late Summer Letter from CPR President & CEO Allen Waxman

To the CPR Community:

I am writing to share important news. Following much consideration and reflection on our remarkable journey together over the past several years, I have advised the Board of Directors that I will step aside from my role as President and CEO of CPR as of October 31, 2023. I reach this decision with the knowledge that the organization is in a strong position as it approaches its 50th anniversary in 2027. CPR’s strengths are manifold; in particular, however, it benefits, and will continue to benefit, from a tremendous Board of Directors; a committed and talented staff; as well as members, users, panelists, and colleagues who are invested in effective dispute management and who are thought leaders for our community.

CPR’s mission of promoting less conflict and more purpose is a timeless and noble one, and it is only realized in coordination with all your efforts. I am proud of the achievements CPR and its members have made in expanding the capacity for dispute resolution with the development of innovative rules, protocols, and procedures; the education provided by insightful programming, publications, and trainings; and the promotion of thought leadership and mechanisms for dispute prevention. I am also honored to have been with CPR as we pursued important initiatives, such as seeking to ensure that all available talent is deployed in ADR, in part by being the first major provider to adopt the Ray Corollary Initiative as part of CPR’s Diversity Commitment. And with the help of CPR constituents, we also introduced new events, like the virtual Global Conference, that have expanded CPR’s international reach. I also leave knowing that CPR is now a stronger entity thanks to the formation of CPR Dispute Resolution Services (DRS) as a subsidiary of the think-tank CPR Institute. This separation has brought greater clarity and focus to the overall organization.

The Board of Directors has formed a search committee and set in motion a thorough and careful process to identify the next leader of CPR. During the transition period, Helena Tavares Erickson, CPR Senior Vice President and Corporate Secretary, will assume the role of interim chief executive. Helena is a twenty-year veteran of CPR and has an acute understanding of the field of dispute management, of our community, and of the organization. Prior to joining CPR, Helena practiced for over 17 years at Dewey Ballantine and White & Case in their litigation and arbitration groups where she served as an advocate in international arbitration. Helena will be an excellent steward of CPR’s mission.

I will continue to serve CPR in an advisory role during the transition period as well. Rest assured that CPR is committed to a seamless transition and uninterrupted programming.

All of us here at CPR are excited about the season ahead. Our Committees and Industry Alliances will soon reconvene with a full fall schedule, and our task forces are continuing their work on many interesting and important projects. Each of these projects provides an opportunity to share ideas with some of the best minds in the field, to network and get to know others outside your sphere, and to make a meaningful contribution to the dispute management community. Please join these efforts.

We also have a full slate of events ahead of us. We will be in Chicago on September 6; the CPR Council is sponsoring a regional meeting on international arbitration at Sidley’s offices. In October, we are participating in CanArb Week in Toronto, and in December, we are hosting our Global Conference. This year we will also host an Africa Day in connection with the Global Conference to discuss arbitration issues across the continent. And please keep in mind the 2024 Annual Meeting in Philadelphia – March 6-8. This year’s Steering Committee is chaired by William Dodero of Bayer and Nancy Dowling of Danone North America. In addition, we will soon announce the honoree for the 2024 Corporate Leadership Award Dinner – always a spectacular event.

At the same time, DRS continues to be active with a growing caseload and new service offerings administered through its new online Complete Case platform. DRS is also sponsoring a three-part mediation skills training program for counsel this fall. Please be sure to register you and/or your colleagues for this very valuable series.

I leave CPR with many indelible memories, mainly as a result of the opportunity to be inspired by, and collaborate with, all of you. I look forward to our paths continuing to cross as we all continue to pursue less conflict and more purpose. I look forward to staying in touch.

With warmest regards,

Allen Waxman
President & CEO