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J. Michael Cook, retired chairman and chief executive officer of Deloitte & Touche LLP, was elected a director of The Dow Chemical Company on February 9, 2000. He currently serves as chair of the Governance Committee, and as a member of the Public Interest Committee.
Cook joined Haskins & Sells in 1964, becoming a partner in 1974. He was named national managing partner of Deloitte, Haskins & Sells in 1983; he became chairman and CEO of the firm in 1986. In 1989, Cook directed the merger of Deloitte, Haskins & Sells and Touche Ross and was named chairman and CEO of Deloitte & Touche LLP. He also served as chairman of the Deloitte & Touche Foundation and a member of the Board of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu. Under his leadership, the firm received the prestigious Catalyst Award and the United Way "Spirit of America" Award and was recognized as one of the best companies to work for in America. Cook is also a board member of Comcast Corporation, International Flavors & Fragrances, and an independent trustee and member of the board of The Fidelity Group of Mutual Funds. He also serves as chairman of the Accountability Advisory Council to the Comptroller General of the United States.
Known as a strong and effective spokesperson on tough professional issues, he has written and spoken extensively on international accounting standards, the globalization of business, auditor independence, corporate governance, gender equality in the workplace, tort and securities law reform, and has often testified before Congress on professional issues. He led the profession's effort that resulted in the enactment of the Private Securities Litigation Act of 1995 and its counterpart Uniform Standards legislation in 1998; this legislation significantly changed the standards for business litigation.
His many honors and awards include the Columbia School of Business Botwinick Prize in Business Ethics, Yeshiva University's Distinguished Leadership Award and Monmouth College's Distinguished Business Leader. In 1986, he was named Distinguished Alumnus by his alma mater, the University of Florida, and is a Distinguished Alumnus of its Beta Alpha Psi and Fisher School of Accounting. Cook was named the 62nd member of the Accounting Hall of Fame in August of 1999 and received the AICPA Public Oversight Board's John J. McCloy Award in December of 2001. | 