Board of Directors

James M. Shannon has served as a member and chair of the UL Solutions board of directors since 2012. He is also currently chair of UL Standards & Engagement, serving on the ULSE board since November 2021. Shannon brings to the board extensive experience in the standards industry and a deep understanding of the related regulatory framework.

Shannon is a member of the board of trustees of UL Research Institutes and served as chair from 2009 to 2024. He served as president and CEO of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), an international nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating harm and loss due to fire, electrical and related hazards, from 2002 to 2014. Shannon was also a member of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), a global nonprofit organization that publishes international standards for electrotechnology. He was a member of the IEC Executive Committee from 2016 to 2021 and president from 2017 to 2019. Shannon also served as a member of the board of trustees of the World Peace Foundation from 2000 to 2019.

Shannon was elected Attorney General of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and served in this role from 1987 to 1991. Prior to that, Shannon was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1978. He served three terms in Congress and was a member of the Ways and Means Committee.

He earned a Juris Doctorate from George Washington University Law School and a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Johns Hopkins University.

Frank J. Coyne joined the board in 2012. He served on the UL Research Institutes board of trustees from 2009 to 2017. He brings to the board significant experience as a public company executive and as an executive in industries adjacent to that of UL Solutions.

Coyne held various management positions at Verisk Analytics, Inc. (formerly Insurance Services Office, Inc.), a data analytics and risk assessment firm. He was the CEO from 2002 to 2013, president and CEO from 2000 to 2002 and president and chief operating officer from 1999 to 2000. Coyne also served on Verisk’s board of directors from 2002 to 2020. He was the chairman from 2002 to 2013, non-executive chairman from 2013 to 2016 and the lead director from 2016 to 2019.

Additionally, Coyne has held executive positions with Kemper Insurance Companies, Lynn Insurance Group, Reliance Insurance Co., and PMA Insurance Co. He is currently a member of the board of trustees of Saddle River Day School.

Coyne earned a Juris Doctorate from Duquesne University and a Bachelor of Science in political science from the University of Scranton.

James P. Dollive has served as a member of our board of directors since 2012 and as a member of the board of trustees of UL Research Institutes since 2008. He brings substantial experience as the former chief financial officer of a public company and a deep understanding of finance and consumer products.

From 2009 to 2015, Dollive served as executive vice president and chief financial officer of The Schwan Food Company, a frozen food retailer. He joined Schwan from Kraft Foods Inc., where he worked for 30 years. Dollive held various management positions at Kraft, including chief financial officer from 1999 to 2007.

Dollive earned a Master of Business Administration from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, a Master of Science in engineering systems from the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from the New Jersey Institute of Technology.

Marla C. Gottschalk joined the board in 2012, drawing on her extensive background in operations and strategic management, leadership experience as a chief executive officer and significant experience serving on boards of directors. She previously served as a member of the board of trustees of UL Research Institutes from 2009 to 2017.

Gottschalk was the CEO of The Pampered Chef, Ltd., a seller of kitchen and entertaining products, from 2006 to 2013 and served as the company’s president from 2003 to 2006. Prior to that, Gottschalk worked for 14 years at Kraft Foods Inc., holding various management positions, including senior vice president of Financial Planning and Investor Relations and executive vice president and general manager of the Post Cereal Division.

Gottschalk currently serves on the boards of directors of US Foods Holding Corp. and Reynolds Consumer Products Inc.

Gottschalk earned a Master in Management in finance from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and a Bachelor of Science in accounting from Indiana University. She earned a Cyber Risk and Strategy certificate through the Diligent Institute.

Friedrich Hecker joined the board in 2013, bringing extensive experience in the testing, inspection and certification (TIC) industry. He served on the UL Research Institutes board of trustees from 2013 to 2017.

Hecker served as CEO of ROSEN Swiss AG (ROSEN Group), an energy sector supplier of specialized diagnostic technology and services, from 2012 to 2015. He joined the ROSEN Group from TÜV Rheinland AG, a privately held global certification and testing service provider, where he served as CEO and chief operating officer from 2009 to 2011. Previously, Hecker served as executive vice president and COO of SGS SA, a multinational TIC company, from 2002 to 2009. He was a senior advisor to Cobepa SA, a Belgian investment company, from 2016 to 2020.

Hecker currently serves as a member of the boards of directors of Opus Group AB and Dermagnostix. He is also the vice president of the Organization for International Economic Relations.

Hecker earned a degree in economics from Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich.

Retired Lieutenant General Charles W. Hooper joined the board in June 2021, contributing noteworthy leadership experience and expertise in navigating complex international matters. Hooper has been a senior counselor at The Cohen Group, a global business consulting services firm, since October 2020. From 1979 to 2020, he served in the United States Army.

Hooper currently serves as a member of the boards of directors of General Dynamics Corporation and APA Corporation, where he also serves as chair of the Cybersecurity Committee. He is also on the boards of Two Six Technologies, Loc Performance Products, Inc., Bellwether and the National Bureau of Asian Research.

Hooper earned a Master of Public Administration from Harvard University, a Master of Science in Strategy from the Army War College and a Bachelor of Science in Asian Studies from the United States Military Academy. Hooper also has completed the National Association of Corporate Directors Cyber-Risk Oversight Program, earning the CERT certificate in Cybersecurity Oversight.

Dr. Kevin J. Kennedy joined the board in 2020, bringing expertise in the technology industry, a background in leading public companies and significant experience serving on public company boards of directors, including oversight of spin-offs and extensive merger and acquisition activity.

From March 2020 to December 2022, he served as CEO of Quanergy Systems, Inc., a sensor technology start-up company. He also served as senior managing director of Blue Ridge Partners, a management consulting firm, from 2018 to 2020. He was president, CEO and a member of the board of directors of Avaya Holdings Corporation, a communication software and services company, from 2008 to 2017. Additionally, Kennedy served as CEO of JDS Uniphase Corporation, a provider of optical communication products, from 2003 to 2008.

In January 2011, Kennedy was appointed to the President’s National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee by President Barack Obama. In 1987, he served as a Congressional Fellow to the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Science, Space and Technology.

Currently, Kennedy serves as a member of the boards of directors for KLA Corporation and Digital Realty Trust, Inc.

He earned a Doctor of Philosophy, a Master of Philosophy and a Master of Science from Rutgers University, and a Bachelor of Science in engineering from Lehigh University. Kennedy also completed the National Association of Corporate Directors Cyber-Risk Oversight Program, earning the CERT certificate in Cybersecurity Oversight.

Lisa M. Lambert has served on the board since June 2021, drawing on significant corporate leadership experience and extensive technology and financial knowledge. She currently is chief investment officer of private markets for the George Kaiser Family Foundation.

From January 2018 to July 2023, Lambert served as chief technology and innovation officer at National Grid PLC, a multinational electricity and gas utility company. She was also the founder and president of National Grid Partners, the venture capital and innovation arm of National Grid. From 2016 to 2018, Lambert was a managing partner at The Westly Group, a private, clean technology venture capital firm. Previously, Lambert worked at Intel Corporation for 19 years, serving in various roles, including vice president and managing director of the Software and Services Group of Intel Capital, the company’s corporate investment and mergers and acquisitions arm.

Lambert is the founder, CEO and chair of UPWARD Inc., a nonprofit organization. She also serves on the boards of directors of Vital Energy, Inc. and Lucid Group, Inc. 

Lambert earned a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School and a Bachelor of Science in management information systems from Pennsylvania State University.

Jennifer F. Scanlon is President and CEO of UL Solutions and a member of the board of directors, roles she has held since 2019. With her deep commitment to science and technology and her extensive experience leading industrial companies, Scanlon leads UL Solutions in its mission of working for a safer world. Under Scanlon’s leadership, UL Solutions completed a successful initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange in April 2024.

Before joining UL Solutions, Scanlon served from November 2016 to April 2019 as president and CEO of USG Corporation, a then publicly traded manufacturer of building products. Scanlon spent a total of 16 years at USG and steered the company through a major international expansion, digital transformation and sustainable products evolution.

Scanlon advocates fiercely for science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education. She dedicates herself to promoting increased diversity in STEM fields, fostering greater diversity in the workforce and improving organizations’ ability to meet the needs of a global customer base.

Scanlon currently serves in key roles for numerous organizations: the Commercial Club of Chicago (Chair of the Civic Committee), the Chicago Council on Global Affairs (Vice Chair of the Board), the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago (Class C Director, Chair), the TIC Council (Vice President of the Global Board) and the University of Notre Dame (board of trustees member). Scanlon is the Secretary-Treasurer of the board of the US-China Business Council and was appointed to the U.S.-India CEO Forum. She previously served as a member of the board of directors of USG, from September 2016 to April 2019.

Scanlon earned a Master of Business Administration from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a Bachelor of Arts in Government and International Relations and Computer Applications from the University of Notre Dame.

Sally Susman joined the board in May 2022, contributing significant leadership experience and expertise in communications and public affairs.

She is currently executive vice president and chief corporate affairs officer for Pfizer Inc., a multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology company. Before that, Susman served as the company’s executive vice president of corporate affairs (formerly Policy, External Affairs and Communications) from 2010 to 2018. Susman started working for Pfizer in 2007.

Previously, she was chief communications officer of the Estée Lauder Companies Inc., a manufacturer and marketer of skincare, makeup, fragrance and hair care products, from 1999 to 2007. Susman also served as executive vice president of Global Communications for the American Express Company from 1990 to 1996.

Susman currently serves as co-chair of the board of directors of the International Rescue Committee, a global humanitarian aid, relief and development nonprofit organization. Additionally, she is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Susman earned a Bachelor of Arts in government from Connecticut College.

Michael H. Thaman joined the board in June 2021, with substantial leadership experience as an executive at a large multinational public company.

Thaman served as CEO of Owens Corning Inc., a developer, manufacturer and marketer of building products and industrial materials, from 2007 to 2020. He was the company’s chief financial officer from 2000 to 2007 and a member and chair of the company’s board of directors from 2002 to 2020. After leaving Owens Corning, Thaman served as CEO of UBQ Materials, a clean technology company focused on converting solid waste into sustainable raw material.

Thaman currently serves on the boards of directors of L’Air Liquide S.A., The Sherwin-Williams Company, Kohler Co. and AeroSeal, Inc.

Thaman earned a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering and computer science from Princeton University.

Elisabeth Tørstad joined the board in November 2023, bringing substantial scientific and technical knowledge. Additionally, she is a member of the board of trustees for UL Research Institutes, joining in 2020.

Tørstad currently serves as chief executive officer of Asplan Viak AS, a professional services firm in the architecture, property development and public infrastructure sectors.

Previously, Tørstad was with DNV Group, a classification society and consulting organization. She served in various leadership positions, including CEO of DNV GL Digital Solutions from 2018 to 2019, CEO of DNV GL – Oil & Gas from 2014 to 2017, CEO of DNV Americas and Sub-Saharan Africa from 2010 to 2013, and director of operations of DNV Cleaner Energy and Utilities from 2006 to 2019.

Tørstad is also a member of the boards of directors of Aker Solutions ASA and Torvald Klaveness and serves as the deputy chair of the governing board of the Peace Research Institutes Oslo.

Tørstad earned a Master of Science in structural physics from the University of Oslo and a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the Oslo School of Engineering. She also holds subsidiary degrees in business administration from the Norwegian School of Management and in organizational psychology from the University of Bergen.

George A. Williams joined the UL Solutions board of directors in 2023 after previously serving from 2012 to 2018, bringing extensive experience in the energy and utility industries, as well as corporate leadership experience. He also serves as chair of the board of trustees of UL Research Institutes (ULRI). 

Williams served as president and CEO of PMI Energy Solutions, LLC, an electrical construction, maintenance and technical services contracting company, from 2011 to December 2023, when he retired.

Previously, he was the chief operating officer of El Paso Electric Company, a public utility company. Williams was also senior vice president of operations for Commonwealth Edison Company, an energy provider, and he served as site vice president for Entergy Nuclear South, a nuclear plant. He has also held executive and senior operational positions with PPL Susquehanna, LLC, Progress Energy Inc., and PECO Energy Company.

Since 2008, Williams has been a member of the ULRI board of trustees, currently as chairman and previously as chair of the Governance and Compensation Committee. Williams also serves as vice president of the board of directors of the Middle States Electrical Contractors Association, and he is a member of Capital Power Corporation's board of directors. 

Williams earned a Master of Business Administration from Saint Joseph’s University and a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from Widener University.