Following in the footsteps of companies like Disney, Fannie Mae, and Hewlett-Packard, more and more American companies are appointing someone other than their chief executive as the chairman of their board. While the reasons for this change are nearly as numerous as the companies enacting it, many experts claim that it indicates an increased focus on good governance.
See "Fewer Chiefs Also Serving as Chairmen", Claudia H. Deutsch, The New York Times, March 16, 2006