The effects of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act are being felt in the meetings business in more ways than one. Not only are meeting departments facing more scrutiny from executives suddenly interested in specific numbers from various aspects of the organization's meetings, but even firms' annual meetings are changing per executive order. The New York Times recently reported that meeting planners at publicly traded corporations are being told by their executives to make sure that most or all of the board of directors attend the shareholders' meeting, which in the past was almost unheard of. The reason: Sarbanes-Oxley requires that shareholders are told of the policies on directors' attendance at annual meetings. Bottom line: If you plan shareholders' meetings, be prepared to work more with your directors.