StoneX shareholders to vote on election of nine directors
StoneX Group Inc (NASDAQ:SNEX) is inviting its shareholders to attend the annual meeting of shareholders of StoneX Group Inc. to be held at the Hyatt Regency Orlando, 9801 International Drive, Orlando, Florida on Friday, March 4, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. (Eastern Standard Time).
At the meeting, shareholders will be asked to vote on the election of nine Directors; the ratification of the appointment of KPMG LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the Company’s 2022 fiscal year; an advisory vote on executive compensation; the approval of the proposed 2022 Omnibus Incentive Compensation Plan, and to transact such other business as may properly come before the meeting.
The restated certificate of incorporation of StoneX provides that the company will have a Board of Directors consisting of nine members, and further provides that the number of Directors may be increased or decreased by resolution of the Board of Directors. Director Bruce W. Krehbiel has announced that he will retire from the Board immediately prior to the 2022 annual meeting of shareholders.
The Nominating & Governance Committee of the Company has nominated and the Board of Directors has approved the nominations of nine persons to serve as Directors until the 2023 annual meeting, or until each Director’s successor is elected and qualified, or until the death or resignation of a Director. Each of the nominees has agreed to serve if elected.
Annabelle G. Bexiga was elected as a director of the Company on February 27, 2020. She served as Chief Information Officer (CIO) of Global Commercial Insurance at American International Group until 2017. After holding leadership positions at J.P. Morgan & Co. and Deutsche Bank, she served as CIO at JPMorgan Invest, Bain Capital, and the Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association. Ms. Bexiga currently sits on the supervisory board of DWS Group GmbH of Frankfurt, Germany, where she serves on the remuneration committee. Ms. Bexiga also serves on the Board of Directors of Triton International Limited.
Ms. Bexiga brings to the Board, among other skills and qualifications, significant management experience and knowledge in the areas of finance and technology. Her previous positions also afford her a wealth of knowledge across a range of U.S. and global financial services institutions, and provides valuable insight as the Company expands its global network of services.
Scott J. Branch was elected to the Board of Directors of the Company in December 2002. Mr. Branch was appointed the President of the Company in May 2013 and served in that capacity until his retirement as President on October 1, 2015. He retired from employment by the Company on December 31, 2016. Prior to May 2013 he served as Chief Operating Officer of the Company following the merger with FCStone Group Inc. (“FCStone”) in October 2009. He also served as President of the Company from 2002 until October 2009. Mr. Branch was General Manager of Standard Bank London, Ltd. from 1995 until 2002. During this period, he also served in other capacities for Standard Bank, including management of its banking and securities activities in the Eastern Mediterranean Region and management of its forfaiting and syndications group.
The Board believes that Mr. Branch’s strong leadership skills, extensive financial experience, and knowledge of the Company, its products and services is valuable to the Board. In 2002, Mr. Branch made a significant equity investment in the Company and since that time has been instrumental in guiding the Company’s successful strategy and growth. In addition to his other skills and qualifications, Mr. Branch’s previous service as President provides a valuable link between the management and operations of the Company and the Board of Directors, allowing the Board to perform its oversight role with the benefit of management’s perspective on business and strategy.
Diane L. Cooper was elected as a director of the Company on September 7, 2018. She retired in 2016 after a 30 year career at General Electric, most recently serving as President and CEO of GE Capital’s Commercial Distribution Business from 2009 to 2016. Prior to that role, Ms. Cooper led the GE Capital Equipment Finance and Equipment Finance Services businesses, and served as President and CEO of Commercial Finance – Capital Solutions. Ms. Cooper also currently serves on the boards of the BMO Financial Corp. and Aqua Finance, Inc.
Ms. Cooper brings to the Board, among other skills and qualifications, significant management experience and knowledge in the areas of finance, business development, mergers and acquisitions, employee leadership, and developing and strengthening customer relationships. Her previous positions also afford her a wealth of experience in the operation and management of a public company in the financial services sector.
John M. Fowler was elected as a Director of the Company in 2005. Mr. Fowler, an attorney by training, has since 1998 been a private investor, financial consultant and adviser. From 1996 to 1998, Mr. Fowler was the Chief Financial Officer, Executive Vice President and Director of Moneygram Payment Systems, Inc. He also served as Chief Administrative Officer and Executive Vice President of then Travelers Group, Inc. (now Citigroup, Inc.) from 1986 to 1994.
Mr. Fowler has served as General Counsel of the U.S. Department of Transportation, as a Director of Amtrak, as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Gulf Insurance Co., as a Director of Transatlantic Re (a reinsurance company), and as a Director of and Chairman of the Compensation Committee of Air Express International.
Mr. Fowler brings to the Board, among other skills and qualifications, significant management experience and knowledge in the areas of finance, accounting, legal and executive compensation. His previous positions also afford him a wealth of experience in the operation and management of a public company in the financial services sector, as well as substantial experience in regulatory affairs and governmental relations.
Steven Kass was elected as a Director of the Company at the 2018 annual meeting of shareholders. Mr. Kass is presently a consultant to professional service firms with a focus on leadership, organizational culture, business strategy, human capital and corporate governance. He spent 33 years with the accounting firm Rothstein Kass before his retirement as Chief Executive Officer in June 2014. During his tenure as CEO, Rothstein Kass grew organically to become the 20th largest accounting firm in the United States.
After the acquisition by KPMG in June 2014 of certain assets of Rothstein Kass, Mr. Kass served as senior partner and global lead of the alternative investment globalization effort at KPMG, retiring from KPMG in September 2016. Mr. Kass was Chairman of the Audit Committee and a member of the Board of Directors of Sun Bancorp, Inc. from 2012 to 2014, and was a member of the Board of Directors of AGN International from 1998 to 2014, serving as Global Chairman of the Board from 2001-2003. Mr. Kass also currently serves on the board and as Audit Committee Chairman of Peapack-Gladstone Bank.
Mr. Kass brings to the Board, among other skills and qualifications, significant knowledge in the areas of finance, accounting, internal audit, risk management, corporate governance and Sarbanes-Oxley compliance. In addition, as CEO of Rothstein Kass during its sale to KPMG and subsequent integration, Mr. Kass is able to provide knowledge and insight into the successful integration of professional service organizations.
Sean M. O’Connor joined the Company in October 2002 as Chief Executive Officer and was appointed as President in October 2015. In December 2002, he was elected to the Board of Directors. From 1994 until 2002, Mr. O’Connor was Chief Executive Officer of Standard New York Securities, a division of Standard Bank. From 1999 until 2002, Mr. O’Connor also served as Executive Director of Standard Bank London, Ltd., a United Kingdom bank and subsidiary of the Standard Bank of South Africa.
The Board believes that Mr. O’Connor’s strong leadership skills, extensive financial experience, and knowledge of the Company, its products and services is valuable to the Board. In 2002, Mr. O’Connor made a significant equity investment in the Company and since that time has led the Company and guided its successful strategy and growth. In addition to his other skills and qualifications, Mr. O’Connor’s position as Chief Executive Officer and President serves as a valuable link between the management and vision of the Company and the Board of Directors, allowing the Board to perform its oversight role with the benefit of management’s perspective on business, strategy and opportunities.
Eric Parthemore was elected as a Director of the Company on October 1, 2009, following the merger with FCStone. He had previously served as a Director of FCStone since 1996, as Vice Chairman of FCStone since January 2007, and as a member of its Board’s Executive Committee. He served as the Secretary and Treasurer of FCStone until January 2007. Mr. Parthemore recently retired as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Heritage Cooperative, Inc. in West Mansfield, Ohio. He held that position since September 2009 and had served in the same capacity with its predecessor company since 1996. Mr. Parthemore was appointed in January 2004 to serve on the Ohio Agricultural Commodity Advisory Commission by the Secretary of Agriculture in the State of Ohio and served on this Commission until 2015. From 2009 to September 2017 Mr. Parthemore served on the National Grain Car Council of the Surface Transportation Board, an agency of the US Department of Transportation.
Mr. Parthemore brings to the Board, among other skills and qualifications, significant management experience and knowledge in the areas of risk management similar to a significant portion of the Company’s existing customer base, and services sought by that customer base. In addition, as the former CEO of a large grain and supply cooperative involved in multiple mergers with similar organizations, Mr. Parthemore is able to provide knowledge, guidance and insight into successfully integrating the operations of multiple organizations at a time when the Company is also in the process of integrating multiple organizations.
John Radziwill was elected as a Director of the Company in 2002 and serves as Chairman of the Board. Mr. Radziwill is currently a Director of Oryx International Growth Fund Limited, Fifth Street Capital (BVI) and Netsurion LLC (formerly VendorSafe Technologies Inc.). In the past, he has also served as a Director of Goldcrown Group Limited, PingTone Communications, Inc., Baltimore Capital Plc, Lionheart Group, Inc., USA Micro Cap Value Co. Ltd, Acquisitor Plc and Acquisitor Holdings (Bermuda) Ltd. Mr. Radziwill is a member of the Bar of England and Wales.
Mr. Radziwill brings to the Board, among other skills and qualifications, significant management experience and knowledge in the areas of finance, accounting, and institutional investing, in particular in the small capitalization sector. In 2002, Mr. Radziwill, together with Mr. O’Connor and Mr. Branch, made a significant equity investment in the Company and, as an independent Director of the Company, has been closely involved in its development and growth. In addition, his background and current positions afford him the ability to bring an international perspective to the Board.
Dr. Dhamu R. Thamodaran was elected as a director of the Company on October 1, 2021. He retired as Executive Vice President, Chief Strategy Officer & Chief Commodity Hedging Officer from Smithfield Foods, Inc. in December 2020, having served in this role since 2016. Dr. Thamodaran joined Smithfield Foods in 1995 as Director of Price Risk Management, and had related industry experience with John Morrell Food Group and Farmland Foods, which later became part of the Smithfield Foods family.
Dr. Thamodaran earned his PhD in Economics from Iowa State University and his Master of Science degree in Agricultural Economics & Statistics from the Indian Agricultural Research Institute in New Delhi, India.
Dr. Thamodaran brings to the Board, among other skills and qualifications, significant risk management and strategy development experience and knowledge in the areas of global macroeconomics, global commodities research and analysis, agricultural markets, and the pork value chain. His risk management experience is similar to a significant portion of the Company’s existing customer base, and he is familiar with the services sought by that customer base.
The Board of Directors of StoneX recommends a vote “for” each nominee.