Mark Alvino
ABEONA THERAPEUTICSAbout Mark J. Alvino
Independent director (age 57) with deep capital markets and investor relations background; currently chairs both the Audit Committee and Compensation Committee and is designated an “audit committee financial expert.” Alvino rejoined Abeona’s board on March 26, 2021 after prior service from 2006 to April 15, 2020; he is up for re‑election as a Class 3 director at the 2025 annual meeting. He serves as President of Hudson Square Capital LLC (since Oct 2014) and has extensive financial management and biopharma strategy experience.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hudson Square Capital LLC | President | Oct 2014–present | Capital markets leadership for life sciences; investor engagement |
| Bradley Woods & Co. Ltd. | Led Life Sciences efforts | 2013–Oct 2014 | Business development in biotech coverage |
| Griffin Securities | Managing Director | 2007–2013 | Institutional capital markets; healthcare coverage |
| Feinstein Kean Healthcare (Ogilvy PR) | Senior Vice President | Prior to 2007 | Ran investor and corporate communications; senior counsel across offices |
| Allen & Caron, Inc. | Vice President, Investor Relations | Prior to FKH | Managed NY office; IR programs for med‑tech/biotech/e‑health firms |
| Ladenburg Thalmann & Co.; Martin Simpson & Co. | Various brokerage roles | Early career | Wall Street brokerage experience |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hudson Square Capital LLC | President | Oct 2014–present | Financial advisory; potential capital markets interlocks to monitor |
No other public company board seats for Alvino are disclosed in Abeona’s proxy.
Board Governance
- Committee leadership: Chairs Audit (members: Alvino, Leila Alland, Donald Wuchterl) and Compensation (members: Alvino, Leila Alland, Faith Charles); also Audit Committee “financial expert.”
- Independence: Board determined Alvino (and eight of nine directors total) are independent under Nasdaq rules; Board currently has no lead independent director.
- Tenure/class: Class 3 director standing for re‑election in 2025; prior board service 2006–2020.
- Attendance: Board met 14 times in FY2024; each director attended ≥85% of Board/committee meetings; Audit (4), Comp (1), Nominating (4) meetings—all members present.
Fixed Compensation
| Metric | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Fees Earned or Paid in Cash ($) | $65,000 | $65,000 |
| Stock Awards ($) | $271,143 | $181,048 |
| Total ($) | $336,143 | $246,048 |
- Director pay structure: Annual board retainer $50,000; committee fee $7,500 per committee; no separate chair fees (only Board Chair receives an extra $30,000).
Performance Compensation
| Award Detail | Grant Date(s) | Shares | Grant-Date FV ($) | Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Restricted Stock (annual director grants) | Jul 8, 2024; Aug 26, 2024 | 23,611; 11,797 | $4.80/share; $5.74/share (aggregating to $181,048) | One‑year vest from grant date (director awards) |
Abeona’s non‑employee director equity is time‑based RSAs; no director performance metrics are disclosed for equity vesting.
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Category | Disclosure |
|---|---|
| Other public company boards | None disclosed for Alvino in the proxy biography |
| Private/non‑profit boards | Not disclosed |
| Related‑party transactions | None in 2024 (Audit Committee reviews any related party transactions) |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Audit committee “financial expert”; long tenure in capital markets, IR, and biopharma business strategy supporting board oversight of financial reporting and compensation.
- Independence and governance: Compliant with Nasdaq independence; company Code and insider trading policy prohibit hedging, margin accounts, short sales, and pledging company stock.
- Compensation governance: Compensation Committee annually engages independent consultant (Radford); Company determined no consultant conflicts in 2024.
Equity Ownership
| Metric | Nov 7, 2024 (Record date for SM) | Mar 24, 2025 (Record date for AGM) |
|---|---|---|
| Total beneficial ownership (shares) | 76,261 | 104,362 |
| Composition | 72,334 common + 3,927 options exercisable (within 60 days) | 100,435 common + 3,927 options exercisable (within 60 days) |
| Ownership % of outstanding | <1% | <1% |
| Outstanding stock awards (as of 12/31/2024) | 35,408 RSAs (continuing director) | 35,408 RSAs (continuing director) |
Insider Trades
| Item | Date/Period | Disclosure |
|---|---|---|
| Section 16(a) filing timeliness | FY2024 | One Form 4 for Mr. Alvino was not timely filed (one transaction) |
| Ownership change | Nov 7, 2024 → Mar 24, 2025 | Beneficial holdings increased from 76,261 to 104,362 shares; exercisable options steady at 3,927 |
Governance Assessment
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Strengths
- Independent director with audit/compensation leadership and “financial expert” designation; strong meeting attendance; balanced governance documents (charters, code, whistleblower policy).
- Compensation oversight utilizes independent consultant; non‑employee director equity subject to minimum vesting; plan prohibits repricing and in‑the‑money grants; awards subject to clawback.
- Insider trading policy bans hedging, margin, short sales, and pledging—supporting alignment.
-
Watch items / RED FLAGS
- Concentration of committee power: Alvino chairs both Audit and Compensation—uncommon structure that can weaken checks and balances; Board lacks a lead independent director.
- Section 16 compliance: One late Form 4 in 2024 (timeliness lapse).
- External capital markets role: President of Hudson Square Capital LLC—no related party transactions disclosed, but continued monitoring for potential conflicts is prudent.
-
Alignment and pay mix
- 2024 director compensation weighted toward time‑based RSAs ($181,048) over cash ($65,000), supporting equity alignment; no performance‑based director metrics disclosed.
Overall, Alvino brings valuable finance and life sciences capital markets expertise, but dual chair roles and the absence of a lead independent director warrant attention from investors focused on board effectiveness and oversight integrity.