Howard Doss
About Howard Doss
Howard Doss, age 71, is an independent Class I director of Aspire Biopharma Holdings, Inc. (ASBP) and serves as Chair of the Audit Committee; he was appointed to the Board on July 24, 2025 and qualifies as an SEC-defined “audit committee financial expert.” He is a seasoned CFO and accountant with prior CFO roles at multiple public companies/SPACs and is a member of the American Institute of CPAs; he is a graduate of Illinois Wesleyan University. He beneficially owns 400,000 ASBP shares (<1% of outstanding) as of September 2025.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| PowerUp | Chief Financial Officer | Aug 2023 – Feb 2025 | Senior finance oversight; public company CFO experience |
| Kernel Group Holdings, Inc. (SPAC) | Chief Financial Officer | 2021 | SPAC finance leadership |
| Aesther Healthcare Acquisition Corp. (SPAC) | Chief Financial Officer | 2021 – Feb 2023 | Led finance through business combination |
| Trade Health, Inc. (Nasdaq: SCNX) | Chief Financial Officer | Not disclosed | CFO of Nasdaq-listed health marketplace |
| Sansur Renewable Energy | CFO and Director | 2010 – 2012 | Alternative energy; board role |
| STARadio Corp. | President | Since 2005 | Operating leadership |
| U.S. Trust (Sarasota) | City Executive | Until 2009 | Managed HNW client operations |
| Principal Financial Group (Tampa) | Finance role | Not disclosed | Institutional finance experience |
| Franklin Templeton | Finance role | Not disclosed | Asset management experience |
| Van Kampen Investments | Opened Southeast office (Tampa) | 1982 – 1996 | Institutional distribution/leadership |
| Seidman & Seidman (BDO Seidman, Dallas) | Staff accountant | 1977 – 1980 | Accounting foundation |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Institute of CPAs | Member | Ongoing | Professional credential |
| Illinois Wesleyan University | Graduate | Ongoing | Education |
Board Governance
- Independence: Board determined Doss is independent under Nasdaq and SEC rules.
- Committee assignments: Audit Committee (Chair); Compensation Committee (Member).
- Audit financial expert: Board determined Doss qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert.”
- Appointment timing: Appointed Director and Audit Chair on July 24, 2025 during leadership transition.
- Board structure: Five directors; classified board (Doss is Class I, term expires at first annual meeting post-Closing).
- Independent director sessions: Independent directors to hold regularly scheduled meetings (executive sessions).
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fees Earned or Paid in Cash ($) | $0 | “None of our Non-Employee Directors has received any cash compensation for services rendered to us.” |
Performance Compensation
- No director option/equity awards recorded to date in the Director Compensation disclosure table (no amounts shown for option awards).
- No performance metrics for director compensation disclosed (e.g., TSR, revenue, EBITDA) in available filings.
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- Current public company boards: None disclosed beyond ASBP.
- Prior board role: Director at Sansur Renewable Energy (2010–2012).
- Interlocks: No disclosed shared public-company directorships with ASBP competitors/suppliers/customers; no related-party transactional interlocks identified.
Expertise & Qualifications
- Deep CFO experience across public companies/SPACs and operating roles; strong financial reporting and controls background.
- Audit committee financial expert; financially literate per board designation.
- AICPA membership; finance and accounting career across BDO, Van Kampen, Franklin Templeton, Principal, U.S. Trust.
- Education: Illinois Wesleyan University.
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Shares Beneficially Owned | % of Outstanding | Reference Base (Shares Outstanding) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Howard Doss | 400,000 | <1% | 49,525,970 Common shares outstanding as of Sep 10/25 |
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent audit chair with “financial expert” designation; committee charters emphasize pre-approval and oversight of related-party transactions, conflicts, and disclosure controls—key for investor confidence in a small-cap with financing complexity.
- Alignment: Beneficial ownership present (400,000 shares), albeit <1% of outstanding; no cash director fees to date, limiting fixed pay “rent.”
- Transition oversight: Appointment as Audit Chair amid CEO and board changes provides continuity on controls and disclosure during volatility.
- Areas to monitor (potential RED FLAGS at company level impacting board effectiveness):
- Financing/dilution risk: Convertible notes with potential issuance of 73,588,712 shares at a floor price, creating substantial dilution and pressure on governance of capital allocation.
- Listing compliance: Board is pursuing a reverse stock split to maintain Nasdaq minimum bid price compliance—execution and investor communication will test board effectiveness.
- Conflicts/related-party exposure: No Doss-specific related-party transactions disclosed; audit committee charter requires pre-approval and oversight of related-party dealings.
Overall: Doss brings robust finance and audit oversight to ASBP’s board during a period of capital-structure stress and listing-compliance actions. As audit chair and financial expert, his leadership on disclosure controls, related-party review, and financing transparency is a key governance anchor; monitoring dilution mechanics, control environment, and independent director engagement will be critical for investor confidence.