Quentin Blackford
Alphatec HoldingsAbout Quentin Blackford
Independent director since October 2017; age 46. Currently CEO of iRhythm Technologies; prior CFO/COO roles at DexCom and senior finance/strategy leadership at NuVasive and Zimmer. Holds dual B.S. degrees in Accounting and Business Administration (CPA license inactive). ATEC Board has determined he is independent under Nasdaq rules; designated an “audit committee financial expert.”
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| iRhythm Technologies, Inc. | Chief Executive Officer | Oct 2021–Present | Leads digital cardiac care strategy and execution |
| DexCom, Inc. | Chief Operating Officer | Mar 2021–Oct 2021 | Oversaw operations during growth phase |
| DexCom, Inc. | Chief Financial Officer | Aug 2017–Mar 2021 | Finance leadership through scaling |
| NuVasive, Inc. | EVP, CFO, Head of Strategy & Corporate Integrity | Aug 2016–Aug 2017 | Led Finance, Strategy, Corp Dev, Compliance, Regulatory |
| NuVasive, Inc. | EVP & CFO | Aug 2014–Aug 2016 | CFO during spine portfolio expansion |
| NuVasive, Inc. | EVP Finance & Investor Relations | Jul 2012–Aug 2014 | Capital markets and finance |
| NuVasive, Inc. | VP Finance | Jan 2011–Jun 2012 | Finance leadership |
| NuVasive, Inc. | Corporate Controller | 2009 | Financial controls |
| Zimmer Holdings, Inc. (Dental Division) | Director of Finance & Controller | Pre-2009 | Division finance leadership |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paragon 28, Inc. (NYSE: FNA) | Director | Jul 2022–Present | Foot & ankle orthopedics; board service |
| iRhythm Technologies, Inc. | CEO | Oct 2021–Present | Executive leadership |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Audit Committee member; Compensation Committee member. Designated “audit committee financial expert.”
- Independence: Independent under Nasdaq rules.
- Attendance: Board met 5x; Audit 4x; Nominating 3x; Compensation 3x. No director attended fewer than 100% of meetings for committees on which they served.
- Executive sessions: Independent directors meet in executive session at each regular Board meeting; Lead Director structure in place.
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Program Terms | Quentin Blackford 2024 Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Board Cash Retainer | Member $45,000; Chair $75,000 | $60,945 fees earned/paid in cash |
| Audit Committee | Member $10,000; Chair $20,000 | Included in cash total |
| Compensation Committee | Member $7,500; Chair $15,000 | Included in cash total |
| Nominating & Governance | Member $5,000; Chair $10,000 | Not applicable (not a member) |
Performance Compensation
| Equity Component | Grant Value/Structure | Vesting Schedule | 2024 Awards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Board RSU Grant | $150,000, time-based | Vests at next annual meeting or pro-rated upon death/resignation | Part of $180,533 stock awards |
| Initial Board RSU Grant (upon election) | $300,000, time-based (if applicable) | Vests in 3 equal annual installments | Not applicable in 2024 (incumbent) |
| Unvested RSUs (12/31/2024) | Count of unvested director RSUs | Per applicable grant schedules | 16,747 units |
Note: ATEC director equity awards are time-based; no director performance metrics (e.g., revenue, EBITDA, TSR) are tied to director compensation.
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Type | Role | Potential Interlock/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paragon 28, Inc. | Public company | Director | Also, ATEC director David Demski serves on Paragon 28’s board; shared network may facilitate industry insights |
| iRhythm Technologies, Inc. | Public company | CEO | Executive time commitment across roles |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Financial expertise: Designated “audit committee financial expert.” CPA license (inactive).
- Deep medtech industry experience across spine and diagnostics; senior roles in finance, strategy, corporate development, compliance, and regulatory.
- Education: Dual B.S. degrees in Accounting and Business Administration (Grace College).
Equity Ownership
| Metric | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Beneficial ownership (shares) | 574,238 | Includes securities exercisable/vestable within 60 days; represents <1% of outstanding shares |
| % of outstanding shares | <1% | Asterisk denotes <1% |
| Unvested RSUs (director) | 16,747 | Unvested as of 12/31/2024 |
| Options (exercisable/unexercisable) | Not disclosed for Blackford | No footnote indicating options for Blackford |
| Pledging/Hedging | Prohibited | Insider Trading Policy prohibits short sales, margin loans, collars/hedges, options on company stock |
| Ownership guidelines | 3.0x director cash retainer; time to achieve 5 years; RSUs count, options do not | Applies to non-employee directors |
Governance Assessment
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Strengths
- Independence and designation as audit committee financial expert support board oversight quality.
- 100% meeting attendance indicates strong engagement.
- Meaningful share ownership and unvested RSUs align interests; director ownership guidelines in place.
- Robust policies: clawback policy (executive incentive comp) and strict anti-hedging/pledging rules.
-
Potential Risks/Red Flags
- Section 16(a) reporting: one late Form 4 filing in 2024. While minor, timeliness lapses are governance attention points.
- External commitments: serving as a public-company CEO (iRhythm) plus ATEC Compensation and Audit Committee membership increases time demands; monitor for overboarding concerns based on investor policies.
- Interlocks: shared Paragon 28 board service with another ATEC director (Demski); not a direct competitive overlap with ATEC but note network interlock.
-
Related-Party Transactions/Conflicts
- ATEC discloses no related person transactions for 2024; board maintains a formal related-person transaction policy overseen by Audit Committee.
-
Shareholder Sentiment Signals
- Say-on-pay support ~85% in 2024 indicates generally positive investor view of compensation governance; while focused on executives, it reflects compensation committee oversight where Blackford serves.
Director Compensation Details (2024)
| Component | Amount | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Fees Earned or Paid in Cash | $60,945 | Retainers for Board and committee service |
| Stock Awards (RSUs) | $180,533 | Aggregate grant-date fair value (ASC 718) |
| Total | $241,478 | Sum of cash and stock |
Committee Assignments and Roles
| Committee | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Audit Committee | Member | Designated audit committee financial expert |
| Compensation Committee | Member | Oversees CEO comp, clawback policy, equity plans |
Independence, Attendance, and Engagement
- Independent director per Nasdaq standards.
- 2024 attendance: 100% of Board and committee meetings attended; Board met 5x, Audit 4x, Compensation 3x.
- Independent directors meet in executive session each regular Board meeting; Lead Director structure active.
Policies and Controls
- Insider Trading Policy prohibits short-term/speculative transactions, margin loans, collars, and options on company stock; anti-hedging/pledging stance reiterated in compensation governance summary.
- Ownership guidelines: Director 3.0x cash retainer within 5 years; RSUs count, options do not.
- Clawback policy (executives): compliant with Rule 10D-1; relevant to Compensation Committee oversight.
Conclusion
Quentin Blackford brings deep finance and medtech operating experience, serves on key oversight committees (Audit/Compensation), and maintains high attendance and independence—positive signals for board effectiveness. Monitor minor filing timeliness (late Form 4 in 2024), potential overboarding concerns given his CEO role, and interlocks with Paragon 28; otherwise, policy framework (anti-hedging/pledging; ownership guidelines; clawback) and his equity holdings support investor alignment.