William R. Jellison
About William R. Jellison
William R. Jellison, age 67, has served on Avient’s Board since 2015. He is the retired CFO of Stryker (2013–2016) and previously served as SVP & CFO of Dentsply International (1998–2013), including a 2002–2005 stint as SVP with full P&L responsibility for divisions in the U.S., Europe and Asia; earlier in his career he was Vice President of Finance at Donnelly Corporation. He brings deep financial leadership experience in large, publicly traded Medtech companies, international operating exposure, and is designated an SEC “audit committee financial expert.”
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stryker Corporation | Vice President, Chief Financial Officer | 2013–2016 | Led finance at a leading Medtech; public company CFO experience |
| Dentsply International | Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer | 1998–2013 | 2002–2005 SVP with full P&L responsibility for divisions in U.S., Europe, Asia |
| Donnelly Corporation | Vice President of Finance | Not disclosed | Senior finance leadership at a public automotive supplier |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anika Therapeutics, Inc. | Director (public company) | Current | Listed as current public company directorship |
| Masimo Corporation | Director (public company) | Current | Listed as current public company directorship |
| Solenis Holding Limited | Director (non-public) | Current | Listed as current non-public company directorship |
| Young Innovations, Inc. | Director (non-public) | Current | Listed as current non-public company directorship |
| PracticeWorks, Inc. | Director | Former | Listed as former directorship |
Board Governance
- Independence: The Board affirmatively determined Jellison is independent under NYSE standards and Avient’s categorical standards; 11 of 12 nominees are independent overall.
- Committee assignments:
- Audit Committee – Chair; meets financial literacy requirements and designated an SEC “audit committee financial expert.” Meetings in 2024: 7.
- Environmental, Health & Safety Committee – Member. Meetings in 2024: 2.
- Engagement/attendance: The Board met six times in 2024; each director attended at least 75% of aggregate Board and committee meetings during their service period, and all directors attended the 2024 annual meeting.
- Board leadership: Richard H. Fearon serves as Non-Executive Chairman (since 2024); independent directors hold executive sessions without management.
Fixed Compensation
- Program structure (2024):
- Annual retainer targeted at $257,500 (cash $110,000; equity $147,500), payable quarterly; effective Q3 2024, equity grant value increased to $155,000.
- Chair retainers increased effective Q3 2024: Audit Chair $25,000 (from $20,000), Compensation Chair $20,000 (from $15,000), Governance & Corporate Responsibility Chair $20,000 (from $15,000), EH&S Chair $20,000 (from $15,000).
- Unscheduled meeting fees: $2,000 per unscheduled in-person meeting; $1,000 per unscheduled significant telephonic meeting. Non-Executive Chair additional cash retainer: $130,000.
| 2024 Non-Employee Director Program | Amount ($) |
|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer | $110,000 |
| Annual equity (target value) through Q2 | $147,500 |
| Annual equity (target value) starting Q3 | $155,000 |
| Audit Chair retainer (post-Q3) | $25,000 |
| Unscheduled meeting fee (in-person) | $2,000 |
| Unscheduled meeting fee (telephonic) | $1,000 |
| Non-Executive Chairman additional cash retainer | $130,000 |
| Quarter (2024) | Per-Share Fair Market Value | Shares Granted |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 28, 2024 | $43.40 | 808 |
| Jun 28, 2024 | $43.65 | 806 |
| Sep 30, 2024 | $50.32 | 775 |
| Dec 31, 2024 | $40.86 | 834 |
| Jellison – 2024 Director Compensation | Amount ($) |
|---|---|
| Fees Earned or Paid in Cash | $132,500 |
| Stock Awards (FASB ASC 718 value) | $143,324 |
| Total | $275,824 |
| Deferral election | Deferred all annual cash retainer and meeting fees into Deferred Compensation Plan |
- Deferred compensation mechanics: Directors may defer cash retainer and/or shares; dividends on deferred shares are reinvested in Avient common shares within the Deferred Compensation Plan.
Performance Compensation
- No performance-linked metrics are disclosed for non-employee director compensation; equity grants are fully vested common shares, not PSUs/RSUs, and no meeting-based performance bonuses are described.
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- Compensation Committee interlocks: In 2024, Avient disclosed no compensation committee interlocks involving its executive officers; committee members listed did not create interlocks under SEC rules.
- Potential interlocks/conflicts with customers/suppliers: Not disclosed for Jellison; Avient reported no related person transactions in 2024.
Expertise & Qualifications
- Audit committee financial expert; meets SEC definition.
- Skills matrix indicates Jellison brings financial expertise, international experience, operations experience, corporate governance experience, sustainability familiarity, and IT/cybersecurity understanding.
- Healthcare/Medtech specialization perspective from CFO roles.
Equity Ownership
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Total beneficial ownership (as of Feb 28, 2025) | 62,717 shares; <1% of class |
| Shares outstanding (context) | 91,532,542 |
| Deferred shares held (end of 2024 fiscal year) | 42,337 |
| Stock ownership guideline (directors) | Minimum 12,500 shares; compliance expected within 5 years |
| Compliance status | Company states all directors meet or are on track to meet guidelines; Jellison’s beneficial ownership exceeds minimum |
Insider Trades
| Filing Date | Form | Notes/Description | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 3, 2025 | Form 4 | Statement of changes in beneficial ownership (details in filing) | |
| Oct 2, 2024 | Form 4 | Statement of changes in beneficial ownership (company-hosted copy) | |
| Oct 2, 2025 | Form 4 | Filing notes include shares acquired via dividend reinvestment in the Deferred Compensation Plan |
Shareholder Voting Signals
- 2025 director election support for Jellison: For 85,935,484; Withheld 712,658; Broker Non-Votes 1,884,443. High “For” votes indicate strong shareholder support.
- 2025 say-on-pay advisory vote: For 80,322,583; Against 6,185,143; Abstentions 140,416; Broker Non-Votes 1,884,443.
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent director; Audit Committee Chair and SEC-defined audit expert; substantial CFO experience; strong shareholder support in 2025 election; meaningful equity alignment via 62,717 beneficial shares and 42,337 deferred shares; stock ownership guideline met/on track; no related party transactions in 2024; transparent director compensation program with equity emphasis.
- Compensation/incentives: Balanced mix of fixed cash and fully vested equity; quarterly grant cadence; ability to defer into share-denominated accounts enhances alignment; recent increases to equity value and chair fees align with market data and responsibility.
- Attendance/engagement: Board-level disclosure indicates at least 75% attendance and full annual meeting attendance for directors; audit and EH&S committees met regularly (7 and 2 times, respectively) indicating active oversight.
- Potential conflicts/red flags: None disclosed regarding related person transactions for 2024; Section 16 compliance issues noted only for another director due to administrative error. No pledging/hedging policy statements specific to directors; executive anti-hedging/anti-pledging policy exists. Overall low conflict profile.
- Investor confidence: Strong election vote margins and no governance exceptions flagged in proxy suggest stable governance standing; independence and audit expertise are positive signals for board effectiveness.