James O’Leary
Builders FirstSourceAbout James O’Leary
Independent director at Builders FirstSource since 2021 (age 62), O’Leary brings CEO/operator depth across industrial manufacturing and finance, and is a licensed CPA (inactive, NY). He chairs BLDR’s Technology Committee and serves on the Compensation Committee; the Board affirmatively determined he is independent. Current external roles include Executive Chairman and Interim CEO of DMC Global; prior CEO roles include WireCo WorldGroup and Kaydon Corporation. Director tenure at BLDR: ~4 years as of 2025.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| DMC Global, Inc. | Executive Chairman and Interim CEO | 2024 – Present | Public-company leadership; M&A/operations experience |
| WireCo WorldGroup, Inc. | Chairman & CEO | 2017 – 2019 | Engineered wire/rope manufacturing leadership |
| Kaydon Corporation, Inc. | Chairman & CEO | 2007 – 2013 | Precision industrial goods; operations and finance |
| Kinematics Manufacturing Company | Chairman | 2015 – Present | Industrial manufacturing oversight |
| ProSource Plumbing Supply | Director | 2022 – Present | Distribution sector governance |
External Roles
| Company | Role | Tenure | Committee/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| DMC Global, Inc. (NASDAQ: BOOM) | Director (and Executive Chairman/Interim CEO) | 2023 – Present (Exec Chair/Interim CEO since 2024) | Other current public board; potential time-commitment consideration |
| BMC Stock Holdings, Inc. | Director (former) | 2015 – 2021 | Predecessor peer in building materials (merged) |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Chair, Technology Committee; Member, Compensation Committee. Technology Committee was created April 1, 2025; current members are O’Leary (Chair), Ainoa, Renz, and Rush; 3 of 4 are independent. Compensation Committee members: Christophe (Chair), Milgrim, O’Leary.
- Independence: Board affirmed O’Leary’s independence under NYSE and SEC standards; Compensation and Audit Committees comprised solely of independent directors.
- Attendance: In 2024, each incumbent director attended at least 75% of combined Board and committee meetings; Compensation Committee held 5 meetings with 93% meeting attendance (committee-level). The Technology Committee did not meet in 2024 (formed in 2025).
Fixed Compensation
| Component (Directors) | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer | $120,000 | Payable quarterly; directors may elect fully vested shares in lieu of cash; election taken by O’Leary for 2024. |
| Committee fees (annual) | Audit: Chair $30k / Member $5k; Comp: Chair $20k / Member $5k; NCG: Chair $20k / Member $5k; Tech: Chair $20k / Member $5k | No per-meeting fees. |
| 2024 RSU grant value (annual) | $175,000 | RSUs vest in full on earlier of 1-year anniversary or cessation due to death, disability, or retirement. |
| O’Leary 2024 director pay (reported) | Fees $124,677; Stock awards $174,945; Total $299,622 | O’Leary elected to take retainers and committee fees in stock for full year 2024. |
Compensation mix signal: O’Leary’s 2024 pay ~41.6% fees vs 58.4% equity by value (based on $124,677 vs $174,945), aligning director incentives with long-term stock performance.
Performance Compensation
| Performance Metric | Applies to Director Pay? | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Performance-based equity (PSUs) | No | Director equity is time-based RSUs; no performance metrics. |
| Annual/long-term performance metrics (e.g., Adjusted EBITDA, ROIC, TSR modifiers) | Executives only | Used for NEO plans; not applicable to directors. |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Type | Detail |
|---|---|
| Current public boards | DMC Global, Inc. (since 2023) |
| Prior public boards | BMC Stock Holdings, Inc. (2015–2021) |
| Interlocks/Conflicts | Proxy discloses that certain BLDR directors previously served on the board of supplier PGT Innovations until its March 2024 acquisition; no O’Leary-specific related-party transaction is disclosed. |
| Independence | Affirmed independent; Compensation, Audit, and NCG Committees comprised solely of independents. |
Expertise & Qualifications
- CEO/President leadership; manufacturing and operations; finance; business development and M&A; licensed CPA (inactive, NY).
Equity Ownership
| Item | Amount/Status | As-of | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beneficial ownership (BLDR) | 85,133 shares; <1% of outstanding | March 28, 2025 | Footnote includes 1,194 shares issuable upon RSU conversion subject to vesting conditions. |
| RSUs outstanding | 1,194 shares | Dec 31, 2024 | Director RSUs vest in full on earlier of 1-year from grant or death/disability/retirement. |
| Ownership guidelines | Directors: 5× annual cash retainer | Policy | Unvested RSUs count; retain 50% of net shares until compliant. |
| Compliance status | All directors either compliant or within grace period (Oct 2024 review) | Oct 2024 | Administered by Compensation Committee. |
| Hedging/pledging | Prohibited without prior written approval; shorting/margin/derivatives restricted | Policy | Anti-hedging and anti-pledging framework under Insider Trading Policy. |
Recent insider transactions (signal of alignment)
| Date | Type | Shares | Price | Post-transaction holdings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 1, 2025 | Stock award (compensation) | 270 | $138.68 | 87,489 direct |
| Source(s): StockTitan Form 4 summary (Director James O’Leary) |
Governance Assessment
- Board effectiveness: O’Leary holds a critical governance role as Chair of the newly formed Technology Committee (April 2025), tasked with overseeing digital/technology strategy and supporting cybersecurity oversight; his manufacturing and finance background plus CPA credential bolster oversight quality.
- Independence and attendance: Independence affirmed; all directors met ≥75% attendance in 2024; Compensation Committee (of which he is a member) logged five meetings with 93% attendance at the committee level.
- Pay alignment: Director compensation features substantial equity via annual RSUs, optional stock in lieu of cash retainers (which O’Leary elected), and robust stock ownership guidelines with compliance monitored—favorable for shareholder alignment.
- Conflicts and related parties: No O’Leary-specific related-party transactions disclosed; company maintains formal review/approval policies and anti-hedging/pledging restrictions. His concurrent Executive Chairman/Interim CEO role at DMC Global raises time-commitment considerations but is not cited as a conflict with BLDR.
- Shareholder signals: “Say-on-pay” support nearly 95% in 2024 indicates strong investor confidence in compensation governance under the Compensation Committee (includes O’Leary).
RED FLAGS to monitor:
- Time demands from simultaneous Executive Chairman/Interim CEO responsibilities at DMC Global—monitor BLDR committee attendance and engagement trends.
- Any future related-party transactions or pledging exceptions (policy requires prior approval) should be scrutinized.
Appendix: Committee Scopes (selected)
- Compensation Committee: Oversees CEO/NEO pay, clawback implementation, stock ownership guidelines, succession planning, and human capital matters. 2024 meetings: 5. Current members: Christophe (Chair), Milgrim, O’Leary.
- Technology Committee: Oversees technology strategy (digital, software development, AI trends), platform effectiveness, and supports Audit on cybersecurity; created April 1, 2025. Members: O’Leary (Chair), Ainoa, Renz, Rush; 3 of 4 independent.
Compensation Peer Group (context for pay benchmarking)
For 2024 executive compensation peer analysis (context for Compensation Committee oversight): Ball, Carrier, Fortune Brands, Genuine Parts, Johnson Controls, LKQ, Lennar, Masco, Mohawk, Owens Corning, PPG, PulteGroup, Sherwin-Williams, Stanley Black & Decker, Trane, W.W. Grainger, WESCO, Whirlpool.
Sources
- BLDR 2025 DEF 14A (April 15, 2025) for director biography, independence, committees, attendance, director compensation, RSUs, ownership, policies, and committee charters
- BLDR Investor Relations Committee Composition page for current committee matrix (confirming roles)
- Form 4 aggregation (recent insider award)