Sarah Aebersold

About Sarah Aebersold

Sarah Aebersold, J.D., is Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) at BioLife Solutions (BioLife) and has served in this role since January 2023; she joined the company in February 2020 and was promoted to VP, Global HR in January 2021 before becoming CHRO in 2023 . She is 50 years old and is part of the company’s executive leadership team; her credentials are explicitly noted as J.D. in BioLife’s November 2025 organizational overview . During her CHRO tenure, BioLife executed a portfolio streamlining (three divestitures) and delivered 2024 revenue of $82.3 million (+8% y/y) with adjusted EBITDA of $15.6 million (19% margin), while the company’s pay-versus-performance TSR index stood at 160.44 for 2024, reflecting multi‑year share performance dynamics disclosed under SEC rules .

Past Roles

External Roles

• No external public company directorships disclosed for Aebersold in the executive officers section; directorships listed apply to Board members only .

Fixed Compensation

Note: The latest DEF 14A identifies NEO pay in detail but does not itemize CHRO-specific base/bonus amounts for 2024; Aebersold was not a named executive officer in 2024/2025 proxy tables .

Performance Compensation

• Annual cash incentive program: For 2024, the Compensation Committee determined Company Objectives results of 88% (used to calculate NEO payouts). Specific CHRO payout amounts were not disclosed .
• Long-term equity design: Executives (other than the CEO’s distinct mix) received service-vesting restricted stock and market-based RSUs in March 2024, split 50%/50% by grant-date value; service awards vest 25% at first anniversary then quarterly over three years, and market-based awards vest 0–200% of target over a two-year TSR window (Jan 1, 2024–Dec 31, 2025) versus a 20‑company peer group with specified percentile hurdles (30th–80th) .

Equity plan accelerations: Under the 2023 Plan, single-trigger applies if awards are not assumed at change-in-control; otherwise double-trigger (termination without cause or good reason within 12 months post‑CIC) accelerates vesting. The 2013 Plan provided single-trigger acceleration at CIC .

Equity Ownership & Alignment

• Beneficial ownership: Third‑party SEC Form 4 trackers indicate Aebersold held approximately 77,357–77,169 BLFS shares as of mid-September to mid-October 2025 (post‑sale figures), reflecting cumulative equity from tenure; exact proxy-line item for Aebersold’s holdings was not listed in the 2025 beneficial ownership table .
• Recent insider activity: On Oct 9, 2025, she sold 188 shares at $27.36 (~$5,143) under a Rule 10b5‑1 plan to cover tax obligations on vesting; after the transaction she directly owned ~77,169 shares, per press summaries of Form 4 filings .
• Hedging/pledging: BioLife prohibits executive officers from hedging or pledging company securities (alignment positive) .
• Section 16 compliance: The proxy reports late Form 4 filings for multiple executives, including Aebersold (late filings on Apr 23, 2024 and Sep 18, 2024), indicating administrative/reporting control risk to monitor .

Employment Terms

• Employment agreement on appointment to VP, Global HR (effective Jan 1, 2021): At‑will; base salary $240,000; target annual bonus up to 30% of base; participation in benefit plans .
• Severance (without cause or for good reason): Lump sum equal to 6 months’ base salary plus 6 months’ COBRA at then‑current cost and a tax gross‑up on those premiums .
• Change in control (CIC) within 90 days of termination: 6 months’ salary, 100% of any incentive cash/stock bonus for current year, plus 6 months’ COBRA with tax gross‑up .
• Restrictive covenants: One‑year non‑compete and non‑solicit post‑termination .
• Equity award vesting on CIC follows plan/award agreements (see plan acceleration features in Performance Compensation section) .

Performance & Track Record

• Company 2024 highlights under current leadership team: Revenue $82.3 million (+8% y/y), adjusted EBITDA $15.6 million (19% margin), and three divestitures generating ~$74.7 million cash; launch of CellSeal CryoCase .
• Pay-versus-Performance disclosure (multi‑year context): TSR index value 160.44 for 2024 (SEC‑defined calculation); non‑PEO NEO average Compensation Actually Paid rose alongside turnaround metrics compared to 2023 .
• Leadership bench: Aebersold is listed among the executive team in Nov 2025 investor materials, signaling continuity/stability in HR leadership through strategic refocus .

Risk Indicators & Red Flags

• Late Section 16(a) filings (Aebersold had multiple late filings in 2024), suggesting the need for tighter administrative controls; not typically a value‑creation issue but can draw governance scrutiny .
• Hedging/pledging is prohibited (positive alignment) .
• No related‑party transactions involving executives disclosed since Jan 1, 2024; no arrangements indicating a change in control known to the company .
• No legal proceedings requiring disclosure for directors/executive officers reported in proxy .

Compensation Structure Analysis

• Pay philosophy targets total compensation near the 50th percentile of a life sciences peer set, balancing base, annual cash incentives, and long‑term equity; FW Cook served as independent consultant on 2024 compensation structure and benchmarking .
• Mix shift toward market‑based equity with explicit TSR hurdles over two‑year windows aligns pay with shareholder returns; service‑based vesting provides retention spine .
• 2024 annual bonus plan paid at 88% of target on company objectives for NEOs; CHRO payout level not disclosed (limits precision of pay‑for‑performance assessment for her specific role) .

Compensation Peer Group and Say‑on‑Pay

• The company maintains an industry‑specific peer group for annual benchmarking; target compensation levels are aligned near median; detailed peer list not included in extracted sections .
• Say‑on‑pay support for 2023 compensation was 82.4% (supportive but not overwhelming, indicating room for continued investor engagement) .

Equity Ownership & Alignment Details

Employment Terms (Key Economics)

Investment Implications

• Alignment: Prohibition on hedging/pledging and sustained personal share ownership (~77k shares as of late 2025 per Form 4 trackers) are supportive of alignment; ongoing tax‑related 10b5‑1 sales suggest minimal incremental selling pressure from the CHRO specifically .
• Retention risk: Aebersold’s current contractual economics known from 2021 (6‑month severance/CIC) are lighter than the 12‑month NEO template disclosed for other executives in the 2025 proxy; absent an updated CHRO agreement, retention leverage rests more on equity value and role influence than on severance multiples .
• Execution: HR leadership continuity through 2024 divestitures and refocus supports organizational stability during a financial/strategic transition year that delivered revenue growth and positive adjusted EBITDA; this reduces execution risk around talent and integration for 2025–2026 .
• Governance watch‑items: Repeated late Section 16 filings (including by Aebersold) warrant monitoring as a governance hygiene issue; not thesis‑critical but may factor into stewardship assessments by some investors .