Francis Knuettel, II
About Francis Knuettel, II
Independent director of Beeline Holdings, Inc. (BLNE), age 59, appointed May 14, 2025, with executive and financial leadership credentials as CEO (since July 2023), CFO (since June 2022), and director (since August 2024) of Channel Therapeutics Corporation (NYSE American: CHRO); previously CEO and director of Unrivaled Brands, Inc. (OTCQX: UNRV) from December 2020 to March 2022 . The Board has determined he is independent under Nasdaq rules .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Channel Therapeutics Corporation (CHRO) | Chief Financial Officer | Since Jun 2022 | Senior finance leadership |
| Channel Therapeutics Corporation (CHRO) | Chief Executive Officer | Since Jul 2023 | Strategic leadership |
| Channel Therapeutics Corporation (CHRO) | Director | Since Aug 2024 | Board oversight |
| Unrivaled Brands, Inc. (UNRV) | Chief Executive Officer & Director | Dec 2020 – Mar 2022 | Operator and board member |
External Roles
| Organization | Exchange | Role(s) | Start Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Channel Therapeutics Corporation | NYSE American: CHRO | CEO; CFO; Director | CEO: Jul 2023; CFO: Jun 2022; Director: Aug 2024 |
| Unrivaled Brands, Inc. | OTCQX: UNRV | Former CEO & Director | Dec 2020 – Mar 2022 |
Board Governance
- Independence: Independent under Nasdaq Rule 5605(a)(2) .
- Committee assignments: Not currently a member of Audit, Compensation, or Nominating & Corporate Governance; committee chairs are Eric Finnsson (Audit), Joseph Freedman (Compensation), and Joseph Caltabiano (Nominating & Corporate Governance) .
- Chair roles: None .
- Attendance: Company states all directors then serving attended >75% of Board/committee meetings in 2024; Knuettel joined in 2025, so his 2025 attendance is not disclosed .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount | Terms | Effective Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer | $50,000 | Payable quarterly in arrears; subject to continued service | May 1, 2025 |
Note: Other directors elected to take certain cash grants in stock at $0.92/share; the $50,000 retainer for Knuettel is disclosed as cash (no election noted) .
Performance Compensation
| Award Type | Shares | Vesting Schedule | Grant Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Restricted Stock | 10,000 | Cliff vest on Oct 2, 2025 | May 28, 2025 | Subject to stockholder approval of the 2025 Equity Incentive Plan |
| Restricted Stock | 30,000 | Vests one-third annually over 3 years from May 28, 2025 | May 28, 2025 | Subject to stockholder approval of the 2025 Equity Incentive Plan |
| RSUs | — | — | — | None disclosed for Knuettel |
| Stock Options | — | — | — | None disclosed for Knuettel |
- Performance metrics tied to director compensation: Not disclosed; grants are time-based and contingent upon Plan approval .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Role | Interlock/Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Channel Therapeutics Corporation (CHRO) | CEO; CFO; Director | External public company leadership; no BLNE committee interlocks disclosed |
| Unrivaled Brands, Inc. (UNRV) | Former CEO & Director | Prior public company leadership; ended Mar 2022 |
Board-level interlocks at BLNE exist among other directors (e.g., multiple directors have roles at Red Cat Holdings, Inc.), but none are attributed to Knuettel .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Executive leadership in public companies (CEO/CFO), bringing finance, governance, and operational oversight experience .
- Not designated as the Audit Committee financial expert (that role is held by Eric Finnsson) .
Equity Ownership
| Security | Amount Beneficially Owned | Percent of Class | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Common Stock | 0 | <1% | Does not include restricted stock contingent on Plan approval |
- Hedging/Pledging: Officers and directors are prohibited from hedging transactions under the Insider Trading Policy; pledging not disclosed .
- Clawback: Company adopted a clawback policy consistent with Nasdaq rules (recoup excess incentive comp upon restatement) .
Governance Assessment
- Independence and committee footprint: Knuettel is independent but not seated on any key committees (Audit, Compensation, Nominating), limiting direct influence on core governance processes despite relevant CFO/CEO experience .
- Alignment and incentives: A standard $50,000 cash retainer and modest time-based restricted stock grants (10,000 + 30,000 shares) contingent on Plan approval indicate moderate alignment; current beneficial ownership is zero pending Plan approval, which may temper “skin-in-the-game” until vesting occurs .
- Conflicts/related parties: No related-party transactions disclosed involving Knuettel; numerous related-party items exist with other BLNE insiders, but not attributed to him .
- Risk indicators:
- RED FLAG: Potential time-commitment risk from simultaneously serving as CEO, CFO, and director at Channel Therapeutics while serving on BLNE’s Board (overboarding/time allocation concerns), though only one external public board role is disclosed .
- Process protections: Anti-hedging policy and clawback policy in place; no legal proceedings disclosed; Section 16 compliance noted in 2024 (not specific to him) .
Insider Trades
| Item | Disclosure |
|---|---|
| Section 16(a) filings | Company states all applicable Section 16(a) filing requirements were complied with in 2024, with exceptions not related to Knuettel; no specific Form 4 activity for Knuettel disclosed in the proxy |
Additional Context
- Committee compositions and charters are published; Audit: Finnsson (Chair), Freedman, Romano; Compensation: Freedman (Chair), Finnsson, Romano; Nominating: Caltabiano (Chair), Finnsson, Freedman .
- Director compensation for certain peers included cash awards (with stock election at $0.92/share), separate from the $50,000 retainer applicable to Knuettel effective May 1, 2025 .
Overall signal: Francis Knuettel, II brings seasoned public-company finance and operating expertise as an independent director. However, he is not on governance-critical committees, and equity alignment is contingent on shareholder approval of the Plan. No conflicts are disclosed for him; policy frameworks (anti-hedging, clawback) support governance quality at the board level .