William A. Hawkins
About William A. Hawkins
William A. “Bill” Hawkins, age 71, has served on Bioventus’s Board since September 2020 and is the independent Chairperson of the Board. He is a former CEO of Medtronic and Immucor and currently a Senior Advisor to EW Healthcare Partners. Hawkins holds an MBA from the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business and a BS in electrical and biomedical engineering from Duke University .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medtronic, Inc. | Chief Executive Officer | Nov 2007 – Jun 2011 | Led global medtech leader; prior roles at Medtronic 2001–2011 |
| Immucor, Inc. | President & Chief Executive Officer | Oct 2011 – Jul 2015 | Diagnostics company CEO |
| Novoste Corporation | President & Chief Executive Officer | 1988 – 2002 | Vascular brachytherapy; earlier senior roles at Wyeth (American Home Products), J&J, Guidant, Eli Lilly |
| Bioventus LLC | Chair of Board of Managers | Jan 2016 – IPO (Feb 2021) | Governance leadership pre-IPO |
| Duke University Board of Trustees | Vice Chair; Trustee | 2011 – 2023 | Healthcare system governance experience; Trustee Emeritus in 2023 |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biogen Inc. (public) | Director | Current | Compensation Committee member |
| MiMedx Group, Inc. (public) | Director | Current | Chairs Ethics & Compliance Committee |
| Baebies, Inc. (private) | Director | Current | — |
| Cirtec Medical Corp. (private) | Director | Current | — |
| Enterra Medical (private) | Director | Current | — |
| Virtue Labs, LLC (private) | Director | Current | — |
| Avanos Medical, Inc. (public) | Director | 2015 – Apr 2021 | — |
| Immunor, Inc. | Director | 2015 – 2021 | — |
| North Carolina Biotechnology Center | Director | Current | — |
| Focused Ultrasound Foundation Society | Director | Current | — |
Board Governance
- Role: Independent Chairperson of the Board since September 2020; Board leadership separated from CEO role; no Lead Director because Chair is independent .
- Independence: Board affirmed Hawkins is independent under Nasdaq rules .
- Committee assignment: Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee member .
- Attendance: In FY2024, each director attended at least 75% of Board and applicable committee meetings; Board met 6 times .
- Board class/tenure: Class II director; term expires at the 2026 Annual Meeting .
| Committee | Membership | Chair Role |
|---|---|---|
| Nominating & Corporate Governance | Member | No |
| Audit & Risk | Not a member | — |
| Compensation | Not a member | — |
| Compliance, Ethics & Culture | Not a member | — |
Fixed Compensation
| Component (2024) | Amount (USD) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Board Retainer | $55,000 | Non-employee director policy |
| Chairperson Retainer | $55,000 | Additional annual retainer |
| Committee Member Retainer (Nominating & Corporate Governance) | $5,000 | Non-chair member |
| Total Cash Paid (2024) | $115,000 | As reported for Hawkins |
| Annual RSU Grant (2024) | $172,999 | Grant-date fair value |
Policy update: Starting 2025, annual RSU grant value increased to $215,000 and Chairperson receives an additional $50,000 annual RSU grant; standard vesting is one year; all director RSUs accelerate upon change in control .
Performance Compensation
| Equity Award | Grant Date | Shares/Units | Fair Value (USD) | Vesting | Change-in-Control |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual RSU (Director) | Jun 11, 2024 | 26,493 | $172,999 | Vests Jun 11, 2025 (or immediately prior to the 2025 Annual Meeting, if sooner), service-based | Accelerates and vests in full |
No director performance metrics are disclosed; director equity awards are time-based RSUs (not PSU/option performance awards) .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| External Company | Hawkins Role | BVS Director Interlock | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| MiMedx Group, Inc. | Director; Chairs Ethics & Compliance | Martin P. Sutter also serves on MiMedx board (and committees) | Potential information flow/interlock within regenerative medicine peer |
| Biogen Inc. | Director; Compensation Committee | None disclosed | Large-cap biotech governance exposure |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Former CEO of Medtronic and Immucor with deep operating, commercial and regulatory experience in medtech and diagnostics .
- Senior Advisor to EW Healthcare Partners; extensive venture/growth equity perspective .
- Education: MBA (UVA Darden); BS electrical and biomedical engineering (Duke) .
- Significant board governance across public and private healthcare companies; prior vice chair of Duke University Board of Trustees .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Class A Shares Beneficially Owned | RSUs Outstanding | % Ownership | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William A. Hawkins | 231,358 | 26,493 (may vest within 60 days of Apr 7, 2025) | <1% | Total beneficial: 257,851 |
- No director options outstanding for Hawkins; RSUs only .
- Anti-hedging policy prohibits hedging transactions for directors; no pledging disclosure found .
Governance Assessment
- Board effectiveness: Independent Chair structure separates oversight from management; Hawkins’ operating experience supports CEO accountability and strategic oversight .
- Independence and attendance: Board confirms independence under Nasdaq; minimum attendance threshold met in 2024; no Hawkins-specific Section 16(a) delinquencies disclosed .
- Compensation alignment: 2024 mix ~40% cash/$115k and ~60% equity/$173k RSUs; 2025 increases to equity grants (including chair premium) strengthen long-term alignment, though automatic CIC acceleration of director RSUs can be shareholder-unfriendly in takeover scenarios .
- Ownership skin-in-the-game: Hawkins beneficially owns 257,851 shares/units (<1%); RSUs align incentives; no evidence of pledging; anti-hedging policy improves alignment .
- Potential conflicts/RED FLAGS: Senior Advisor to EW Healthcare Partners (Essex), a 19.7% holder with director designation rights; Essex-affiliated directors (Neels, Sutter) sit on BVS board. While the Board affirms Hawkins’ independence, investors should monitor influence from Stockholders Agreement and Essex/S&N voting blocks (combined ~42.7% voting power) .
- Interlocks: Hawkins and Sutter both on MiMedx’s board; could create information-flow advantages but also perceived conflicts if counterparties overlap. No related-party transactions with Hawkins disclosed; related-party policies route review to Audit & Risk Committee .
Overall: Hawkins brings high-caliber medtech leadership and governance experience. Key watchpoints are Essex/S&N influence via designation rights and CIC vesting for director RSUs. Anti-hedging policy and independent chair structure bolster investor confidence .