James D. White
About James D. White
James D. White, age 64, has been an independent director of CAVA Group, Inc. since May 2022. He is a seasoned consumer and restaurant executive, previously Chair, President and CEO of Jamba (2008–2016), SVP/GM of Consumer Brands at Safeway (2005–2008), and held executive roles at Gillette and Nestlé Purina. White serves on the boards of The Honest Company (since May 2021) and Simply Good Foods (since 2019). He holds a B.S. in Marketing from the University of Missouri, an MBA from Fontbonne University, completed Cornell’s Food Executive Program, and was a Stanford Distinguished Careers Institute Fellow in 2018 .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jamba | Chair, President & CEO | 2008–2016 | Led public company; consumer/restaurant turnaround experience |
| Safeway | SVP & GM, Consumer Brands | 2005–2008 | Managed private-label business; supply chain/branding oversight |
| Gillette | Executive roles | Not disclosed | Consumer products expertise |
| Nestlé Purina | Executive roles | Not disclosed | CPG operations/brand roles |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Honest Company | Director | Since May 2021 | Current public company directorship |
| Simply Good Foods | Director | Since 2019 | Current public company directorship |
| Panera Bread Company – JAB Holdings | Director | Prior | Historical network with CAVA Chair Ronald Shaich (Panera founder/CEO) |
| Hillshire Brands Company | Director | Prior | Prior public board service |
| Medallia | Director | Prior | Prior public board service |
| Adtalem Global Education | Director | Prior | Prior public board service |
Board Governance
| Item | Status |
|---|---|
| Independence (NYSE) | Independent; Board affirmatively determined independence |
| Committee Assignments | Audit Committee – Member; Nominating, Governance & Sustainability Committee – Chair |
| Audit Committee Financial Expert | Not designated as “financial expert” (Bosserman and Kochevar are) |
| Attendance & Engagement | In FY2024, Board met 4 times; Audit 8; PCC 5; NGC 4; each director attended at least 75% of meetings of the Board and their committees |
| Years of Service on CAVA Board | Director since 2022 |
- Board leadership: CAVA separates Chair (Ronald Shaich) and CEO roles; a Lead Director may be elected when Chair is non-independent; responsibilities set by the Board .
- Risk oversight: Audit oversees strategic risk and cybersecurity; NGC oversees ESG and governance; committees report regularly to the full Board .
Fixed Compensation
| Year | Fees Earned (Cash) ($) | Stock Awards ($) | Option Awards ($) | Total ($) | RSUs Granted (#) | Grant Date | Vesting Terms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 90,306 | 120,545 | — | 210,851 | 1,307 | June 20, 2024 | Annual director RSUs cliff vest on first anniversary or immediately before next AGM; vest in full upon change in control |
- Policy (2024): Annual board retainer $75,000; Chair $37,500; Committee chair retainers — Audit $20,000, PCC $15,000, NGC $10,000; Committee member retainers — Audit $10,000, PCC $7,500, NGC $5,000; annual RSU grant $110,000 (30-day average price basis) .
- 2025 increases: Chair $85,000; Audit chair $25,000; PCC chair $20,000; NGC chair $15,000; annual RSU grant $150,000; non-chair committee member retainers unchanged .
Performance Compensation
| Component | Details |
|---|---|
| Performance-based equity | None disclosed for directors; annual RSUs are time-vesting (no PSUs/metrics) |
| Options awarded in 2024 | None (Option Awards column blank) |
| Change-in-control treatment | Director RSUs vest in full upon change in control |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Type | Detail |
|---|---|
| Current public boards | The Honest Company (since May 2021); Simply Good Foods (since 2019) |
| Historical ties | Previously on Panera’s board; current CAVA Chair Ronald Shaich is Panera founder/former CEO — network linkage but not a current board interlock |
| Compensation committee interlocks | 2024 Compensation Committee members were Shanahan (Chair), Felt, Kochevar; Shaich served until the 2024 Annual Meeting. White did not serve on Compensation Committee in 2024 |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Public company director and executive experience across restaurants and consumer goods (Jamba, Safeway, Gillette, Nestlé Purina) .
- Education: B.S. in Marketing (University of Missouri); MBA (Fontbonne University); Cornell Food Executive Program; Stanford DCI Fellow (2018) .
- Governance/ESG: Chairs CAVA’s Nominating, Governance & Sustainability Committee, overseeing governance and sustainability strategy .
Equity Ownership
| As of Date | Shares Owned (Outstanding) (#) | Right to Acquire Within 60 Days (#) | Total Beneficial Ownership (#) | % of Outstanding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 21, 2025 | 2,500 | 6,860 | 9,360 | Less than 1% |
| Equity Detail | Vested | Unvested | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stock Options (as of Dec 29, 2024) | 3,702 | 3,705 | 7,407 options in total; prior-year grants |
| RSUs (as of Dec 29, 2024) | — | 1,307 | Annual director RSU grant; scheduled to vest June 20, 2025 |
- Stock ownership guidelines: Directors must hold 5x annual cash retainer; as of Dec 31, 2024, each director had met the guidelines or was on a satisfactory path; holding at least 50% of net shares from vesting until guidelines met .
- Hedging/pledging: Company policy prohibits hedging and pledging without pre-clearance from the Chief Legal Officer; approvals discretionary and based on specific factors . No pledging was disclosed for White in the beneficial ownership section .
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent status; chairs NGC and serves on Audit (supports governance and risk oversight); attendance ≥75%; compensation mix emphasizes equity via annual RSUs, with ownership guidelines promoting alignment; prohibition on hedging/pledging enhances investor alignment .
- Alignment: 2024 director pay split (~43% cash / ~57% equity for White) supports long-term orientation; RSUs vest over one year and accelerate on change in control consistent with market practice; 2025 increases to chair fees and equity value reflect scaled governance demands and market benchmarking .
- Other boards: Current service at The Honest Company and Simply Good Foods brings relevant consumer expertise; prior Panera board service creates a network linkage with CAVA’s Chair but no disclosed related-party transactions involving White; Audit Committee must approve any related party transactions under policy .
- RED FLAGS: None disclosed specific to White. No low attendance issues (≥75%), no hedging/pledging disclosures, no related-party transactions reported for White. Note that White is not designated as an audit committee financial expert (Bosserman and Kochevar are), which could modestly limit Audit Committee technical depth but is mitigated by overall committee composition .