Jill Taymans
About Jill Taymans
Jill M. Taymans is Vice President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer of Cryo-Cell International, Inc. (CCEL). She joined the company in April 1997 as Controller and was appointed CFO in May 1998; she is 55 years old and holds a BS in Accounting from the University of Maryland (1991), with over 30 years of accounting experience across public and private sectors, including three years as Controller for a telecommunications company prior to CCEL . She provides Sarbanes-Oxley certifications on CCEL’s quarterly and annual filings, underscoring accountability for financial reporting and controls .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cryo-Cell International, Inc. | Controller | Apr 1997–May 1998 | Built accounting foundation ahead of CFO promotion |
| Cryo-Cell International, Inc. | Chief Financial Officer | May 1998–Present | Oversees financial reporting, controls, and capital allocation; SOX certifications |
External Roles
No external public company directorships or committee roles are disclosed in the proxy biography for Ms. Taymans .
Fixed Compensation
Multi-year summary (fiscal years ended November 30):
| Metric | FY 2022 | FY 2023 | FY 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salary ($) | $215,000 | $234,769 | $280,000 |
| Bonus ($) | $12,985 | $20,000 | $20,000 |
| Stock Awards ($) | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Option Awards ($) | $5,383 | $52,535 | $22,931 |
| Total ($) | $233,368 | $307,304 | $322,931 |
Notes:
- Compensation philosophy relies on competitive base pay plus discretionary cash bonuses and stock options, reviewed by the Compensation Committee against company and individual performance .
Performance Compensation
Subjective annual bonus rubric and payouts:
| Year | Metric | Weighting | Target | Actual (Company/Exec) | Payout ($) | Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2023 | Discretionary performance review across competencies (leadership, team-building, accountability, analytics, communication, creativity/problem-solving, integrity) | Discretionary | Not specified | Committee-evaluated | $20,000 | Cash |
| FY 2024 | Discretionary performance review across competencies (as above) | Discretionary | Not specified | Committee-evaluated | $20,000 | Cash |
Option awards and vesting conditions (Outstanding at Nov 30, 2024):
| Grant Date | Options (#) | Exercise Price ($) | Expiration | Vesting Schedule |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 2, 2016 | 7,500 | 3.10 | Jun 3, 2026 | 1/3 immediate, 1/3 at 1 year, 1/3 at 2 years |
| Sep 23, 2020 | 7,000 | 8.00 | Sep 23, 2027 | 1/3 at 1 year, 1/3 at 2 years, 1/3 at 3 years |
| Jan 13, 2023 | 20,000 | 4.62 | Jan 13, 2028 | Vest immediately upon issuance |
| Dec 22, 2023 | 10,000 | 5.88 | Dec 22, 2028 | 1/3 immediate, 1/3 at 1 year, 1/3 at 2 years |
Equity Ownership & Alignment
Beneficial ownership and alignment indicators:
| As-of Date | Shares Beneficially Owned | Percent of Class | Options Exercisable Within 60 Days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 20, 2024 | 83,229 | 1.03% | 37,833 |
| Sep 15, 2025 | 89,896 | 1.11% | Not disclosed |
Additional context:
- Ownership percentages computed per SEC Rule 13d‑3 using shares outstanding and options exercisable within 60 days .
Employment Terms
Key terms of the Taymans Employment Agreement:
| Term | Detail |
|---|---|
| Agreement Start | Original agreement Nov 1, 2005; amended July 2008 to expire Nov 30, 2008; current term ends Nov 30, 2026; one-year auto-renew unless non-renewal notice ≥60 days before term end |
| Base Salary | $280,000 (current) |
| Bonus Eligibility | Discretionary annual bonuses at Compensation Committee’s discretion |
| Long-Term Incentives | Eligible for long-term incentive awards provided to senior executives, terms set by Compensation Committee |
| Change-in-Control Severance | If terminated without cause or due to demotion/relocation upon or within 1 year of a Change in Control (or prior if related), entitled to all earned compensation through termination date and 12 months of base salary; continued participation in benefit plans; reasonable business expenses |
| Restrictive Covenants | Non-compete and non-solicitation for 12 months post-termination |
Investment Implications
- Pay-for-performance alignment is modest but present: the CFO’s cash bonuses are discretionary and relatively small versus base, while equity incentives are primarily time-based stock options with clear vesting ladders; at least one grant vested immediately, creating potential for near-term liquidity decisions once options are in-the-money .
- Ownership alignment: Ms. Taymans beneficially owns ~1.11% of CCEL, up from ~1.03% in the prior year, indicating increasing skin-in-the-game; options exercisable within 60 days were disclosed in 2024 and included in ownership calculations, reinforcing alignment via option exposure .
- Retention and change-of-control economics: Her CoC protection is limited to 12 months of base salary plus continuation of benefits, materially lower than the Co-CEOs’ 2x salary plus bonus constructs; this suggests lower payout risk and manageable retention cost, with standard 12-month non-compete/non-solicit provisions .
- Monitoring catalysts: Option expirations in 2026 and 2027 (and 2028) create focal points to track potential exercises and subsequent Form 4 activity; investors should monitor insider trading filings around vesting anniversaries and expirations for selling pressure signals .