Robert J. Willett

President, Chief Executive Officer, and Director at COGNEX

Board

Since 2011

Age

56 years

Education

Earned a Bachelor of Arts from Brown University and a Master of Business Administration from Yale University.

Tenure

Joined CGNX in June 2008 as President of the Modular Vision Systems Division, was promoted to President and Chief Operating Officer in 2010, and has served as President, Chief Executive Officer, and Director since 2011.

Also at COGNEX

CWGI

Carl W. Gerst III

Executive Vice President of Vision and ID Products

Dennis Fehr

Senior Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer

Joerg Kuechen

Chief Technology Officer

About

Robert J. Willett, currently 56 years old , has built an impressive career marked by progressive leadership roles in the technology and industrial sectors. Beginning his journey at CGNX in June 2008, he quickly established himself as a key leader by taking charge of the Modular Vision Systems Division and later advancing the company through his promotion in 2010.

His solid educational foundation, having earned a Bachelor of Arts from Brown University and a Master of Business Administration from Yale University , has been pivotal in shaping his strategic vision and analytical acumen. This educational background has underpinned his approach to driving innovation and operational excellence in every role he has undertaken.

Beyond his technical and professional achievements, his career also includes significant contributions at Danaher Corporation and his previous executive experience running Willett International Ltd. These experiences have enriched his perspective, enabling him to lead CGNX with a blend of strategic insight and practical expertise, while also serving on the board of Clean Harbors, Inc..

$CGNX Performance Under Robert J. Willett

Past Roles

Organization	Role	Date Range	Details
Cognex Corporation (CGNX)	President and Chief Operating Officer	2010 - 2011	Previous leadership role before promotion to CEO
Cognex Corporation (CGNX)	President of the Modular Vision Systems Division	2008 - 2010	Initial leadership role at CGNX
Danaher Corporation	Vice President of Business Development and Innovation, Product Identification Business Group	N/A	Held prior to joining CGNX
Danaher Corporation	President of Videojet Technologies	N/A	Videojet Technologies is known for coding and marking products
Willett International Ltd.	Chief Executive Officer	N/A	Company was sold to Danaher Corporation and later merged with Videojet Technologies

External Roles

Organization	Role	Date Range	Details
Clean Harbors, Inc.	Director	N/A	N/A

Fixed Compensation

Data from FY 2023

Component Name	Amount	Payment Schedule	Additional Details
Base Salary	$676,000	Annual	Fixed annual base salary
All Other Compensation	$11,443	Annual	Includes benefits such as basic group term life insurance, basic accidental death and dismemberment insurance, 401(k) employer match, tuition reimbursement, and Perseverance Awards

Performance Compensation

Data from FY 2023

Annual Company Bonus Program

Metric	Details
Target Bonus	$1,075,000
Performance Metric	Operating Margin with a target of 24.5%, an actual result of 16.6%, and a minimum of 15.9%
Payout Range	0%-350% of target bonus based on performance
Evaluation Period	2023

Performance-Based Restricted Stock Units (PRSUs)

Metric	Details
Target Shares	46,033
Threshold Shares	23,017 (50% of target)
Maximum Shares	69,050 (150% of target)
Performance Metric	Total Shareholder Return (TSR) percentile relative to the S&P Composite 1500 Electronic Equipment, Instruments & Components index
Vesting Date	February 21, 2026
Grant Date & Fair Value	February 21, 2023; Fair Value: $2,065,040

Stock Options

Metric	Details
Grant Date	February 21, 2023
Fair Value	$4,133,598
Exercise Price	$47.21 per share
Vesting Schedule	5-year time-based vesting with equal annual installments