Peter Greer
About Peter K. Greer
Peter K. Greer (born March 1975) is a Class III non-interested Director of Cornerstone Strategic Value Fund, Inc. (CLM) and a member of the Audit and Nominating & Corporate Governance Committees. He was elected by the Board on February 7, 2025 and is nominated to serve until the 2028 annual meeting; he is also a director of Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc. within the Fund Complex . Greer is President & CEO of HOPE International and Cofounder/Executive Director of Hope Global Investments (since 2021), with prior microfinance leadership roles in Africa and Asia; he holds an MPP from Harvard Kennedy School and a BS in international business from Messiah University .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| HOPE International | President & CEO | Current | Global microenterprise leadership; governance experience |
| Hope Global Investments | Cofounder & Executive Director | Since 2021 | Debt financing to global MFIs; investment oversight |
| Urwego Bank (Rwanda) | Managing Director | Prior to HOPE International (dates not disclosed) | Bank management and microfinance operations |
| Microfinance adviser (Cambodia, Zimbabwe) | Adviser | Prior to HOPE International (dates not disclosed) | Field advisory in microfinance programs |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Messiah University | Entrepreneur-in-Residence | Current (dates not disclosed) | Academic engagement and mentorship |
| Praxis | Venture Partner | Current (dates not disclosed) | Accelerator for social entrepreneurs |
Board Governance
- Committees: Member, Audit Committee; Member, Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee. Both committees are composed entirely of non-interested Directors; Audit Committee met 4 times in 2024 and N&CG met 4 times in 2024 .
- Chair roles: Audit Committee chaired by Frank J. Maresca; N&CG Committee chaired by Andrew A. Strauss .
- Independence: Listed as a “Class III Non-Interested” nominee/director (i.e., independent under the Investment Company Act) .
- Attendance: The Board met 4 times in 2024; each Director attended at least 75% of Board and committee meetings during the period for which he or she was a member (Greer joined Feb 7, 2025) .
- Board structure: 10 directors, 3 “Interested” Directors affiliated with Cornerstone Advisors, LLC; the Board does not have a lead independent director .
- Related-party/affiliates: Independent Directors (including immediate family) reported no transactions or interests ≥$120,000 with Cornerstone Advisors, LLC or affiliates over the past five years; none since the beginning of the last two fiscal years .
Fixed Compensation
2024 director compensation (Greer joined in 2025; amounts shown for context of prevailing pay levels):
| Name | Director Since | Aggregate Compensation From Fund (2024) | Total Compensation From Fund Complex (2024) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Robert E. Dean | 2014 | $45,000 | $80,000 |
| Peter K. Greer | 2025 | — | — |
| Marcia E. Malzahn | 2019 | $45,000 | $80,000 |
| Frank J. Maresca | 2020 | $50,000 | $90,000 |
| Matthew W. Morris | 2017 | $45,000 | $80,000 |
| Scott B. Rogers | 2001 | $45,000 | $80,000 |
| Andrew A. Strauss | 2001 | $47,500 | $85,000 |
| Daniel W. Bradshaw (Interested) | 2022 | $0 | $0 |
| Joshua G. Bradshaw (Interested) | 2021 | $0 | $0 |
| Ralph W. Bradshaw (Interested) | 1998 | $0 | $0 |
Notes:
- The Fund states it has no bonus, profit sharing, pension, or retirement plans for Directors .
Performance Compensation
| Compensation Element / Metric | Disclosure |
|---|---|
| Annual bonus / incentive pay | Not provided; Fund states “no bonus” for Directors |
| Profit sharing | None; not applicable to Directors |
| Pension/retirement plans | None; not applicable to Directors |
| Equity awards (RSUs/PSUs/options) | No director equity grants disclosed in proxy; compensation table reflects cash only |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Entity | Role | Public Company? | Timeframe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc. | Director | Closed-end fund within Fund Complex | Current |
| Outside public company boards (past 5 years) | None disclosed | — | — |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Sector expertise: Microfinance leadership across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Eastern Europe; experience as bank managing director and adviser in multiple emerging markets .
- Education: Master’s in Public Policy (Harvard Kennedy School); B.S. in International Business (Messiah University) .
- Additional credentials: Entrepreneur-in-Residence (Messiah University); Venture Partner (Praxis); coauthor of 15+ books .
Equity Ownership
| Name | Dollar Range of Equity Securities in CLM | Aggregate Dollar Range in Fund Complex |
|---|---|---|
| Peter K. Greer | $0 | $0 – $10,000 |
Note: Greer was elected at the February 7, 2025 Board meeting .
Governance Assessment
-
Strengths
- Independent status and placement on both Audit and N&CG Committees enhance board oversight balance for a new director .
- No related-party transactions or affiliate interests ≥$120,000 reported among Independent Directors, reducing conflict risk .
- Audit and N&CG Committees operate under written charters; Board designated an Audit Committee Financial Expert (Maresca) .
-
Concerns / RED FLAGS
- No lead independent director on a board with three Interested Directors affiliated with the Investment Adviser; potential for reduced independent counterbalance in governance .
- Low personal ownership: $0 in CLM; aggregate $0–$10,000 in Fund Complex—thin “skin-in-the-game” relative to peers (e.g., Morris “Over $100,000”) .
- No compensation committee; all governance routed through N&CG and Audit—limited formal pay oversight structure (typical for closed-end funds, but reduces a dedicated forum for director pay policy) .
- Attendance disclosure is aggregate (≥75%) for 2024; Greer’s individual attendance cannot be assessed yet given February 2025 election .
-
Implications for investors
- Greer brings global finance and governance experience but currently shows minimal ownership alignment; monitoring future ownership buildup and individual attendance will be important .
- Board structure without a lead independent director and multiple Interested Directors warrants continued scrutiny of committee effectiveness and independence safeguards .