Chad Abraham
COLUMBUS MCKINNONAbout Chad R. Abraham
Independent director of Columbus McKinnon since November 2021; age 56; Chairman & CEO of Piper Sandler (NYSE: PIPR) and Chairman of its board since 2018; member of CMCO’s Audit Committee and designated Audit Committee financial expert; B.A. in economics and political science from Northwestern University .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Piper Sandler | Investment Banking Analyst (Technology) → Built Menlo Park presence → Head of Capital Markets → Global Co‑Head of Investment Banking & Capital Markets → Chairman & CEO | 1991–present; Global Co‑Head promoted in 2010; CEO/Chair since 2018 | Long‑tenured capital markets executive; transformation and growth track record |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Piper Sandler (NYSE: PIPR) | Chairman & CEO; Chairman of Piper Sandler’s board | CEO/Chair since 2018 | Public company leadership; governance and financial expertise |
Board Governance
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Independence | Board determined all directors other than the CEO are independent; Abraham is independent; all Board committees are fully independent |
| Committee Assignments | Audit Committee member (not chair) |
| Audit Committee Structure | FY25 members: Chris J. Stephens, Jr. (Chair), Chad R. Abraham, Michael Dastoor; 5 meetings in FY25; all qualify as “audit committee financial expert” |
| Attendance | Board held 6 meetings in FY25; each director attended at least 75% of Board and committee meetings and attended the 2024 Annual Meeting |
| Executive Sessions | Independent directors regularly meet in executive session; independent Board Chair presides |
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Cash Retainer (non‑employee directors) | $90,000 | Structure for FY2025 (pro‑rated from May 2024) |
| Chair of the Board Fee | $80,000 | Role‑based add‑on (not applicable to Abraham) |
| Lead Independent Director Fee | $45,000 | Role‑based add‑on (not applicable to Abraham) |
| Committee Chair Fee | $20,000 | Audit, HCCS, or Governance chair (not applicable to Abraham) |
| Meeting Fees | $0 | No per‑meeting fees; expenses reimbursed |
| Director | FY2025 Cash Fees ($) | Stock Awards ($) | Total ($) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chad R. Abraham | 90,000 | — (elected full deferral) | 90,000 |
Performance Compensation
| Grant Year | Grant Type | Shares/Units | Grant Date Fair Value | Vesting | Deferral Election & Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Common stock (annual director equity) | 3,514 | $130,018 | Immediate vesting | Abraham elected to defer 100% of FY2025 equity award; distribution on Feb 1, 2032 or upon separation, death, disability, or change in control; under 2016 LTIP |
No performance metrics are tied to director equity; annual director equity grants vest immediately (not PSU‑based) .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Relationship | Potential Interlock/Conflict | Status |
|---|---|---|
| CEO/Chairman at Piper Sandler | Possible conflict if Piper Sandler provides services to CMCO | Company reports no related party transactions requiring disclosure for FY2025; Audit Committee reviews related‑party transactions and independence |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Audit Committee financial expert; deep finance and accounting experience as public‑company CEO; extensive capital markets and M&A background .
- Board skills matrix indicates strong finance expertise across the Board; CMCO emphasizes diverse skills and independence across committees .
Equity Ownership
| Measure (as of May 27, 2025) | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Beneficial Ownership (common shares) | 20,000 | Listed in beneficial ownership table; less than 1% of class |
| Deferred Stock (not in beneficial count) | 11,001 | Deferred stock held; included for guideline compliance |
| Unvested RSUs (director deferral plan) | 10,793 | RSUs held as of March 31, 2025 |
| Ownership % of Outstanding Shares | <1% | As disclosed for the director |
| Director Ownership Guideline | 5x annual cash retainer within 5 years | All directors in compliance as of March 31, 2025 |
| Hedging/Pledging | Prohibited | Insider policy bans hedging and pledging; no pledging disclosed |
| Insider Compliance | FY2025 Status |
|---|---|
| Section 16(a) Filings | Company disclosed compliance for directors/officers except specified late filings for certain officers; no late filings were disclosed for Abraham |
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent director with capital markets expertise and designated audit committee financial expert; active Audit Committee engagement (5 meetings) and signatory on Audit Committee report; adherence to robust director ownership guidelines; anti‑hedging/pledging policy supports alignment .
- Compensation alignment: Simple mix—cash retainer plus equity; Abraham’s full deferral of equity to 2032 indicates long‑term alignment; no meeting fees reduce per‑meeting incentives .
- Independence/attendance: Board and committees fully independent; each director met ≥75% attendance; independent leadership with executive sessions .
- Conflicts/related‑party: No related‑party transactions disclosed for FY2025; Audit Committee pre‑approves auditor services and oversees insider/affiliated transactions; as CEO of an investment bank, monitor any future CMCO engagements with Piper Sandler for potential conflicts, but none reported .
- RED FLAGS: None disclosed in FY2025 regarding related‑party transactions, hedging/pledging, or Section 16(a) delinquencies for Abraham; continue monitoring potential interlock risk with Piper Sandler .