Stephanie Pulliam
About Stephanie Pulliam
Stephanie L. Pulliam is Executive Vice President, Human Resources at Core Molding Technologies (CMT), appointed January 1, 2025, after joining the company on March 15, 2021; she is age 42 and holds dual bachelor’s degrees in Health Management and Psychology from The Ohio State University . During 2024–2023, company performance indicators reflected cycle pressure and margin resiliency: ROCE declined from 16.4% in 2023 to 9.9% in 2024, while Adjusted EBITDA was $33.8 million in 2024 vs. $42.3 million in 2023 . 2024 quarterly net sales trended $78.1m (Q1), $88.7m (Q2), and $73.0m (Q3), each down year-over-year as CMT executed cost actions and “Invest for Growth” initiatives . CMT has modernized its incentive architecture with a clawback policy (adopted 2023), expanded performance-based equity, and stringent equity plan guardrails—key for pay-for-performance alignment across the leadership bench that includes HR .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core Molding Technologies | EVP, Human Resources | Jan 2025–Present | Senior HR leadership supporting growth, sales transformation, and retention initiatives as part of 2024/2025 “Invest for Growth” priorities . |
| Core Molding Technologies | VP, Human Resources | Jul 2024–Dec 2024 | Led HR during commercial and organizational scaling; precursor to EVP promotion . |
| Core Molding Technologies | Director, Total Rewards & HR Operations; Director, Total Rewards | 2021–Jul 2024 | Built compensation/benefits infrastructure; supported migration toward greater performance-based equity . |
| Central Ohio Transit Authority | Compensation & Benefits Manager/EEO Investigation Officer; Benefits Administrator | Apr 2012–Mar 2021 | Led comp/benefits and EEO investigations—foundational experience for HR governance and reward design . |
| Rite Rug Company | Human Resources & Payroll Manager; Payroll & HR Coordinator | Oct 2006–Apr 2012 | HR operations and payroll leadership in multi-site environment . |
External Roles
- No public company directorships or external board roles disclosed for Pulliam in CMT’s 2025 proxy .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | 2024 | 2023 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Salary ($) | Not disclosed for Pulliam | Not disclosed for Pulliam | Pulliam is not listed among Named Executive Officers (NEOs) in the Summary Compensation Table; SCT covers CEO, CFO, COO . |
| Target Bonus (%) | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Company-wide Short-Term Incentive Program (STIP) applies to salaried employees/NEOs; specific targets for Pulliam not disclosed . |
| Perquisites | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Perquisites generally de minimis for NEOs historically; no Pulliam-specific disclosure . |
Performance Compensation
| Incentive Type | Metric(s) | Weighting | Target/Calibration | Actual/Payout | Vesting/Key Terms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STIP (Annual Cash) | Company financial performance (metrics set annually by Board) | Not disclosed | Targets set at start of year; variable payouts by performance | Not disclosed for Pulliam | Annual cash incentive; applies to salaried employees including executives; details for Pulliam not disclosed . |
| Performance Restricted Stock (PSUs) | Improvement in EBIT as % of sales and improvement in Return on Capital Employed (ROCE) | Transitioning to 50% of exec equity by 2025 (company-wide design) | 3-year performance period with vesting at 100% on 3rd anniversary subject to goals; CIC/death/disability accelerate at 100% of target | Not disclosed for Pulliam | Plan-level forms adopted April 2024; vest on 3-year schedule; acceleration on CIC/death/disability; subject to clawback . |
| Restricted Stock (Time-Based) | Time-based | Not applicable | Vests in three equal installments over 3 years; minimum 1-year vesting policy applies | Not disclosed for Pulliam | Additional condition: must own CMT shares equal to 20% of base salary for 60 consecutive days by vest date; CIC/death/disability accelerate; dividends deferred until vest . |
Equity Ownership & Alignment
| Policy/Feature | CMT Design & Implications |
|---|---|
| Stock Ownership Requirement for RS Vesting | Executive must own CMT stock equal to 20% of base salary for 60 consecutive days before vesting—tightens alignment and can delay vesting/selling pressure if not met . |
| Minimum Vesting/Acceleration | Minimum 1-year vesting on most awards; non-CIC acceleration limited to death/disability; CIC acceleration allowed at target . |
| No Repricing/No Discounted Options | Option/SAR repricing prohibited without shareholder approval; exercise price ≥ FMV at grant . |
| Dividends on Unvested Equity | No dividends/dividend equivalents paid until awards are earned and vested; dividends on forfeited shares are forfeited . |
| Clawback | Clawback adopted in 2023—recovers erroneously awarded incentive comp for restatement-triggered excess pay over the prior 3 completed fiscal years . |
| Transferability/Pledging | Awards generally non-transferable and may not be pledged or encumbered; aligns with anti-hedging posture on awards . |
| Beneficial Ownership (Pulliam) | Not individually listed in 2025 proxy security ownership table (which covers directors and NEOs); no share count disclosed for Pulliam . |
Employment Terms
| Term | Detail |
|---|---|
| Employment Start and Tenure | Joined March 15, 2021; promoted to VP HR in July 2024; EVP HR effective January 1, 2025; Executive Officer since 2025 . |
| Severance/Change-in-Control Economics (Plan-level/NEO disclosure) | Company discloses for NEOs: 24 months’ continued compensation for CEO and 12 months for other NEOs; target STIP if terminated before measurement completion; cash severance equal to market value of all unvested shares; equity accelerates at death/disability; CIC accelerates at target . |
| Equity Plan Terms (Forms) | PSUs: 3-year performance period; accelerates at 100% of target on CIC/death/disability; time-based RS: 3-year ratable vest; both forms adopted April 2024 . |
| Non-Compete/Non-Solicit | Not disclosed for Pulliam in filings reviewed. |
Company Performance Context (select metrics)
| Metric | FY 2023 | FY 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Adjusted EBITDA ($mm) | $42.291 | $33.802 |
| ROCE (%) | 16.4% | 9.9% |
| 2024 Net Sales ($mm) | Q1 2024 | Q2 2024 | Q3 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Net Sales | $78.145 | $88.7 | $73.0 |
Risk Indicators & Red Flags
- Clawback policy aligned with SEC Rule 10D-1 and NYSE American rules (restatement-triggered recoupment for prior 3 completed fiscal years) .
- Plan prohibits option/SAR repricing, limits acceleration pre-consummation of CIC, and enforces minimum vesting—reduces governance risk from award modifications .
- No disclosure of hedging/pledging policy for open-market owned shares; awards themselves are non-transferable and cannot be pledged .
- No Pulliam-specific related-party transactions or legal proceedings disclosed in reviewed documents.
Compensation Structure Analysis
- Shift toward performance-based equity: Company transitioned to 50% performance-based vesting by 2025 for executives—tightens pay-performance linkage via EBIT margin and ROCE metrics .
- Strong plan guardrails: No repricing, minimum vesting, dividend deferral, and clawback collectively mitigate shareholder-unfriendly practices .
- Ownership-for-vesting hurdle: The 20% of salary stock ownership requirement for RS vesting is unusually stringent and can smooth insider selling post-vest events .
Say-on-Pay & Peer Group
- Not disclosed in the cited excerpts for 2024–2025; no Pulliam-specific say-on-pay or peer group details in reviewed sections.
Investment Implications
- Alignment and retention: Pulliam operates within a tightened incentive system—3-year performance equity tied to EBIT% and ROCE, minimum vesting, and a stock ownership requirement for vesting—supporting retention and alignment with multi-year value creation, and likely moderating near-term insider supply from HR leadership grants .
- Governance risk low: Clawback, no-repricing, and CIC safeguards reduce comp-related governance risk during down cycles or strategic events .
- Performance sensitivity: Company KPIs softened in 2024 (ROCE and Adjusted EBITDA down vs. 2023) and 2024 sales were lower y/y across quarters, which can pressure STIP/PSU outcomes and reinforces the need for sustained operating execution to realize equity value .
- Data gap caveat: Pulliam’s individual base salary, bonus targets, and personal share ownership are not disclosed in the proxy (she is not a named executive officer), so trading signals tied to her personal vesting/selling cadence are constrained; monitoring future grants or any Form 4s is advised .