Joseph Corasanti
COHERENTAbout Joseph J. Corasanti
Independent director of Coherent (COHR); age 61; director since 2002 (Class Three; term expires 2026). Former President & CEO of CONMED (2006–2014) with legal background (JD, Whittier; BA, Hobart) and M&A/board governance experience. Current committee roles: Chair, Nominating & Corporate Governance; Member, Audit & Risk; designated SEC “audit committee financial expert.” The Board deems him independent under NYSE rules.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| CONMED Corporation | President & CEO | 2006–July 2014 | Public company CEO/board experience; M&A execution; legal background leveraged on boards |
| CONMED Corporation | President & COO | 1999–2006 | Operational leadership |
| CONMED Corporation | EVP/GM | 1998–1999 | Business unit leadership |
| CONMED Corporation | General Counsel & VP–Legal Affairs | 1993–1998 | Legal/regulatory expertise |
| Morgan, Wenzel & McNicholas (law firm) | Associate Attorney | 1990–1993 | Legal practice (Los Angeles) |
| Coherent (Board) | Audit Committee Chair | FY 2024 (prior structure) | Signed Audit Committee report as Chair |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| SRC, Inc. (defense technology) | Director | Since 2015 | Chair of risk and mission fulfillment committee |
| CONMED Corporation | Director | 1994–2014 | Former public company board role |
Board Governance
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Independence | Board determined all directors except the CEO are independent under NYSE rules; includes Corasanti |
| Board Class/Term | Class Three; Director since 2002; Term expires 2026; Age 61 |
| Committees (FY 2025) | Chair: Nominating & Corporate Governance (NCG); Member: Audit & Risk (AR) |
| Audit Committee Financial Expert | Yes (SEC-defined) |
| Meetings/Attendance (FY 2025) | Board met 6 times; each director attended ≥75% of Board and applicable committee meetings |
| Committee Meetings (FY 2025) | AR: 7; CHC: 6; NCG: 4 |
| NCG Mandate Highlights | Board composition/refresh; stakeholder governance engagement; succession planning coordination; board/committee self-evaluations; ESG oversight including cybersecurity risk |
Fixed Compensation (Director)
| Fiscal Year | Cash Fees Earned ($) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 125,000 | Actual fees earned; role-based program (no per-meeting fees) |
| 2024 | 150,000 | Actual fees earned; FY24 included one-time fees for special committees/Office of the Chair during CEO transition |
Director cash retainer schedule (FY 2025): Board member $90,000; Board chair $180,000; AR member $15,000/chair $30,000; CHC member $10,500/chair $21,000; NCG member $10,000/chair $20,000. Chair retainers are in lieu of member retainers. Employee director not compensated.
Performance Compensation (Director)
| Fiscal Year | Equity Type | Grant Value (Nominal) | Vesting | Performance Metrics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | RSUs | 220,000 | Generally 1-year vest; no automatic vesting on departure (Board may approve vesting if in good standing) | None disclosed (time-based) |
| 2024 | RSUs | 200,000 | Generally 1-year vest; same departure treatment | None disclosed (time-based) |
Additional details: Number of RSUs determined by dividing grant value by closing price on grant date (subject to rounding) . No option awards granted to directors in FY24–FY25; equity computed per FASB ASC 718.
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Type | Role | Since | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SRC, Inc. | Defense technology | Director | 2015 | Listed among “other public company boards (past five years)” in 2025 profile; risk/mission fulfillment chair (2024 proxy) |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Former public company CEO (CONMED) with leadership, M&A, and governance track record; legal background (JD)
- Audit & Risk experience; designated SEC “audit committee financial expert”
- NCG chair with remit including board refresh, succession planning coordination, ESG/cybersecurity oversight
Equity Ownership
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Beneficial Ownership (as of Aug 31, 2024) | 123,553 shares; “less than 1%” of outstanding; includes 33,742 options exercisable within 60 days; none of the shares in the table were pledged as security |
| RSUs Outstanding (June 30, 2025) | 2,831 |
| Options Outstanding (June 30, 2025) | 15,532 total; 15,532 exercisable |
| RSUs Outstanding (June 30, 2024) | 6,363 |
| Options Outstanding (June 30, 2024) | 33,742 total; 33,742 exercisable |
| Director Stock Ownership Guideline | 5× annual Board cash retainer (currently $450,000); all directors with ≥3 years tenure comply with prior $150,000 guideline, and the Board believes all are making satisfactory progress toward the new guideline |
Governance Assessment
- Signals of effectiveness: Independent status; NCG Chair; SEC “financial expert”; AR membership; ≥75% attendance; no related-party transactions in FY2025. These support investor-alignment in oversight, risk, and governance processes.
- Alignment: Meaningful equity via annual RSU grants; outstanding RSUs/options; no pledging disclosed; robust 5× retainer stock ownership guideline.
- FY2024 CEO transition engagement: Served during a period with special Board structures (Search Committee; Office of the Chair) and associated one-time fees, indicating elevated engagement during leadership transition.
- Tenure: Long-standing director since 2002 (Class Three), bringing continuity and institutional knowledge; Board affirms independence under NYSE rules.
RED FLAGS
- Related-party transactions: None in FY2025 under SEC rules.
- Pledging/Hedging: None of the shares in the beneficial ownership table were pledged as security.
- Attendance: Met ≥75% threshold in FY2025 (Board and committee).
Year-over-year compensation mix shift
- Cash fees decreased (2024: $150,000 → 2025: $125,000), while equity award value increased (2024: $200,003 → 2025: $220,025), modestly increasing equity weighting.