John W. Culver
COLUMBIA SPORTSWEARAbout John W. Culver
John W. Culver (age 64) has served as an independent director of Columbia Sportswear Company since 2021. He previously served as Group President, North America and Chief Operating Officer at Starbucks (2021–2022) and earlier as Group President, International, Channel Development and Global Coffee, Tea & Cocoa (2018–2021), having joined Starbucks in 2002 as Vice President. He currently serves on the board of Kimberly-Clark Corporation (NYSE: KMB). He brings global public company leadership and operational and strategic planning expertise to the Board .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starbucks Corporation | Group President, North America & COO | 2021–2022 | Senior operator for a global consumer brand; strategic and operational leadership |
| Starbucks Corporation | Group President, International, Channel Development & Global Coffee, Tea & Cocoa | 2018–2021 | Led international growth and channel strategy |
| Starbucks Corporation | Vice President (joined) | 2002–2002+ | Early executive role; long tenure at Starbucks |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kimberly-Clark Corporation (NYSE: KMB) | Director | Current | Public company board service in consumer staples |
Board Governance
- Independence: The Board determined Mr. Culver is independent under Nasdaq and SEC rules; a majority of the Board is independent .
- Committee assignments: Member, Talent and Compensation Committee (not chair). 2024 committee roster confirms membership; 2025 Compensation Committee Report lists members (Chair: Stephen E. Babson; Members: Culver, Kevin Mansell, Sabrina L. Simmons) .
- Meeting cadence and attendance: Board met 5 times (2023) and 6 times (2024); independent directors held 4 executive sessions each year. Each director attended at least 75% of aggregate Board and committee meetings for their service period .
- Lead Independent Director governance: The Board combines Chair/CEO roles but maintains a Lead Independent Director (Andy D. Bryant) with a published charter and defined responsibilities (presides in CEO’s absence, leads executive sessions, liaises with shareholders, etc.) .
Fixed Compensation
| Metric | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Fees Earned or Paid in Cash ($) | $10,000 | $10,000 |
| Stock Awards ($) | $240,116 | $240,151 |
| Option Awards ($) | — | — |
| All Other Compensation ($) | $3,500 | $3,500 |
| Total ($) | $253,616 | $253,651 |
- Program structure: Non-employee directors receive an $80,000 annual board fee; $10,000 per committee membership; chair premia ($20k Nominating; $30k Talent & Compensation; $40k Audit); $50k Lead Independent Director fee; and a $3,500 merchandise allowance. Annual time-based RSUs are valued at $160,000 and vest 100% on May 1 following grant .
- RSU election: Mr. Culver elected RSUs in lieu of his entire $80,000 board cash fee for the 2023–2024 and 2024–2025 service terms, driving higher stock award values and minimal cash fees beyond his committee fee .
Performance Compensation
| Component | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Annual equity award (time-based RSUs) ($) | $160,000 (program value) | $160,000 (program value) |
| RSUs elected in lieu of board cash fee ($) | $80,000 (Culver election) | $80,000 (Culver election) |
| Performance metrics tied to director equity | None; RSUs are time-based and vest in full on May 1 following grant | |
| Options granted (director) | None disclosed for 2023 or 2024 |
No director performance metrics (e.g., TSR, revenue growth) are tied to director compensation; equity is strictly time-based RSUs with one-year vesting .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Relationship | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Kimberly-Clark Corporation | Current public company board | External directorship; no Columbia-related party disclosure tied to Culver |
- Compensation Committee interlocks: The Talent and Compensation Committee (including Culver) disclosed no interlocks or relationships requiring Item 404 related-party disclosure; none of the Committee members are current or former Columbia officers/employees .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Global public company leadership; operational and strategic planning expertise from senior roles at Starbucks .
- Consumer and retail domain experience applicable to apparel/footwear strategy and human capital oversight via Talent & Compensation Committee service .
Equity Ownership
| Metric | 2024 (as of Mar 26, 2024) | 2025 (as of Apr 1, 2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Shares Beneficially Owned | 9,570 | 12,473 |
| Options exercisable within 60 days | 944 | 944 |
| RSUs vesting within 60 days | 3,140 | 2,903 |
| Percent of Shares Outstanding | <1% | <1% |
- Stock ownership guidelines: Non-employee directors are encouraged to hold the lesser of Columbia stock valued at 5x annual board fee or 5,200 shares; new directors expected to attain within five years. All non-employee directors with ≥5 years of service have met the guideline .
- Policy references: The proxy includes sections on “Stock Ownership Guidelines,” “Prohibition on Hedging or Pledging Columbia Securities,” and “Insider Trading Arrangements and Policies,” underscoring alignment and trading controls .
Governance Assessment
- Positives: Independent director with deep consumer/retail operating experience; active member of the Talent & Compensation Committee; meets attendance threshold; compensation mix aligned with shareholders given consistent election of RSUs in lieu of cash board fees .
- Conflicts/related party exposure: No Item 404 related-party relationships or compensation committee interlocks disclosed involving Culver; Board explicitly affirmed independence with no undisclosed material transactions considered in independence determinations .
- Alignment signals: Adherence to director ownership guidelines and use of equity-heavy compensation (time-based RSUs with one-year vest) support alignment; beneficial ownership rising year over year (2024→2025) .
RED FLAGS: None disclosed specific to Culver (no attendance issues, no related-party transactions, no hedging/pledging disclosures tied to him, no compensation anomalies beyond equity-in-lieu elections which improve alignment) .