Alva Taylor
About Alva Taylor
Alva Taylor, Ph.D. (age 64), is an independent Class II director of CRA International, Inc. (CRAI) who has served on the board since August 2022. He is Senior Associate Dean of Executive Learning (since 2025) and Faculty Director of the Glassmeyer/McNamee Center for Digital Strategies (since 2013) at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, where he has been a professor since 2000; his expertise centers on digital strategy, innovation processes, and change management. Dr. Taylor holds a B.S. and M.S. in Operations Research and Industrial Engineering, an M.B.A. from Cornell University, and a Ph.D. from Stanford University .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuck School of Business, Dartmouth | Professor | 2000–present | Research and teaching in strategy, innovation, change management |
| Tuck School of Business, Dartmouth | Faculty Director, Center for Digital Strategies | 2013–present | Leads thought leadership on how digital tech impacts strategy |
| Tuck School of Business, Dartmouth | Senior Associate Dean of Executive Learning | 2025–present | Oversees executive learning programs focused on performance |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cardigan Mountain School | Board Member | Sept 2022–present | Non-profit academic board position |
| Tuck School of Business, Dartmouth | Senior Associate Dean; Faculty Director | 2013–present (FD), 2025–present (SAD) | Digital strategies leadership; executive learning |
Board Governance
- Independence: Board determined Dr. Taylor is independent under Nasdaq rules; all audit, nominating & governance, and compensation committee members meet independence standards .
- Committee assignments (FY2024): Audit Committee member; Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee member. Committee chairs were Richard Booth (Audit), Heather Tookes (Compensation), and Christine Detrick (Nominating & Governance) .
- Meeting cadence/attendance (FY2024): Board met 7 times (plus 8 unanimous written consents); each incumbent director attended at least 75% of board and committee meetings; all directors attended the 2024 annual meeting. Audit Committee met 8 times (plus 2 written consents); Nominating & Governance met 4 times (plus 1 written consent); Compensation Committee met 8 times (plus 3 written consents) .
- Lead Independent Director: William Concannon .
- Director retirement/tenure policy: Board monitors tenure; retirement policy generally at age 72 unless waived .
Fixed Compensation
| Component (FY2024) | Amount | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Annual director cash fee | $85,000 | Standard non-employee director retainer |
| Committee membership cash | $5,000 | Additional fee for membership on a committee above one; Dr. Taylor served on two committees |
| Total cash fees | $90,000 | Reported in director compensation table |
| Equity grant (restricted stock) | $124,908 | Grant-date fair value; awarded July 18, 2024 (700 shares), vesting in 4 equal annual installments |
| Total compensation | $214,908 | Cash plus equity, FY2024 |
- Cash fee schedule (FY2024): Chair fees—Audit $25k, Compensation $20k, Nominating & Governance $10k; Lead Director $30k; $1,500 per committee meeting after the eighth (none triggered in 2024) .
Performance Compensation
- Directors at CRAI do not receive performance-based equity; annual director equity is time-vesting restricted stock (four equal annual tranches) with dividend equivalents paid only upon vesting .
- RSU Grant Details (FY2024):
- Grant date: July 18, 2024; Shares: 700; Vesting: four equal annual installments beginning on first anniversary of grant; Grant-date valuation methodology: closing market price per share .
- As of Dec 28, 2024, Dr. Taylor had 1,942 unvested restricted shares outstanding .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Category | Company/Organization | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public company boards | None disclosed | — | No public directorships listed for Dr. Taylor in proxy |
| Non-profit/academic boards | Cardigan Mountain School | Director | Since Sept 2022 |
- Compensation Committee Interlocks: CRAI discloses no relationships requiring Item 404 disclosure for compensation committee members; none of CRAI’s executive officers served on other boards’ compensation committees during FY2024 .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Digital strategy and change management expertise; recognized research in innovation, entrepreneurship, technological change, and decision-making in fast-changing environments .
- Teaches strategy, innovation, and change management across MBA and executive programs .
- Education: B.S./M.S. in Operations Research & Industrial Engineering and M.B.A. (Cornell); Ph.D. (Stanford) .
Equity Ownership
| Metric | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Total beneficial ownership (shares) | 2,687 | As of April 22, 2025 |
| Ownership as % of outstanding | <1% | Individual directors denoted “*” meaning less than 1% |
| Unvested restricted shares | 1,942 | As of Dec 28, 2024 |
| Options (exercisable/unexercisable) | None disclosed | No options listed for directors in beneficial ownership table |
| Director ownership guidelines | 300% of annual director fee ($85,000) | All directors currently meet guidelines |
| Hedging/pledging | Derivatives/hedging/shorts prohibited; pledging requires approval | Trading policy restrictions apply to directors |
Governance Assessment
- Strengths:
- Independence and committee service on Audit and Nominating & Governance ensure direct involvement in financial oversight and board composition/succession; committees met regularly and all members are independent .
- Strong attendance/engagement; all directors attended the annual meeting and at least 75% of meetings .
- Ownership alignment via stock ownership guidelines (300% of annual fee) with company disclosure that all directors meet thresholds; director equity vests over four years, reinforcing long-term alignment .
- No related-person transactions in FY2024; trading policy prohibits hedging/shorting and limits pledging, reducing misalignment/conflict risk .
- Broader pay governance signals: 94% Say‑on‑Pay approval in 2024, and continued engagement with investors, supports confidence in compensation oversight (though focused on executives) .
- Potential watch items:
- Not designated an “audit committee financial expert” (that designation applies to Booth and Keenan), so Audit Committee depth relies on other members for technical accounting expertise .
- CFO transition: departure of CFO effective April 11, 2025 and interim appointment may warrant continued oversight by Audit Committee on financial reporting continuity (company disclosure, not tied to Dr. Taylor specifically) .
- Compensation mix for director role (FY2024) is conventional for peers: fixed cash plus time‑vesting equity; no performance-linked director pay or meeting fees beyond the eighth meeting threshold, mitigating pay-for-attendance risks .
RED FLAGS: None disclosed specific to Dr. Taylor—no related-party transactions, no hedging/pledging disclosed, director meets ownership guidelines, and attendance exceeds minimum thresholds .