William Concannon
About William Concannon
Independent director and Lead Independent Director of CRA International since July 2020; director since June 2000; age 69. Former CEO of Global Workplace Solutions at CBRE Group (retired April 2024) with prior leadership posts across CBRE and Trammell Crow Company; B.S. in Accounting from Providence College and current trustee (previously 2002–2010). Independence affirmed by CRA; he coordinates activities of independent directors and serves as liaison with the CEO. Tenure, background, and lead director responsibilities suggest strong board process familiarity and governance oversight .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| CBRE Group, Inc. | CEO, Global Workplace Solutions; Global Group President, Strategic Business Sponsorships; prior CEO/President roles in Global Corporate Services | CEO GWS: Sep 2015–Apr 2024; other roles 2006–2022 | Led large-scale business services; recognized for outsourcing leadership |
| CBRE Acquisition Holdings (SPAC) | CEO | Dec 2020–Dec 2022 | Leadership of blank-check vehicle at CBRE |
| Trammell Crow Company | Executive officer and board member; Vice Chairman | To 2006 | Executive leadership pre-acquisition by CBRE |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Altus Power (NYSE: AMPS) | Director | Dec 2021–Feb 2024 | Overlap with CRA director Christine Detrick (Dec 2021–Apr 2025) indicates interlock |
| Providence College | Trustee | Current; previously 2002–2010 | Education governance involvement |
Board Governance
- Independence and leadership: CRA board determined Mr. Concannon is independent; serves as Lead Independent Director coordinating independent directors and acting as liaison to CEO .
- Committee assignments (FY2024/FY2025): Compensation Committee member; Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee member; Executive Committee member. Chairs: Compensation Committee chaired by Heather Tookes (effective Jul 18, 2024); Nominating & Governance chaired by Christine Detrick (effective Mar 1, 2024); Executive Committee chaired by CEO Paul Maleh .
- Attendance: In FY2024 every incumbent director attended at least 75% of board and committee meetings; all directors attended the annual meeting .
- Retirement policy: CRA director retirement policy at age 72 (board waiver possible), relevant for future succession planning .
Fixed Compensation
| Metric | FY2023 | FY2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer (board) | $75,000 | $85,000 |
| Lead director fee | $30,000 | $30,000 |
| Committee cash fees (member/chair) | Member fee $5,000 for each committee above one; chair fees: Audit $25,000, Comp $20,000, N&CG $10,000, Executive $10,000 | Same structure (no committee exceeded 8 meetings, so no per-meeting adders) |
| Total cash paid (Concannon) | $120,000 | $125,834 |
Notes: CRA increased non‑employee director cash retainer from $75k to $85k effective Jan 1, 2024; lead director fee unchanged; committee fee schedule unchanged . Concannon’s cash rose modestly YoY primarily from the retainer increase .
Performance Compensation
| Equity Grant | Grant Date | Shares/Units | Grant-Date Fair Value | Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Restricted Stock (FY2023 program) | Jul 13, 2023 | 990 shares | $99,921 | 4 equal annual installments beginning first anniversary |
| Annual Restricted Stock (FY2024 program) | Jul 18, 2024 | 700 shares | $124,908 | 4 equal annual installments beginning first anniversary |
| Unvested restricted shares (as of Dec 28, 2024) | — | 2,275 shares | — | Scheduled per above |
Policy elements:
- Annual non‑employee director equity grant increased from $100k to $125k effective as of the 2024 annual meeting; dividends on director restricted stock accrue but are not paid until vesting .
- Trading policy prohibits hedging, derivatives, short sales; pledging requires CEO/GC approval .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Role | Overlap/Interlock | Potential Conflict Commentary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Altus Power (NYSE: AMPS) | Director (Concannon: Dec 2021–Feb 2024) | Interlock with CRA director Christine Detrick (Dec 2021–Apr 2025) | No CRA‑disclosed related‑party transactions in FY2024; interlock may facilitate information flow but no transaction exposure disclosed |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Senior operating executive experience leading global corporate services and outsourcing businesses; recognized in the Outsourcing Hall of Fame .
- Governance experience as Lead Independent Director coordinating independent oversight and shareholder responsibilities .
- Financial acumen via accounting degree and trustee service at Providence College .
- Industry experience across commercial real estate operations and services; relevant to CRA’s professional services context .
Equity Ownership
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Beneficial ownership (shares) | 14,899 |
| Right to acquire within 60 days (options) | 0 |
| % of shares outstanding | Less than 1% (“*” in table) |
| Vested vs. unvested | Unvested director restricted stock 2,275 shares as of Dec 28, 2024 |
| Pledging/Hedging | Company policy prohibits hedging/shorts/derivatives; pledging requires authorization |
Ownership alignment:
- CRA director ownership guideline: 300% of annual board fee; all directors currently meet guidelines (as of FY2024) .
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Long tenure and continuity (since 2000) with independent lead role; broad committee engagement (Compensation, N&CG, Executive); independence affirmed; attendance thresholds met; no related‑party transactions in FY2024; strong shareholder support for say‑on‑pay (2024 vote results “For” 5,832,262 vs “Against” 327,209) .
- Pay structure signals: Modest YoY increase aligned with market (cash retainer +$10k; equity grant value +$25k change), mix balanced cash/equity; no meeting fees triggered (≤8 meetings) .
- Interlocks/Conflicts: Altus Power interlock with Detrick noted; no CRA‑disclosed related‑party dealings in FY2024; trading policies mitigate alignment risks (hedging/pledging constraints) .
- Watch items: Age vs retirement policy (72 threshold suggests succession planning in coming years); prior chair transition from N&CG to Detrick in 2024 (continuity maintained) .
Supporting Data
- Committee Memberships (FY2024/FY2025): Compensation (member); Nominating & Corporate Governance (member); Executive (member) .
- Lead Independent Director responsibilities described; board leadership structure rationale .
- Director compensation totals (FY2024): Concannon cash $125,834; stock $124,908; total $250,742 .
- Beneficial ownership and outstanding shares baseline: 14,899 shares owned; 6,808,872 shares outstanding on Apr 22, 2025 .
- Annual meeting voting results (2024): Directors elected; say‑on‑pay approved; auditor ratified .