Jennifer Gerold
About Jennifer Gerold
Jennifer Gerold, CPA, is Chief Financial Officer of CreditRiskMonitor.com, Inc. (appointed May 23, 2024; joined the company as Chief Monetization Officer in February 2024). She is 52 and brings nearly 30 years of corporate finance experience across EY Strategy & Transactions (Managing Director 2020–2024; Senior Manager 2016–2020) and prior roles at Credit Suisse, Merrill Lynch, and Bear Stearns, with an MBA from Chicago Booth and a BS from Babson; she also holds CGMA and CAIA designations . Company performance context: value of a $100 TSR “investment” measured by the company’s PVP table was $97 (2023) rising to $130 (2024) , while revenue increased from $18.93M (FY23) to $19.81M (FY24) and EBITDA decreased from $1.88M (FY23) to $1.65M (FY24)* .
| Metric | FY 2023 | FY 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Revenues (USD) | $18,931,931 | $19,809,881 |
| EBITDA (USD) | $1,875,863* | $1,651,538* |
Values marked with * retrieved from S&P Global.
| TSR (Value of $100) | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Shareholder Return | $142 | $97 | $130 |
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| CreditRiskMonitor.com, Inc. | Chief Financial Officer | Appointed May 23, 2024 | Finance leadership during SaaS growth focus |
| CreditRiskMonitor.com, Inc. | Chief Monetization Officer | Feb 2024–May 2024 | Monetization strategy initiatives |
| Ernst & Young U.S. LLP | Managing Director, Strategy & Transactions | 2020–2024 | Led M&A and capital markets advisory |
| Ernst & Young U.S. LLP | Senior Manager, Strategy & Transactions | 2016–2020 | Transaction advisory |
| Credit Suisse; Merrill Lynch; Bear Stearns | Investment banking/asset management roles | — | Capital markets and IB experience |
External Roles
- None disclosed: No public company directorships, committee roles at other issuers, or non-profit/academic boards were disclosed in the proxy or 8-Ks for Ms. Gerold .
Fixed Compensation
| Year | Base Salary | Target Bonus % | Actual Bonus Paid | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $176,790 | Not disclosed | $40,000 (paid subsequent year) | Partial-year CFO; SCT values reflect fiscal-year compensation |
| 2024 (Appointment terms) | $200,000 annual rate | Eligible for bonus | Not applicable | Disclosed on appointment; eligibility for equity and bonus at year-end reviews |
| 2023 | — | — | — | Not an executive officer at year-end 2023 |
- The 8-K sets ongoing base salary at $200,000 while the proxy’s SCT shows actual 2024 cash paid given partial-year service and timing of bonuses .
Performance Compensation
| Incentive Type | Metric(s) | Weighting | Target | Actual | Payout | Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Cash Bonus (2024) | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | $40,000 | Cash; paid subsequent year |
| Equity Options (grant 3/13/2024) | Service-based | — | — | — | Grant-date FV $13,619 | Options vest 20% annually beginning 2nd anniversary; full acceleration on change in control |
No detailed performance metric framework (e.g., revenue growth, EBITDA, TSR, ESG) or weightings were disclosed for the 2024 bonus; the 8-K states eligibility “in connection with year-end reviews” .
Equity Ownership & Alignment
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Total Beneficial Ownership (as of Jan 31, 2025) | None disclosed (“—”) |
| Ownership as % of Outstanding | Not listed for Ms. Gerold (table shows “—”) |
| Options Outstanding (12/31/2024) | 10,000 unexercisable; strike $2.20; expiry 03/13/2032 |
| Options In-the-Money Value (12/31/2024) | Closing price $3.03 implies intrinsic value per option ~$0.83; total ~$8,300 for 10,000 unvested options (informational; not realized) |
| Vested vs Unvested | 0 exercisable; 10,000 unexercisable as of 12/31/2024 |
| Hedging/Pledging | Company states it does not maintain a policy prohibiting hedging or monetization transactions; no specific pledging prohibition disclosed |
| Ownership Guidelines | No executive stock ownership guidelines disclosed |
Vesting Schedule for 3/13/2024 Option Grant (10,000 @ $2.20)
- Plan terms: 2020 Plan awards vest in five annual 20% increments beginning on the second anniversary of grant; full vest on change in control .
- Implied schedule: 2,000 shares on each of 3/13/2026, 3/13/2027, 3/13/2028, 3/13/2029, 3/13/2030 .
Employment Terms
| Term | Disclosure |
|---|---|
| Appointment | CFO effective May 23, 2024; previously Chief Monetization Officer (Feb–May 2024) |
| Base Salary | $200,000 per annum (8-K appointment terms) |
| Bonus Eligibility | Eligible for bonus and equity awards in connection with year-end reviews |
| Severance / Change-of-Control | Not disclosed for cash severance; equity options fully accelerate upon a change in control per plan |
| Clawback | Not disclosed |
| Non-Compete / Non-Solicit | Not disclosed |
Multi-Year Compensation Detail (Named Executive Officer SCT Extract)
| Year | Salary | Bonus | Option Awards | All Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $176,790 | $40,000 | $1,097 | — | $217,887 |
| 2023 | — | — | — | — | — |
Performance & Track Record (Context)
- TSR (value of $100): 2022 $142; 2023 $97; 2024 $130 (company-wide PVP disclosure) .
- Financial trajectory (company): Revenue rose from $18.93M (FY23) to $19.81M (FY24); EBITDA moved from $1.88M (FY23) to $1.65M (FY24)* .
- Certifications: As CFO/principal accounting officer, Ms. Gerold signed the 2024 Form 10-K SOX 302/906 certifications on March 20, 2025 .
Values marked with * retrieved from S&P Global.
Governance and Risk Indicators
- Change-in-control equity acceleration: Options vest in full upon a change in control .
- Hedging/monetization: Company does not prohibit directors, officers, or employees from engaging in hedging/monetization transactions (governance red flag for alignment) .
- Beneficial ownership concentration: Flum Partners controls 50.5% of shares; Executive Chairman Jerome S. Flum is controlling GP (control dynamic; float considerations) .
- Insider transactions: No Form 4 filings for Ms. Gerold were located in the dataset for 2024–2025; no insider selling pressure evidenced via Form 4s in this period [ListDocuments: 0 for Form 4].
Equity Grants Detail (2024)
| Grant Date | Instrument | Quantity | Strike | Expiration | Grant-Date Fair Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 03/13/2024 | Stock Options | 10,000 | $2.20 | 03/13/2032 | $13,619 |
Company closing price on 12/31/2024: $3.03 per share (context for intrinsic value) .
Investment Implications
- Alignment: Ms. Gerold held no disclosed common stock as of Jan 31, 2025; alignment is primarily via unvested options (10,000), with vesting beginning 2026, which limits near-term selling pressure but also delays equity alignment until vesting commences .
- Incentive structure: Annual cash bonus was paid for 2024 ($40,000), but no disclosed performance metrics/weightings suggest a discretionary framework; equity mix is option-heavy with service-based vesting and full CIC acceleration, which can amplify upside but does not explicitly tie to operational KPIs .
- Retention risk: Base salary is modest ($200,000 per 8-K); equity vesting starts at 2-year anniversary, creating medium-term retention hooks (2026–2030). Absence of disclosed severance/CIC cash multiples reduces guaranteed exit economics but options accelerate on CIC, partially offsetting .
- Governance flags: Lack of a hedging prohibition can weaken long-term alignment; highly concentrated ownership (50.5% held by Flum Partners) implies control dynamics that can dominate governance outcomes independent of management incentives .
- Trading signals: No Form 4 activity located for Ms. Gerold in 2024–2025 and vesting begins in 2026, indicating low near-term insider selling pressure tied to her awards; watch for any new grants or amendments in upcoming proxies and 8-Ks [ListDocuments: 0 for Form 4] .
Overall, Ms. Gerold’s compensation is modest in cash with a service-vested option grant that begins vesting in 2026; the absence of disclosed performance metrics for bonus and the lack of hedging prohibitions are alignment watchpoints, while no near-term vesting or Form 4s suggest minimal immediate selling pressure .