Michael Battles
CASELLA WASTE SYSTEMSAbout Michael L. Battles
Michael L. Battles, age 56, is an independent director of Casella Waste Systems (CWST) since 2019 (Class II); he currently serves as Co‑Chief Executive Officer and Co‑President of Clean Harbors, Inc. . He is a certified public accountant with a B.S. in Business Administration (Accounting) from the University of Vermont, and previously held senior finance roles at PerkinElmer and Deloitte . Core credentials disclosed by CWST include financial expertise, risk management, and strategic planning .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clean Harbors, Inc. | Co‑Chief Executive Officer and Co‑President | Current | Senior operating and financial leadership at a public environmental services firm |
| Clean Harbors, Inc. | Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer | Appointed January 2016 | Led financial reporting and planning |
| Clean Harbors, Inc. | SVP, Corporate Controller & Chief Accounting Officer | Joined Sept 2013 | Oversaw corporate accounting |
| PerkinElmer, Inc. | Senior financial positions | Prior to 2013 | Deep technical accounting and financial management |
| Deloitte | Senior Manager, Audit | Prior to industry roles | CPA; audit and controls background |
External Roles
| Company | Role | Public Company Directorships/Interlocks |
|---|---|---|
| Clean Harbors, Inc. | Co‑Chief Executive Officer and Co‑President | No CWST disclosure of Battles serving on other public company boards; no committee interlocks reported by CWST |
Board Governance
- Classification and tenure: Class II director; Board since 2019; Class II directors’ terms expire at the 2026 Annual Meeting .
- Independence: Board determined Battles is independent under Nasdaq rules .
- Committees: Audit (Member) and Nominating & ESG (Member) .
- Meeting cadence and attendance: Board met 7 times in fiscal 2024; each incumbent director attended ≥75% of Board and relevant committee meetings . Audit Committee met 6 times; Nominating & ESG met 4 times .
- Board leadership: Chairman/CEO combined (John W. Casella); Lead Independent Director is Joseph G. Doody; independent directors meet regularly in executive session .
Fixed Compensation (Non‑Employee Director)
| Component (FY2024) | Amount |
|---|---|
| Annual Board retainer (cash) | $75,000 |
| Audit Committee member retainer (non‑Chair) | $10,000 |
| Nominating & ESG Committee member retainer (non‑Chair) | $7,500 |
| Total cash fees paid to Battles | $92,500 |
Performance Compensation (Director Equity)
| Grant Date | Instrument | Number of RSUs | Grant‑Date Fair Value | Vesting Schedule |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6/6/2024 | RSUs | 1,451 | $139,978 | Vests in full on first anniversary of grant (time‑based) |
- Outstanding RSUs (unvested) as of 12/31/2024: 1,451 .
- Directors receive annual RSU grants; director equity is time‑based (no performance metrics for director awards) .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Person | Other Public Company Boards | Committee Interlocks |
|---|---|---|
| Michael L. Battles | None disclosed by CWST | CWST discloses no compensation committee interlocks with other entities in FY2024 |
Expertise & Qualifications
- CPA; B.S. in Business Administration (Accounting), University of Vermont .
- Financial expertise, risk management, strategic planning as disclosed skill set .
- Senior public‑company executive experience (Clean Harbors CFO then Co‑CEO/Co‑President) .
Equity Ownership
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Total beneficial ownership (Class A) | 13,687 shares; <1% of Class A outstanding |
| Unvested RSUs (as of 12/31/2024) | 1,451 |
| Director ownership guidelines | 3x annual retainer; as of March 1, 2025 all non‑employee directors were in compliance |
| Hedging/pledging policy | Directors prohibited from hedging/shorting; pledging prohibited except by pre‑approved exception; no pledging by Battles disclosed |
Insider Trades and Section 16 Compliance
| Filer | Late Section 16 Filings Reported by CWST (FY2024) |
|---|---|
| Michael L. Battles | None; CWST notes one late Form 4 by Emily Nagle Green; otherwise timely filings by officers and directors |
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent status; active service on Audit and Nominating & ESG committees; adequate meeting attendance; ownership aligned via RSUs and director ownership guidelines; robust restrictions on hedging/pledging; no related‑party transactions involving Battles disclosed .
- Compensation alignment: Director pay mix balances cash retainers with annual RSUs that vest time‑based; no options or performance‑based metrics in director equity, limiting short‑term risk incentives .
- Potential conflict review: CWST discloses several related‑party transactions with Casella family entities; none involve Battles. No compensation committee interlocks reported; Battles’ industry role at Clean Harbors is disclosed, with no CWST‑reported related‑party dealings or conflicts .
- RED FLAGS: None specific to Battles disclosed. Broader governance watch‑items at CWST include dual‑class voting structure and related‑party transactions with Casella family entities; Audit Committee (including Battles) oversees related‑party approvals via formal procedures, partially mitigating risk .