John Argen
About John Argen
Independent director (age 70) at Data Storage Corporation (DTST) since 2008, Argen is a seasoned operator and consultant across IT, telecommunications, and construction with a 40-year career. He founded and led DCC Systems (1992–2003), drove projects exceeding $1B, and previously held senior roles at ITT, Metromedia, and DataNet. He holds a BPS in Finance (Pace University) and an FCC Radio Telephone 1st Class License, reflecting technical depth and governance-ready financial literacy .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| DCC Systems | CEO & Founder | 1992–2003 | Built firm from inception; gross revenues >$100M in 2000 |
| ITT; Metromedia | Senior Management | 15 years | Senior operating roles across telecom/IT |
| DataNet (Wilcox & Gibbs) | VP, Engineering & Operations | 2 years | Led engineering/operations |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| — | — | — | No other public company directorships disclosed in the past five years |
Board Governance
- Independence: Board-designated independent director; also meets Nasdaq audit-committee independence standards .
- Committees:
- Audit Committee: Chair .
- Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee: Member .
- Merger & Acquisition Committee: Member .
- Audit Committee financial expert on committee: Nancy M. Stallone (not Argen) .
- Attendance: The Board met 8x; all directors participated in ≥75% of Board/committee meetings in 2024 .
- Executive sessions: Independent directors meet in executive session at least twice per year .
- Board leadership: CEO is also Chair; no Lead Independent Director designated .
- Audit oversight: 2024 Audit Committee report is signed by Chair John Argen, indicating active oversight of financial reporting/internal controls .
Fixed Compensation
| Year | Cash Fees | Stock Awards (Grant-Date FV) | Option Awards (Grant-Date FV) | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $8,000 | $30,700 | $27,698 | $66,398 |
Performance Compensation
| Instrument | Quantity/Terms | Status/Notes |
|---|---|---|
| RSUs | 5,000 unvested as of 12/31/2024 | Outstanding RSUs at FY-end |
| Stock Options | 26,667 outstanding options as of 12/31/2024 | Outstanding at FY-end |
| Vesting cadence | Options/RSUs typically vest 33.33% on each of 1-, 2-, and 3-year anniversaries (award-dependent) | Award footnotes governing vesting schedules |
| Change-in-control acceleration | All unvested equity awards for employees and directors accelerate upon “Change in Control” | Divestiture designated a Change in Control; acceleration applies at closing |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Public company boards (current/past 5 yrs) | None disclosed |
| Compensation/consultant interlocks | None disclosed |
| Related industry/supplier/customer overlaps | None disclosed for Argen |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Technology/telecom operating leadership; built and scaled engineering, operations, and go-to-market functions .
- Multi-sector project governance including technology design/build and complex construction management .
- Financial and regulatory literacy (BPS Finance; FCC license); broad continuing education (>2,000 hours of corporate training) .
Equity Ownership
| As-of Date | Category | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 7, 2025 (Record Date) | Shares beneficially owned | 47,208 (<1% of 7,207,031 shares outstanding) |
| Aug 7, 2025 (Record Date) | Options exercisable within 60 days | 10,001 |
| Aug 7, 2025 (Record Date) | Additional unvested options (excluded from beneficial total until vest) | 8,337 will vest upon consummation of Divestiture (Change in Control) |
| Dec 31, 2024 | Unvested RSUs outstanding | 5,000 |
| Hedging/pledging | Company policy prohibits hedging and pledging by directors/officers/employees |
Insider filings note: The company reported certain untimely Section 16(a) filings in 2024–2025, including a Form 4 for John Argen (Jan 3, 2024) and additional Form 4s filed June 11, 2025 (untimely) .
Governance Assessment
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Strengths
- Independent Audit Chair with long-tenured company knowledge; Audit oversight documented in committee report signed by Argen .
- Robust committee coverage (Audit Chair; Member—Nominating & Governance; M&A) aligning with his operating/transaction background .
- Director independence affirmed under Nasdaq/SEC standards; board regularly holds executive sessions .
- Anti-hedging/pledging policy enhances alignment and reduces risk of misaligned incentives .
-
Potential concerns and monitoring points
- Equity acceleration at Change in Control: Divestiture designated a Change in Control; all unvested director awards (including Argen’s) accelerate at closing—creates optics of transaction-linked benefit; should be weighed against overall transaction merits .
- No Lead Independent Director despite CEO/Chair combination—heightens the importance of strong committee leadership and executive sessions .
- Section 16(a) timeliness: Company disclosed certain late insider filings including for Argen; not financially material but a governance process hygiene signal to monitor .
-
Conflicts/related-party exposure
- No related-party transactions involving Argen disclosed; disclosed RPTs relate to entities connected to other executives (e.g., Systems Trading; Nexxis Capital LLC) and are overseen under the Related Party Transaction Policy/Audit Committee .
-
Attendance and engagement
- All directors met or exceeded the 75% participation threshold in 2024; Board/committee meeting cadence suggests active oversight through the divestiture period .
Overall, Argen’s long operational resume and current Audit Committee leadership support board effectiveness; we recommend continued monitoring of equity acceleration optics around the divestiture, timely insider reporting, and the board’s independent leadership structure post-transaction .