Isaiah Harris Jr.
About Isaiah Harris, Jr.
Independent Trustee born in 1952; serving on the Allspring Income Opportunities Fund Board since 2009 and overseeing 93 portfolios in the Fund Complex. Recognized by the Board as an “audit committee financial expert” and is a certified public accountant (inactive) . Background includes chairing CIGNA Corporation’s Board (2009–2021) and director roles at Deluxe Corporation (2003–2011), with senior executive positions across BellSouth units (President/CEO and finance leadership) .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| CIGNA Corporation | Chair of the Board | 2009–2021 | Served on governance, audit, and compensation committees as a public company director |
| CIGNA Corporation | Director | 2005–2008 | Served on board committees (governance, audit, compensation) |
| Deluxe Corporation | Director | 2003–2011 | Served on board committees (governance, audit, compensation) |
| BellSouth Advertising & Publishing Corp. | President & CEO | 2005–2007 | Senior operating leadership |
| BellSouth Enterprises | President & CEO | 2004–2005 | Senior operating leadership |
| BellSouth Consumer Services | President | 2000–2003 | Senior operating leadership |
| Various operating companies | President/CEO/VP Finance/CFO | ~20 years | Extensive finance and operations track record |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| CEF of East Central Florida | Advisory Board Member | Current | Governance/advisory capacity |
| Iowa State University Foundation Board of Governors | Emeritus Member | Current | University foundation governance |
| Iowa State University School of Business | Emeritus Advisory Board Member | Current | Academic advisory role |
| Palm Harbor Academy (private school) | Advisory Board Member | Current | Education sector advisory |
| Fellowship of Christian Athletes | Advisory Board Member | Current | Nonprofit advisory role |
Board Governance
- Committee memberships: Independent Trustees serve on both the Audit Committee and the Nominating & Governance Committee; Harris is an Independent Trustee member of each .
- Chair roles: Audit Committee Chair (Freeman) and Nominating & Governance Chair (Polisson); Harris previously chaired the Audit Committee from 2019 through 2024 .
- Board leadership: Chair of the Board is Independent Trustee Timothy Penny; Chair Liaison is Pamela Wheelock .
- Meetings and attendance (FY ended Apr 30, 2025): Board (8 regular, 2 special); Nominating & Governance (5); Audit (7). Each Trustee attended at least 75% of Board and committee meetings on which they served .
- Independence and vetting: The Nominating & Governance Committee applies SEC and exchange independence standards and disqualifies candidates with legal, regulatory, or integrity issues; also reviews business/personal connections to avoid impairment of independence .
- Financial expertise: Board determined Harris to be an audit committee financial expert .
Meeting Activity (FY ended Apr 30, 2025)
| Metric | Count |
|---|---|
| Regular Board Meetings | 8 |
| Special Board Meetings | 2 |
| Nominating & Governance Committee Meetings | 5 |
| Audit Committee Meetings | 7 |
| Attendance Compliance | ≥75% for each Trustee |
Fixed Compensation
- Trustees are reimbursed for Board-related expenses; Trustees do not receive pension or retirement benefits from the Fund .
- Committee chairs may receive additional annual fees as determined by the Board (policy basis disclosed; specific amounts not provided in the proxy) .
FY 2025 Trustee Cash Compensation (Fiscal year ended Apr 30, 2025)
| Component | Amount |
|---|---|
| Aggregate Compensation from the Fund | $3,899 |
| Total Compensation from the Fund Complex | $386,000 |
| Pension/Retirement Benefits | None |
Performance Compensation
- No performance-linked compensation, incentive metrics, RSUs/PSUs, options, or bonus formulas are disclosed for Independent Trustees in the proxy; compensation disclosure is cash-based with expense reimbursement .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Category | Status |
|---|---|
| Current public company boards (past five years) | None |
| Committee roles at other current public boards | N/A |
| Interlocks with competitors/suppliers/customers | Not disclosed; none indicated by proxy |
| Prior public company boards (historical) | CIGNA (Chair 2009–2021, Director 2005–2008); Deluxe (Director 2003–2011) |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Audit committee financial expert designation; CPA (inactive) .
- Deep finance/operations experience as President/CEO and in CFO/VP Finance roles over ~20 years .
- Governance experience across major public companies, including committee service (governance, audit, compensation) .
Equity Ownership
- As of April 30, 2025, Harris beneficially owned a dollar range of $1–$10,000 in EAD and over $100,000 in aggregate across the Fund Complex .
- The Nominating & Governance Committee periodically reviews policies on Independent Trustee share ownership in Allspring Funds .
Beneficial Ownership (as of Apr 30, 2025)
| Holding | Dollar Range |
|---|---|
| EAD (Fund) | $1–$10,000 |
| Fund Complex (Aggregate) | Over $100,000 |
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent status, audit committee financial expert designation, prior Audit Committee chair tenure (2019–2024), and extensive finance/operator background bolster oversight quality .
- Engagement: Board and committee activity is robust; attendance threshold met by all Trustees, indicating active participation .
- Alignment: Personal EAD holdings are modest with broader exposure across the Fund Complex; Committee reviews trustee ownership policies, supporting alignment frameworks .
- Conflicts/Red flags: Proxy outlines strong independence screening and disqualification criteria; no related-party transactions or pledging/hedging involving Harris are disclosed in this proxy .
- Leadership structure: Independent Board Chair and clear committee charters; chair rotations (Audit Chair transitioned to Freeman in 2025) suggest succession and refresh practices .