Byron Blount
About Byron Blount
Byron Blount, age 68, is an independent director of EON Resources Inc., serving since November 2023 and currently chairing the Audit Committee; he is designated as the board’s “audit committee financial expert.” He holds a B.S. in Business Administration (USC, 1982) and an MBA from USC Marshall (1987), with a career centered on finance, investments, acquisitions, and asset/workout management. He is a Class II director whose term was up at the 2025 Annual Meeting and was nominated to serve until the 2027 annual meeting; the board affirmed his independence under NYSE American standards. Attendance in 2024 exceeded 75% of board meetings for all directors, including Mr. Blount .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Responsibilities/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blackstone Real Estate Group | Managing Director | 2011–2021 | Primary asset management across industries/portfolio companies; onboarding of acquisitions and establishment of portfolio companies; primary disposition responsibilities across portfolios/companies |
| LXR/Blackstone | Executive Vice President | 2005–2010 | Underwriting/acquisition of domestic/international property and mortgage portfolios; asset management; renovation/reconstruction; debt/business model restructuring; dispute resolution |
| Colony Capital | Principal | 1993–2004 | Sourcing/structuring new investments; consummated transactions >$5 billion; domestic/international acquisitions of real property, distressed mortgage debt, real estate-related assets/entities |
| WSGP | Vice President | 1987–1992 | Structured and managed/worked out new investment opportunities, generally acquired from failed financial institutions amid S&L/FSLIC crisis |
External Roles
| Type | Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public company board | None disclosed | — | — | The proxy biography does not list other public company directorships for Mr. Blount |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Audit Committee (Chair), Compensation Committee (member), Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee (member) .
- Independence: Board majority independent; Blount, Salvucci Sr., Salvucci Jr. deemed independent under NYSE American and SEC rules .
- Audit expertise: Board determined Blount qualifies as “audit committee financial expert” .
- Attendance: Board held seven meetings in FY2024; each director attended >75% of meetings during their service .
- Board structure: 5 directors; classified into two classes; Blount is Class II, term expiring at the 2025 Annual Meeting; nominated for re‑election through 2027 .
Audit Committee Report: As chair, Blount led oversight of financial reporting integrity, auditor qualifications/independence, and PCAOB standards compliance; recommended inclusion of audited FY2024 financial statements in the 10‑K .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount/Policy | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 Fees Earned (Cash) – Blount | $125,000 | Includes base/director and chair fees; no meeting fees disclosed |
| All Other Compensation – Blount | $5,025 | Nature not itemized beyond “All Other Compensation” |
| Program: Annual cash retainer (non‑employee directors) | $75,000 | Applies to all non‑employee directors |
| Program: Chair retainers | Audit Chair $25,000; Compensation Chair $20,000; Nominating Chair $15,000 | Additional $50,000 for Board Chairman |
Performance Compensation
| Component | Grant Value/Structure | Vesting/Trigger | Performance Metrics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stock awards (RSUs) – Blount FY2024 | $139,200 | RSUs vest on first anniversary of grant | No performance metrics disclosed; RSUs are time‑based |
| Director RSU program | Annual grant sized at $75,000 ÷ current stock price | One‑year time‑based vest | No TSR/revenue/EBITDA/ESG metrics disclosed |
| Option awards – Blount FY2024 | $0 | — | — |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- Compensation Committee composition: Salvucci Sr. (Chair), Salvucci Jr., Blount; none were employees or former officers during 2024 .
- Family relationship on board: Salvucci Sr. and Salvucci Jr. are father and son .
- Related party transactions involving directors: Issuances and exchanges with entities controlled by directors (including Blount) under Founder Pledge Agreement and Exchange Agreements (see “Related Party Transactions”) .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Education: B.S., University of Southern California (1982); MBA, USC Marshall (1987); Beta Gamma Sigma member .
- Qualifications: Extensive finance/investments/acquisitions background; designated audit committee financial expert .
Equity Ownership
| Metric | Jan 15, 2025 | Aug 29, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Total beneficial ownership (shares) | 159,806 | 140,359 |
| % of total voting power | 1.2% | <1% |
| Breakdown | 73,139 Class A shares; 37,500 shares underlying 50,000 warrants; 49,167 shares underlying vested RSUs | 124,806 common shares; 15,553 shares underlying warrants |
| Shares outstanding basis | 12,895,544 Class A + 500,000 Class B | 38,225,057 common shares |
| Pledging/hedging | None disclosed in proxy | None disclosed in proxy |
Related Party Transactions (Conflict Risk)
- Founder Pledge Agreement: Company issued 2,500 shares to Blount; also issuances to entities controlled by other directors; founders prohibited from short‑selling until agreement termination .
- Exchange Agreements: Company exchanged notes (incl. those held by Blount and other directors) for common stock at $5.00 per share (aggregate $2,257,771 principal+interest; 451,563 shares issued) .
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent audit chair with deep finance/investment experience and “financial expert” designation; documented board/committee governance charters; 2024 attendance >75%; clear director compensation framework with equity alignment via RSUs .
- Alignment: Blount holds company equity and received RSUs; director program embeds annual equity grants; beneficial ownership, while <1% as of Aug 2025, includes vested RSUs and warrants historically, indicating some at‑risk alignment .
- Potential conflicts and RED FLAGS:
- Family interlock on board (father/son), both on Compensation Committee, elevates perceived conflict risk and underscores need for robust independent oversight; Blount’s presence aids independence but committee dynamics warrant scrutiny .
- Related party issuances/exchanges involving directors (including Blount) under Founder Pledge and Exchange Agreements may present optics/conflict considerations; disclosure mitigates, but continued monitoring advisable .
- Gaps: No director stock ownership guidelines disclosed; no performance metrics tied to director RSUs; no detailed attendance percentage by director disclosed beyond >75% threshold .
Overall: Blount enhances board effectiveness through audit leadership and financial expertise; equity compensation provides alignment, while disclosed related‑party transactions and family relationships on key committees are notable governance risks to monitor .