Robert Mitzman
About Robert J. Mitzman
Independent director of Esquire Financial Holdings, Inc. (ESQ); age 70 as of April 1, 2025, director since 2007 with current term expiring 2026 . Founder, Chairman, and CEO of the Quick Group of Companies, a globally recognized time-critical logistics firm serving life sciences, aerospace, automotive, and technology sectors; currently an active private investor managing family office and real estate holdings . The Board has determined he is independent under Nasdaq rules; ESQ separates the Chairman (non-executive) and CEO roles, supporting oversight quality .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quick Group of Companies | Founder, Chairman & CEO | Founded 1981; multi-decade leadership (specific end date not disclosed) | Built global, award-winning time-critical logistics; experience in strategic, operating, human capital, and technology disciplines |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family Office & Real Estate Holdings | Private Investor/Manager | Current | Active private investor managing family office and real estate portfolio |
Board Governance
| Committee | Membership (2024) | Role | Independence Status | Meetings (2023) | Meetings (2024) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compensation Committee | Yes | Chair | Independent under Nasdaq rules | 5 | 4 |
| Corporate Governance & Nominating Committee | Yes | Member (Chair is Waterhouse) | Independent | 4 | 5 |
| Audit Committee | No | — | Committee entirely independent; Chair is Powers (audit committee financial expert) | 11 | 9 |
- Board meetings: 9 (2023) and 8 (2024); no director attended fewer than 75% of Board and committee meetings in each year .
- Annual meeting attendance: nine directors attended the May 30, 2024 meeting .
- Board leadership: Chairman is non-executive (Anthony Coelho); CEO role held by Andrew Sagliocca; roles are separated .
- Executive sessions: Independent directors regularly meet in executive sessions .
Fixed Compensation
| Metric | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Fees Earned or Paid in Cash ($) | $76,000 | $72,000 |
- ESQ director fee structure (2024): annual cash retainer $50,000; chair retainers—Audit $15,000, Compensation $12,000, Nominating & Corporate Governance $10,000; committee member retainer $5,000 per committee; additional retainers exist for certain bank committees (Loan $15,000, Strategic $12,000, Technology $10,000); non-executive Board Chair receives $125,000 cash and $115,010 RS award . In 2023, ESQ eliminated meeting fees and moved to retainer-only compensation .
Performance Compensation
| Metric | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Stock Awards ($) | $80,018 | $80,024 |
| Grant Date | Dec 15, 2023 | Dec 3, 2024 |
| Fair Value Per Share (ASC 718) | $48.32 | $77.92 |
| Option Awards ($) | $0 | $0 |
| Unvested Restricted Stock (count at year-end) | 9,407 (as of 12/31/2023) | 7,767 (as of 12/31/2024) |
- Equity plans overseen by Compensation Committee; awards may vest based on time and/or performance; change-in-control/death/disability can accelerate vesting per plan terms .
- Anti-hedging policy prohibits hedging transactions by directors; insider trading policy in place .
Equity Ownership
| Metric | As of Mar 28, 2024 | As of Mar 27, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Shares Beneficially Owned | 145,899 | 146,926 |
| Percent of Shares Outstanding | 1.8% | 1.7% |
| Unvested Restricted Stock (included in beneficial ownership) | 9,407 (12/31/2023) | 7,767 |
| Presently Exercisable Options (within 60 days) | 42,231 | 42,231 |
| Shares Pledged as Collateral | None (no director/executive pledges) | None |
Expertise & Qualifications
- 40+ years as founder/CEO in global time-critical logistics (life sciences, pharma/biotech, aerospace, automotive, technology); brings strategic, operating, human capital, and technology expertise to ESQ’s Board .
- Long-serving independent director (since 2007) with continuity of ESQ’s governance and strategy .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- No other public company directorships disclosed for Mitzman in ESQ’s proxy materials; biography emphasizes Quick Group leadership and private investment activities .
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent status; chairs Compensation Committee; member of Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee; strong attendance compliance; anti-hedging policy and no pledging support alignment; standardized director equity grants; no related-party loans to insiders (aggregate $0 at 12/31/2024; bank ceased new insider loans since April 29, 2021) .
- Alignment: Annual RS awards to directors and meaningful personal holdings (≈1.7% ownership in 2025) support skin-in-the-game .
- Compensation structure: Cash down modestly year-over-year ($76k → $72k) while equity value remained consistent ($80k), consistent with retainer-only policy and equity alignment .
- Potential watchpoints: Board refreshment—long tenure (since 2007) can prompt scrutiny of independence over time and skill renewal; continued clarity on use of external compensation consultants (policy permits but firm not disclosed) may be valued by investors .
- RED FLAGS: None observed in filings—no pledging, hedging prohibited, attendance thresholds met, and no related-party transactions involving Mitzman disclosed .
Note: Say‑on‑Pay approval percentages were not disclosed in the DEF 14A, and no Item 5.07 8‑K voting results were found for 2024–2025 in our document catalog [List 8‑K 5.07: none].