R. Lewis Ropp
Director at ETR
Board
About R. Lewis Ropp
Independent director elected effective August 15, 2025; age 66. Louisiana native with dual graduate degrees (MBA and M.S. in Engineering) from Tulane University and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Louisiana. Retired Senior Managing Director and Senior Equity Partner at Barrow Hanley Global Investors; deep finance, capital markets, investor relations, regulatory compliance, and energy operations background. Currently serves on Entergy’s Audit and Corporate Governance Committees; Board size expanded to 11 upon his election .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barrow Hanley Global Investors | Senior Managing Director & Senior Equity Partner; Lead Equity Portfolio Manager; Executive Committee member | Oct 2001 – Jun 2024; Exec Committee 2017–2024 | Led strategy, new business development, marketing, client service; ~$5B AUM across value strategies |
| Frost Securities, Inc. | Managing Director; Research analyst (E&P coverage) | 1999 – 2001 | Capital markets and sector research experience |
| Howard, Weil, Labouisse, Freidrichs, Inc. | Research Analyst (E&P coverage) | 1998 – 1999 | Energy sell-side research credentials |
| Shell Oil Company | Process Team Leader | 1990 – 1997 | Oversaw field development, well stimulation/workover, economics, completion design |
| Baker Hughes Company | Associate Project Engineer | Late 1980s | Engineering and operations exposure |
| The Hargett Companies (later acquired by Weatherford, Inc.) | Operations Manager (oil & gas) | Began 1981 | Frontline operations leadership |
| Louisiana Army National Guard | First Lieutenant | Not disclosed | Leadership and discipline credentials |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Magnolia Oil & Gas Corporation | Director; Audit Committee member | Since Jan 2025 | Public E&P; audit oversight experience |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Audit Committee and Corporate Governance Committee; independence affirmed under NYSE rules and Entergy guidelines .
- Board expanded to 11 directors upon his election; annual elections and majority voting policy with resignation tender requirement if a director fails to receive a majority of “For” votes .
- Key governance practices: executive sessions at each regular Board meeting led by the Lead Director; prohibition on short selling, hedging, pledging, and margin transactions in Entergy securities; proxy access; no poison pill; no supermajority voting requirements .
- Director time-commitment limits: non-employee directors may not serve on more than four other public-company boards; audit committee service capped unless the Board determines no impairment .
- Committee activity context (pre-appointment): Audit Committee held 9 meetings in 2024; Corporate Governance Committee held 6 meetings in 2024 .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount | Frequency | Notes/Terms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cash Retainer (Non-Employee Directors) | $29,375 | Quarterly | Increased effective June 1, 2024 (annual total $117,500); payable pro rata; optional deferral into Non-Employee Director Cash Deferral Plan . |
| Lead Director Retainer | $35,000 | Annual | Not applicable to Ropp unless designated . |
| Audit Committee Chair Retainer | $25,000 | Annual | Chair-only; Ropp is a member, not chair . |
| Corporate Governance Committee Chair Retainer | $20,000 | Annual | Chair-only; Ropp is a member, not chair . |
| Finance Committee Chair Retainer | $15,000 | Annual | Chair-only . |
| Nuclear & Ops Oversight Committee Member Retainer | $18,000 | Annual | Committee-specific member fee; not applicable to his current assignments . |
| Pro Rata Application on Appointment | N/A | N/A | Ropp to receive pro rata portion from effective date through 2026 Annual Meeting . |
Performance Compensation
| Component | Grant Value | Frequency | Vesting/Settlement | Performance Metrics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quarterly Stock Award | $23,125 | Quarterly | Directors may defer into phantom stock units; deferred shares accrue dividend equivalents; paid in cash at distribution for phantom units . | None (time-based; no performance conditions) . |
| Service Recognition Program (SRP) Phantom Stock Units | $85,000 | Annual | Vested at grant; payable in Entergy shares at separation; dividend equivalents paid in shares; post-2022 units default lump sum (option for installments) . | None (vest-at-grant; no performance conditions) . |
Entergy’s executive AIP/PUP metrics (ETR Adjusted EPS, FFO/Debt, Safety SIF/TRIR, NPS, DIB; PUP uses Relative TSR and Environmental Stewardship) are for executives, not directors. Director equity is not tied to performance metrics .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Category | Detail | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| External public board | Magnolia Oil & Gas (Director; Audit Committee) since Jan 2025 | Enhances audit/financial oversight; sector-relevant but not a direct supplier/customer to Entergy. |
| Prior affiliation | Senior Equity Partner/Executive Committee member at Barrow Hanley, historically one of Entergy’s largest institutional investors | Potential perception risk of investor interlock; independence affirmed; no arrangements/understandings for his election . |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Finance and capital markets acumen; investor relations and regulatory compliance expertise; extensive energy operations and engineering background .
- Graduate education (MBA; M.S. Engineering) from Tulane; B.S. Mechanical Engineering from University of Louisiana .
- Audit oversight experience through Magnolia Oil & Gas Audit Committee and capital markets roles .
Equity Ownership
| Item | Value/Status | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Initial beneficial ownership at appointment | No securities beneficially owned (Form 3) | Filed 08/19/2025; event date 08/15/2025 . |
| Ownership guideline | ≥5x annual cash retainer; $587,500 market value within five years of election | Director Stock Ownership Requirement . |
| Hedging/pledging | Prohibited for directors/officers/employees | Anti-hedging/anti-pledging policy . |
| Related-party transactions | None since Jan 1, 2024 | Proxy disclosure . |
Insider Filings
| Form | Filed Date | Event Date | Relationship | Reported Holdings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Form 3 | 08/19/2025 | 08/15/2025 | Director | “No securities are beneficially owned.” |
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent status with audit and governance committee assignments; seasoned finance and energy operations background; audit committee experience at Magnolia; robust Entergy governance framework (majority voting, executive sessions, anti-hedge/pledge, proxy access) supports board effectiveness .
- Alignment: Initial Form 3 showed zero holdings; director ownership guideline (≥$587,500 within five years) and recurring stock/SRP grants should build alignment over time .
- Conflicts/RED FLAGS: Prior senior role at Barrow Hanley, historically a large Entergy shareholder—potential perception of interlock, though independence was affirmatively determined and no election arrangements exist . No related-party transactions disclosed; hedging/pledging prohibited, mitigating risk .
- Workload/time commitment: Current external public company service (Magnolia) appears within Entergy’s limits; audit committee cap observed; continued monitoring warranted if additional board roles are added .