Aron Marquez
FORUM ENERGY TECHNOLOGIESAbout Aron Marquez
Aron H. Marquez is an independent director of Forum Energy Technologies (FET), appointed June 13, 2025, serving as a Class III director with a term expiring at the 2027 Annual Meeting; he sits on the Nominating, Governance & Sustainability Committee and the Compensation & Human Capital Committee . He is Executive Chairman and founder of Wildcat Oil Tools (founded 2012; Executive Chairman since January 2023), with prior operating roles at Nabors Industries (2004–2009); he holds a B.A. in Organizational Leadership from the University of Oklahoma . FET characterized him as an independent director at appointment .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wildcat Oil Tools, LLC | Founder; Executive Chairman | Founded 2012; Executive Chairman since Jan 2023 | Oilfield services/technology leadership; founder/operator experience |
| St. Andrews Royalties LLC | President | Founded 2009; ongoing | Royalty ownership/acquisition leadership |
| Nabors Industries | District Manager (Well servicing ops in West Texas/New Mexico) | 2004–2009 | Field operations oversight; services execution |
| Flecha Azul Tequila LLC | Founder; active management | Founded 2019; JV expansion in 2021; ongoing | Consumer brand scaling; JV experience |
| Black Quail Apparel LLC | Chief Executive Officer | Ongoing | Consumer manufacturing/retail operations |
| Ombré Men | Co-founder | Ongoing | Consumer products entrepreneurship |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Permian Resources (NYSE: PR) | Director | Since Sept 2022 | Compensation Committee; Environmental, Social & Governance Committee |
| First Tee of West Texas | Director | Ongoing | Youth development non-profit governance |
Board Governance
- FET committee assignments: Nominating, Governance & Sustainability (NG&S) and Compensation & Human Capital Committee (CHC); Class III director; term extends to 2027 Annual Meeting .
- Independence: FET identified Messrs. Marquez and Smith as independent directors upon appointment .
- Indemnification: Entered into FET’s standard form indemnification agreement .
- Related-party transactions: FET disclosed it is not aware of any transaction involving Marquez requiring Item 404(a) related-party disclosure .
- Stock ownership policy: FET requires directors to hold at least $210,000 of company stock or eligible forms of beneficial ownership, with a five-year grace period to reach compliance (policy measured annually using prior year’s average stock price) .
Fixed Compensation
Context for FET’s non-employee director program and what applies to new appointees:
- Appointment grant: At appointment, Marquez will receive compensation consistent with other non-employee directors, including an award of restricted stock equal to approximately $75,000 .
- Director program (2024 schedule, for context): FET provided a cash annual retainer and equity awards; committee retainers by role below .
| Component | Amount ($) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Cash Retainer | 70,000 | 2024 program resumed cash + equity mix |
| Chairman of the Board Fee | 100,000 | Additional to annual retainer |
| Lead Independent Director Fee | 20,000 | Additional to annual retainer |
| Audit Committee Chair | 20,000 | Committee retainer |
| Audit Committee Member | 10,000 | Committee retainer |
| Compensation & Human Capital Chair | 15,000 | Committee retainer |
| Compensation & Human Capital Member | 7,500 | Committee retainer |
| NG&S Chair | 10,000 | Committee retainer |
| NG&S Member | 5,000 | Committee retainer |
Note: 2024 equity grants to incumbent directors were $150,000 in restricted stock or RSUs, vesting on the first anniversary; new appointees in 2025 received an appointment grant of ~$75,000 in restricted stock; cash and committee fees for 2025 were not individually disclosed for Marquez .
Performance Compensation
- Equity at appointment: Restricted stock valued at approximately $75,000; no performance conditions disclosed (time-based structure) .
- Annual equity program (context): 2024 non-employee directors received $150,000 in restricted stock or RSUs, vesting fully one year from grant; directors may elect RSUs and defer settlement at separation or earlier elected year—no TSR/EBITDA performance metrics disclosed .
| Award Type | Grant Value ($) | Vesting | Performance Metrics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Restricted Stock (Appointment) | ~75,000 | Not specified; appointment grant | None disclosed |
| Restricted Stock/RSUs (Annual program, 2024 context) | 150,000 | One-year cliff vest | None disclosed (time-based) |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Industry Overlap | Role | Committees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Permian Resources (NYSE: PR) | Upstream E&P; FET serves E&P customers | Director | Compensation; ESG |
- Potential interlocks/conflicts: Marquez’s private oilfield services leadership (Wildcat Oil Tools) exists in adjacent value chains; FET disclosed no related-party transactions under Item 404(a) at his appointment. Monitor for future transactions between FET and entities where Marquez holds interests .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Entrepreneurial/operator leadership in oilfield services and technology (Wildcat Oil Tools); upstream industry exposure via Permian Resources board .
- Field operations management experience (Nabors Industries, 2004–2009) .
- Education: B.A. in Organizational Leadership, University of Oklahoma .
Equity Ownership
Section 16 filings at appointment:
| Filing | Date of Event | Security | Reported Holdings | Ownership Form | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Form 3 (Initial Statement) | 06/13/2025 | Common Stock | 0 | Direct (D) | Filed at appointment |
| Form 3/A (Amendment) | 06/13/2025 | Common Stock | 3,855 | Direct (D) | Amendment filed solely to report Power of Attorney; Table I provided to gain EDGAR access |
- Appointment equity grant: Restricted stock ~$75,000 (share count not disclosed) .
- Ownership policy: Directors must hold ≥$210,000 in stock/eligible beneficial ownership within five years; policy evaluation annually using prior year’s average price .
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent status; appointment to NG&S and CHC aligns with his operating and human capital experience; no related-party transactions identified at appointment; standard indemnification agreement executed .
- Alignment: Appointment grant in restricted stock (~$75,000) and FET’s director ownership policy (≥$210,000) promote equity alignment; equity awards are time-based, not performance-based (reduces risk of short-term metric gaming) .
- Monitoring points: Multiple entrepreneurial interests in oilfield services and consumer businesses—continue monitoring for any future related-party dealings or business overlaps with FET customers/suppliers; confirm compliance trajectory with FET’s ownership requirements over the five-year grace period .
- Attendance and engagement: Not yet disclosed for Marquez given mid-2025 appointment; NG&S met three times in 2024 (committee cadence context) .
RED FLAGS (none disclosed): No Item 404 related-party transactions; no hedging/pledging disclosed; no legal proceedings or investigations disclosed in FET filings at appointment .