Lisa Nievaard
About Lisa Ann Nievaard
Independent Class III director at FinWise Bancorp since July 2020; age 56. Over 20 years of experience in strategic marketplace planning, operations management, and brand development, including senior leadership at Coca-Cola North America; retired from Coca-Cola in 2023 and began national/international business outreach work for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in 2025. Holds a degree in Marketing and Business Management from Brigham Young University. Serves on the Compensation Committee and the Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee; affirmatively determined “independent” under Nasdaq and SEC rules .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coca-Cola North America | General Manager, Franchise Leadership; earlier brand/market roles | 2001–2023 (company tenure) | Led collaboration with multiple bottlers to execute long-term growth plans to increase franchise and shareholder value |
| Brand Strategy & Media Management (prior to Coca-Cola) | Various roles | Pre-2001 | Strategy and media management experience |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints | National and international business outreach | Beginning in 2025 | Outreach and engagement; non-profit/faith-based context |
Board Governance
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Board Class and Term | Class III; term expires at the 2026 Annual Meeting |
| Committee Assignments | Compensation Committee (member); Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee (member) |
| Committee Chairs | Compensation Committee Chair: James N. Giordano; Nominating & Corporate Governance Chair: Howard I. Reynolds; Audit Chair: Jeana Hutchings |
| 2024 Meetings Held | Audit 8; Compensation 4; Nominating & Corporate Governance 4 |
| Director Independence | Board has affirmatively determined Ms. Nievaard is independent (Nasdaq/SEC) |
| Attendance | Each incumbent director attended ≥75% of Board and applicable committee meetings in 2024; all directors attended the 2024 Annual Meeting |
| Executive Sessions | Independent directors generally meet in executive session at least twice annually |
| Election Results | Elected June 15, 2023: For 6,536,342; Withheld 1,571,861; Broker non-votes 1,676,463 |
Fixed Compensation
| Component (2024) | Amount (USD) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cash Retainer Earned/Paid | $73,050 | Reflects Board/committee retainer program |
| Equity (Restricted Stock) – Grant Date Fair Value | $40,005 | Calculated per FASB ASC 718; program targets ~35% of director compensation in restricted shares |
| Total | $113,055 | Sum of cash + equity |
| Program Schedule (Cash) | Normal Outside Director: $70,000 annual; Lead Independent Director: $85,000 annual; Committee Chair: $9,000 annual; Committee Member (non-Chair): $3,600 annual | Directors receive retainers; approx 35% of compensation paid in restricted shares |
Performance Compensation
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Performance-Based Director Pay | Not disclosed – non-employee director compensation program is retainer-based with restricted stock component; no director performance metrics provided |
| Option Awards (2024) | None disclosed for directors; stock awards shown are restricted shares |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Category | Disclosure |
|---|---|
| Other Public Company Boards | None disclosed for Ms. Nievaard in the proxy biography |
| Compensation Committee Interlocks | Company discloses no compensation committee interlocks; none of the Compensation Committee members are or have been officers; no reciprocal executive/committee relationships disclosed |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Strategic planning, operations management, brand development; 20+ years of marketplace leadership experience .
- Degree in Marketing and Business Management (Brigham Young University) .
- Governance engagement on Compensation and Nominating & Corporate Governance Committees; Board affirmed independence .
- Election support in 2023 indicates shareholder acceptance of candidacy (see vote results) .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Shares Beneficially Owned | Percent of Class | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lisa Ann Nievaard | 22,087 | <1% (“*”) | Includes 9,000 shares underlying vested options |
Governance Assessment
- Committee effectiveness: Active roles on Compensation and Nominating & Corporate Governance Committees—both central to executive pay design, succession, and director nominations—support governance oversight; these committees met 4 times each in 2024 .
- Independence and engagement: Affirmed independent; attendance policy met (≥75% for incumbents); independent director executive sessions at least twice annually—positive for board challenge quality .
- Ownership alignment: Beneficial ownership of 22,087 shares, including 9,000 vested options; equity retainer structure (~35% in restricted stock) adds alignment but total stake remains below 1% of outstanding—moderate skin-in-the-game .
- Compensation structure: Director pay is retainer-based with restricted stock; absence of director performance metrics reduces pay-for-performance linkage at the board level but is consistent with market practice for non-employee directors .
- Conflicts and related party exposure: No related party transactions involving Ms. Nievaard found in the retrieved proxy sections; the Audit Committee administers a robust related party policy with pre-approval and quarterly review—favorable governance control .
- Risk indicators and policies: Company adopted a clawback policy (Nov 28, 2023) pursuant to Nasdaq standards—positive. However, the board discourages but does not prohibit director/officer hedging or certain derivative transactions in company stock—this permissive stance is a governance caution relative to best-practice prohibitions (RED FLAG) .