James Stallings Jr
Director at FIS
Board
About James B. Stallings Jr.
Independent director at FIS since 2013 (age 69). Principal occupation: CEO, PS27 Ventures, LLC. Former IBM executive (GM Global Markets, Systems & Technology; GM Enterprise Systems); U.S. Marine Corps Captain. Education: BS, U.S. Naval Academy. Serves on the Compensation Committee and the Corporate Governance, Nominating & Sustainability Committee; not a committee chair. FIS classifies him as independent under NYSE standards, and each director attended at least 93% of Board and committee meetings in 2024 .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| IBM Corporation | General Manager, Global Markets, Systems & Technology | 2009–2013 | Large-scale operations and technology leadership |
| IBM Corporation | General Manager, Enterprise Systems, Systems & Technology Group | 2002–2009; 1984–1996 | Enterprise systems leadership |
| E House | Founder, Chairman & CEO | 2000–2002 | Founder-led operating role |
| U.S. Marine Corps | Captain | Prior to corporate career | Leadership and discipline |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cannae Holdings, Inc. | Director (current) | 2018–present | Not disclosed |
| UGI Corporation | Director (former) | 2015–2023 | Not disclosed |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Member, Compensation Committee (5 meetings; committee attendance 96% in 2024) and Corporate Governance, Nominating & Sustainability Committee (5 meetings; committee attendance 100% in 2024). Not on Audit, Risk & Technology, or Executive Committees .
- Board activity and independence: Board met six times in 2024; each director attended ≥93% of Board and committee meetings. Eight of nine nominees are independent; Stallings is disclosed as an independent director .
- Governance controls: Mandatory retirement age of 75; director time-commitment policy and prior-approval requirement for joining additional boards; robust self-evaluation and refresh processes (eight new directors in past five years) .
- Shareholder engagement signals: Say-on-pay support of 91.6% in 2024; Board-led engagement program overseen by CGNSC .
- Conflicts oversight: Formal related person transactions policy; no related-party transactions requiring disclosure since Jan 1, 2024 .
Fixed Compensation (Director)
| Component | Amount ($) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Board Retainer (Director) | 100,000 | Standard schedule |
| Committee Membership Fee – Compensation (Member) | 25,000 | Standard schedule |
| Committee Membership Fee – CGNSC (Member) | 25,000 | Standard schedule |
| Cash Fees Earned (Total) | 150,000 | Actual 2024 cash fees for Stallings |
| Annual Equity Award (RSUs, grant-date fair value) | 214,974 | Actual 2024 stock awards for Stallings; standard target is $215,000 |
| Dividends on RSUs (paid in cash upon vest) | 7,400 | Actual 2024 RSU dividend cash |
| Total Director Compensation (2024) | 372,374 | Sum of cash, stock awards, dividends |
| Vesting Schedule | — | RSUs vest in full one year after grant, subject to service; settlement may be deferred under Board equity deferral program |
Performance Compensation
| Element | Structure | Metrics | Vesting/Modifier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Non-employee director equity | Time-based RSUs | None (no performance-linked director awards disclosed) | One-year vesting; eligible for deferral |
FIS does not disclose performance-linked pay elements (e.g., PSUs) for non-employee directors; director equity is time-based RSUs .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Relationship to FIS | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Cannae Holdings, Inc. | External board where Stallings serves | No related-party transactions requiring disclosure since Jan 1, 2024 |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Skills matrix highlights: Executive leadership, global business experience, financial expertise, public company board experience, human capital, ERM/information security, M&A/capital allocation, sustainability, technology, financial technology, banking/financial services .
Equity Ownership
| Item | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Total beneficial ownership (shares) | 24,411 | Includes RSUs vesting within 60 days; percent <1% |
| Options (exercisable within 60 days) | – | None listed for Stallings |
| RSUs unvested or deferred (as of 12/31/2024) | 2,826 | Aggregate unvested or deferred count |
| Shares pledged as collateral | None | Company states none of directors/officers’ shares are pledged |
| Hedging/Pledging policy | Prohibited | Directors/officers prohibited from hedging or pledging FIS stock |
| Ownership guidelines | 5x annual cash retainer | Board-level disclosure: all serving non-employee directors met guidelines or were in transition as of 12/31/2024 |
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Long-tenured independent director with deep enterprise technology and operational experience; active roles on key governance and compensation committees; strong attendance culture; time-based equity plus stock ownership guidelines underpin alignment; hedging/pledging prohibited; no related-party transactions disclosed; clean Section 16 compliance in 2024 (no delinquent filings) .
- Watch items: Tenure (since 2013) may invite ongoing refresh considerations, though FIS evidences active refresh (eight new directors in past five years) and mandatory retirement age of 75; outside board service monitored by FIS’s time-commitment and prior approval policies .
Overall, governance signals support investor confidence: independence, committee engagement, robust policies (ownership, clawback, hedging/pledging), and no disclosed conflicts or attendance concerns tied to Stallings .