Lauren Richmond
About Lauren Richmond
Lauren E. Richmond is Chief Legal Officer, General Counsel and Secretary of Finance of America Companies Inc. (FOA). She joined FOA in September 2016, served as General Counsel and Secretary from April 2021 to September 2022, and was appointed CLO, General Counsel and Secretary in September 2022. Prior to FOA, she was a corporate attorney at Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP in Dallas advising on M&A, public and private offerings, and governance. She holds both a J.D. and a B.B.A., with honors, from Southern Methodist University. Age: 37 as of the 2025 proxy publication date .
FOA performance context during her executive tenure:
- FOA cumulative TSR (value of a $100 initial investment) rose to $71 in 2024 from $28 in 2023 and $32 in 2022; net income improved to $36 million in 2024 from losses in 2023 and 2022 .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Finance of America Companies Inc. | Chief Legal Officer, General Counsel & Secretary | Sep 2022 – present | Oversees enterprise legal, governance, and SEC disclosure; serves as corporate secretary for the board . |
| Finance of America Companies Inc. | General Counsel & Secretary | Apr 2021 – Sep 2022 | Led corporate legal and secretary functions through strategic initiatives and filings . |
| FOA operating subsidiaries | General Counsel & Secretary | Jun 2019 – present | General counsel for operating units, aligning subsidiary governance with public company requirements . |
| Finance of America Holdings LLC | Assistant General Counsel | Sep 2016 – Jun 2019 | Supported corporate transactions and governance as FOA scaled . |
| Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP | Corporate Attorney | Pre-2016 | Advised public/private companies on M&A, capital markets, and governance . |
External Roles
No external directorships or public company board roles disclosed in FOA’s 2025 proxy .
Fixed Compensation
Not disclosed. Ms. Richmond is not listed among FOA’s named executive officers (NEOs) in the 2025 proxy; FOA provides detailed salary/bonus only for NEOs (CEO, President, CIO) .
Performance Compensation
Company-wide executive incentive design (framework that may apply to senior officers):
- RSUs under the 2021 Omnibus Incentive Plan vest ratably over three years, subject to continued service .
- Options granted to certain executives on Nov 7, 2024 vest on the 2-year anniversary (Nov 7, 2026), expire five years from grant (Nov 7, 2029), with a $25.00 exercise price .
- FOA’s equity plan capacity and evergreen details are disclosed; awards can include stock options, RSUs, other equity-based awards .
Note: FOA’s proxy does not enumerate Ms. Richmond’s individual grants, vesting schedules, or performance metrics; NEO details are provided for Graham Fleming (CEO), Kristen Sieffert (President), and Jeremy Prahm (CIO) .
Equity Ownership & Alignment
- Hedging and pledging prohibition: FOA’s Securities Trading Policy prohibits directors, officers, and employees (and related persons) from hedging transactions and from pledging company securities or holding them in margin accounts after policy adoption .
- Beneficial ownership: FOA discloses holdings for 5%+ owners, directors, and NEOs; Ms. Richmond is not separately listed in the Security Ownership table (which features directors and NEOs). No specific beneficial ownership amounts for Ms. Richmond are disclosed .
- Role confirmation and notice: FOA lists the General Counsel address and email for legal notices, confirming her current role .
Employment Terms
- Corporate secretary responsibilities and communications: FOA’s proxy lists Ms. Richmond as Chief Legal Officer, General Counsel & Secretary and issuer of formal meeting communications, reflecting secretary duties .
- Specific employment agreement, severance, change-in-control terms for Ms. Richmond are not disclosed. FOA does disclose a salary continuation agreement for another executive (CIO) and option timing/terms for certain executives, but not for Ms. Richmond .
Performance & Track Record
| Metric | FY 2022 | FY 2023 | FY 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| FOA Cumulative TSR (Value of $100) | 32 | 28 | 71 |
| Net Income (Loss) ($ millions) | (716) | (218) | 36 |
Context: FOA implemented RSUs and option grants amid a return to profitability (Q3 2024), with option grants awarded after public disclosure of the unaudited results; exercise price set above market on grant date .
Board Governance
Ms. Richmond is an executive officer, not a director. Governance policies relevant to executives:
- Independent board committee structure and compensation committee oversight of executive pay .
- Controlled company status and governance exceptions under NYSE rules .
- Corporate secretary role documented in proxy notices .
Investment Implications
- Alignment and retention: FOA’s hedging/pledging ban and use of multi-year RSU vesting promote long-term alignment and may moderate insider selling pressures across senior leadership, likely inclusive of the CLO role .
- Disclosure gap: Ms. Richmond is not a NEO; therefore, base/bonus and individual equity grant details are not public. Investors should monitor future proxies and any 8-K Item 5.02 updates for changes in compensation, retention awards, or employment terms .
- Company performance tailwinds: FOA’s improved TSR and swing to positive net income in 2024 strengthen the overall pay-for-performance narrative; option grants to certain executives followed confirmation of profitability and were set at a premium to market, indicating performance-sensitive equity design .
Key references confirming role, background, and policies: Ms. Richmond’s biography and education ; proxy communications signed as CLO/GC/Secretary ; hedging/pledging policy ; equity plan structure and vesting mechanics ; performance (TSR, net income) ; legal notice and role affirmation .