John C. Ball
President, Treasurer, and Principal Financial and Accounting Officer at GABELLI EQUITY TRUST
Executive
About John C. Ball
John C. Ball is President, Treasurer, and Principal Financial and Accounting Officer of The Gabelli Equity Trust Inc. (GAB), serving since 2017; he was born in 1976 and is also Senior Vice President of GAMCO Investors, Inc. (since 2018) and Chief Executive Officer of G. Distributors, LLC (since 2020) . He is the Fund’s Treasurer and Principal Financial Officer for SEC purposes and signed GAB’s 2025 Form N‑PX filing in that capacity . The proxy statements do not disclose his education, TSR during tenure, or revenue/EBITDA growth metrics for assessment; performance metrics are not provided in the proxy, and the annual report is referenced separately for financial statements .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Gabelli Equity Trust Inc. (GAB) | President, Treasurer, and Principal Financial and Accounting Officer | Since 2017 | Fund officer responsible for financial reporting and accounting oversight implied by titles |
| GAMCO Investors, Inc. | Senior Vice President | Since 2018 | Senior leadership role at Fund adviser; affiliate context for fund operations |
| G. Distributors, LLC | Chief Executive Officer | Since 2020 | Distribution leadership within Gabelli complex |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gabelli Fund Complex (multiple registered investment companies) | Officer | Since 2017 | Officer across Gabelli funds; operational continuity across complex |
| SEC Filings Agent for Service (N‑PX) | Authorized signatory (Treasurer & PFO) | 2025 | Legal/filing responsibility for proxy voting report |
Fixed Compensation
- Ball’s base salary, target/actual bonus, and cash compensation are not disclosed in GAB’s proxy; the compensation table covers directors and one officer (Vice President/Ombudsman), and Ball is not listed as receiving Fund-paid compensation .
- The aggregate remuneration paid by the Fund to directors in FY 2024 was $220,000; officer Molly A.F. Marion received $80,406 in FY 2024 and $78,760 in FY 2023, illustrating that Fund-paid officer compensation is limited and does not include Ball .
Performance Compensation
Not disclosed: no RSU/PSU grants, option awards, performance metrics (e.g., revenue growth, EBITDA, TSR), weighting, targets, or vesting schedules for Ball appear in GAB’s proxy statements .
Equity Ownership & Alignment
| Metric | FY 2023 (as of 12/31/2023) | FY 2024 (as of 12/31/2024) |
|---|---|---|
| Common Shares Beneficially Owned | 0 | 47 |
| Ownership % of Common Shares Outstanding | <1% (*) | <1% (*) |
- No preferred shares, options, RSUs, or pledging disclosures are provided for Ball in the proxy ownership tables; vested vs. unvested breakdown and in-the-money option values are not disclosed .
- Stock ownership guidelines and compliance status for executives are not disclosed in the proxy .
Employment Terms
- Term and tenure: Ball has served as an officer since 2017; GAB states officers hold office for an indefinite term until resignation/retirement or successor election .
- Employment contracts, severance, change-of-control provisions, clawbacks, non‑compete/non‑solicit, garden leave, consulting arrangements: not disclosed in the proxy materials reviewed .
Investment Implications
- Alignment: Ball’s direct ownership in GAB is minimal (<1% of common shares), with 47 shares reported for FY 2024 vs. 0 in FY 2023; there are no disclosed equity awards or options, limiting observable pay‑for‑performance alignment or vesting‑related selling pressure .
- Retention and continuity: Long tenure (officer since 2017) and role as Treasurer/Principal Financial Officer across filings indicate operational continuity; however, no employment agreements or severance/change‑of‑control economics are disclosed to gauge retention incentives or transition risk .
- Trading signals: Absence of disclosed equity grants/options and very small holdings reduce the likelihood of meaningful insider selling pressure; lack of vesting schedules and hedging/pledging detail further limits trading signal visibility from compensation mechanics .
- Governance context: The proxy focuses on board compensation and committee structures, with no executive compensation program details for Ball, constraining pay benchmarking and performance‑metric analysis; analysts should rely on adviser‑level disclosures and GAB’s annual/semiannual reports for performance assessment .