Anthony W. Parker
About Anthony W. Parker
Independent director of Gladstone Investment Corporation since 2005; age 79; founder and chairman of Parker Tide Corp., a federal government contracting firm established in 1997. Serves as Audit Committee Chair and is designated an “audit committee financial expert,” reflecting deep corporate tax and financial oversight expertise. Current term expires at the 2026 annual meeting.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parker Tide Corp. | Founder & Chairman | Since 1997 | Corporate tax expertise; basis for Audit Committee chairmanship. |
| Naval Academy Sailing Foundation | President | Not disclosed | Non-profit leadership; governance experience. |
| Bishop Walker School (Episcopal Diocese of Washington) | Former Director | Not disclosed | Community board service. |
| U.S. Naval Academy Board of Visitors | Former Vice Chairman | Not disclosed | Oversight/governance credentials. |
External Roles
| Company | Role | Committee Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Gladstone Commercial (affiliate REIT) | Director | Audit committee service; compensation committee service across Fund Complex noted; Board determined no impairment from simultaneous service. |
| Gladstone Capital (affiliate BDC) | Director | Audit committee service; alternate on compensation committees across affiliates. |
| Gladstone Land (affiliate REIT) | Director | Audit committee service; compensation committee interlocks noted. |
| Gladstone Acquisition / Gladstone Alternative | Director | Governance roles across Fund Complex. |
Board Governance
- Board independence: Parker is an independent director; Audit, Compensation, Ethics committee members and alternates meet Nasdaq independence standards.
- Lead Independent Director: Walter H. Wilkinson, Jr.; independent directors held four executive sessions in FY2025.
- Attendance: Board met five times in FY2025; each director attended ≥75% of Board and committee meetings.
- Annual meeting engagement: None of the directors attended the 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (virtual).
| Committee (FY2025) | Members | Chair | Meetings Held |
|---|---|---|---|
| Audit | Parker, Outland, English (Wilkinson alternate) | Anthony W. Parker | 8 |
| Compensation | Outland, Wilkinson, Gorka (Parker, English alternates) | John H. Outland | 4 |
| Ethics, Nominating & Corporate Governance | Gorka, Outland, Wilkinson (Parker, English alternates) | Katharine C. Gorka | 4 |
| Valuation | Outland, Wilkinson, Parker | Wilkinson (as indicated) | 4 |
| Executive | Gladstone, Parker (and others) | David Gladstone | Not listed |
| Offering | Gladstone, Parker | David Gladstone | Not listed |
Fixed Compensation
- Structure: Annual retainer $25,000; $1,000 per Board meeting attended; $1,000 per committee meeting if held on a day other than a full Board meeting; chair fees—Audit: $7,500; Compensation and Valuation: $3,000; Ethics: $1,000; reimbursement of reasonable out-of-pocket expenses.
- FY2025 received: Parker’s aggregate compensation from GAIN was $48,500; total compensation across GAIN and Fund Complex was $229,250.
- FY2024 received: Parker’s aggregate compensation from GAIN was $49,500; total compensation across GAIN and Fund Complex was $191,000.
| Metric | FY2024 | FY2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Board retainer (cash) | $25,000 | $25,000 |
| Board meeting fees ($1,000 per meeting) | 5 meetings (fee policy disclosed; amount contingent on attendance timing) | 5 meetings (fee policy disclosed; amount contingent on attendance timing) |
| Committee meeting fees ($1,000 if separate day) | Audit 8; Compensation 4; Ethics 4; Valuation 4 (policy applies if separate day) | Audit 8; Compensation 4; Ethics 4; Valuation 4 (policy applies if separate day) |
| Audit Chair fee | $7,500 | $7,500 |
| Aggregate compensation from GAIN | $49,500 | $48,500 |
| Total compensation (Company + Fund Complex) | $191,000 | $229,250 |
Performance Compensation
- Equity awards and options: None; directors received no compensation other than Board/committee service and meeting fees in FY2025.
- Performance metrics linked to director pay: None disclosed.
| Component | FY2024 | FY2025 |
|---|---|---|
| RSUs/PSUs – grant date, shares, fair value | None | None |
| Options – strike, expiration, vesting | None | None |
| Performance metrics (TSR, EBITDA, ESG) | Not used for director pay | Not used for director pay |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Role | Interlocks |
|---|---|---|
| Gladstone Commercial | Director | Audit committee member; compensation committee service across affiliates; Board determined simultaneous service does not impair effectiveness. |
| Gladstone Capital | Director | Audit committee member; alternate compensation committee roles across affiliates. |
| Gladstone Land | Director | Audit committee member; compensation committee service/interlock noted. |
| Gladstone Alternative | Director | Audit committee member across Fund Complex. |
Potential conflict context: GAIN is externally managed; the Adviser and Administrator are 100% indirectly owned/controlled by David Gladstone; Compensation Committee reviews and recommends renewals and evaluates fee reasonableness—simultaneous service across affiliates is disclosed, and the Board concluded it does not impair effectiveness.
Expertise & Qualifications
- Corporate taxation expertise; instrumental in Audit Committee chair appointment; designated “audit committee financial expert.”
- Long-tenured independent oversight since GAIN’s inception (2005).
- Multiple affiliate board roles support cross-entity financial oversight.
Equity Ownership
- Beneficial ownership (GAIN): 20,080 shares; less than 1% of common stock; outstanding shares 36,897,283 (as of June 4, 2025). Dollar range “Over $100,000.” No pledging disclosed for Parker.
- Affiliate holdings (as of June 4, 2025): Gladstone Commercial—42,206 shares (value $608,610); Gladstone Capital—none; Gladstone Land—none; Gladstone Alternative—none.
| Security | Shares | % of Class | Value/Dollar Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| GAIN common | 20,080 | <1% (*) | Over $100,000 |
| Gladstone Commercial (affiliate) | 42,206 | <1% (*) | $608,610 |
| Gladstone Capital (affiliate) | — | — | — |
| Gladstone Land (affiliate) | — | — | — |
| Gladstone Alternative (affiliate) | — | — | — |
Insider trading policy prohibits short sales and trading in options/derivatives related to Fund securities.
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Long-tenured independent director; Audit Committee Chair with “financial expert” designation; consistent attendance at Board/committee meetings; clear independence under Nasdaq rules; robust cross-committee participation across affiliates.
- Alignment: Meaningful personal ownership in GAIN (>$100k) and significant affiliate holdings (Gladstone Commercial), supporting skin-in-the-game, without disclosed pledging for Parker.
- Compensation: Cash-only director pay; modest chair premium; structure emphasizes meeting participation and oversight rather than equity or performance-linked awards.
RED FLAGS
- Externally managed structure with Adviser/Administrator controlled by David Gladstone—requires vigilant independent committee oversight of fees and related-party transactions.
- Interlocks: Simultaneous service on audit/compensation committees across Gladstone affiliates—Board concludes no impairment, but increases potential perception of conflicts.
- Annual meeting engagement: No directors attended the 2024 Annual Meeting (virtual)—optics risk on shareholder engagement.
Overall: Parker’s audit leadership, independence, and tax/financial expertise are positives for investor confidence; continued focus on robust committee process and transparent advisory fee review remains essential in an externally managed, affiliate-rich ecosystem.