Anthonie C. van Ekris
About Anthonie C. van Ekris
Anthonie C. van Ekris is the Lead Independent Director of The Gabelli Convertible and Income Securities Fund (GCV). He is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of BALMAC International, Inc. (global import/export) with over fifty-five years of experience as Chairman and/or CEO in international and commodity trading; he previously served for nearly twenty years as Chairman/CEO of a large public jewelry chain and is a former director of an oil and gas operations company . Year of birth: 1934; Director of GCV since 1992; oversees 23 portfolios in the Gabelli Fund Complex .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| BALMAC International, Inc. | Chairman & CEO | Over twenty years | Global import/export leadership |
| Large public jewelry chain (unnamed) | Chairman and/or CEO | Nearly twenty years | Retail leadership |
| Oil and gas operations company (unnamed) | Director | Former director | Energy governance experience |
| Salvation Army of Greater New York (Advisory Board) | Advisory Board Member | More than ten years | Non-profit advisory experience |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Funds in the Gabelli Fund Complex | Director | Serves on boards of other funds in the Complex |
| GAMCO International SICAV | Director (2024–2025 disclosure); previously Chairman | Listed as director in 2024–2025; listed as director and Chairman in 2023 proxy |
| Gabelli International Ltd. | Independent Director | Entity may be deemed controlled by Mario J. Gabelli and/or affiliates |
| Gabelli Fund LDC | Independent Director | May be deemed under common control with the Adviser |
| GAMA Capital Opportunities Master, Ltd. | Independent Director | May be deemed under common control with the Adviser |
Board Governance
- Role and independence: Lead Independent Director; the LID presides over executive sessions and serves between meetings as liaison on agenda-setting and governance matters; all directors other than Dinsmore, Mullady, and Peeney are independent .
- Committees: 2024–2025 committee rosters list Audit Committee members (Enright—Chair, Birch, Zizza) and Nominating Committee members (Colavita—Chair, Zizza, Roeder); van Ekris is not named on these committees in the proxy .
- Meeting cadence and attendance: Board met four times in fiscal year ended Sep 30, 2024; each Director then serving attended at least 75% of Board meetings and any committee meetings of which they were a member .
- Annual meeting attendance: The Fund does not expect Directors to attend the annual meeting; no Director or nominee attended the May 13, 2024 annual meeting .
- Years of service and workload: Director since 1992; oversees 23 portfolios in the Fund Complex .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Policy/Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual retainer (Independent Directors and certain Interested Directors) | $3,000 | Paid by GCV |
| Board meeting fee | $750 per meeting | Four regular quarterly meetings in FY2024 |
| Committee meeting fee | $500 per meeting | For each committee meeting attended |
| Lead Independent Director fee | $1,000 annual | Applicable to van Ekris as LID |
| Audit Committee Chair fee | $3,000 annual | Not applicable to van Ekris |
| Nominating Committee Chair fee | $2,000 annual | Not applicable to van Ekris |
| Aggregate compensation from the Fund (FY ended Sep 30, 2024) | $7,000 | Reported for van Ekris |
| Aggregate compensation from Fund Complex (CY2024) | $212,000 | Reported for van Ekris across 23 funds/portfolios |
The proxy discloses cash retainers and meeting-based fees for directors; there is no director equity award program disclosed in GCV’s compensation section .
Performance Compensation
| Category | Disclosure |
|---|---|
| Stock awards (RSUs/PSUs), Option awards, Performance metrics/targets | None disclosed for directors; director compensation is presented as cash retainers, meeting fees, and designated chair/LID stipends |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company/Entity | Relationship to Adviser | Role | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| GAMCO International SICAV | Adviser-affiliated fund platform | Director (current); Chairman (prior) | |
| Gabelli International Ltd. | May be deemed controlled by Mario J. Gabelli and/or affiliates | Independent Director | |
| Gabelli Fund LDC | May be deemed under common control with the Adviser | Independent Director | |
| GAMA Capital Opportunities Master, Ltd. | May be deemed under common control with the Adviser | Independent Director |
The proxy section notes certain entities “may be deemed to be controlled by Mario J. Gabelli and/or affiliates and in that event would be deemed to be under common control with the Fund’s Adviser” .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Over fifty-five years as Chairman and/or CEO across international trading and commodity trading businesses, including global import/export leadership at BALMAC International, Inc. .
- Board leadership experience as Lead Independent Director at GCV, including presiding over independent executive sessions and coordinating with service providers and counsel .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Beneficial Ownership (as of Dec 31, 2024) | % of Shares Outstanding | Dollar Range in GCV | Aggregate Dollar Range in Fund Complex |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anthonie C. van Ekris | 482 Common Shares | <1% | B ($1–$10,000) | E (Over $100,000) |
Directors and officers as a group owned <1% of GCV common and 5% of preferred at 12/31/2024 .
Related-Party Exposure (Interests in Adviser-Affiliated Entities – prior-year disclosure)
| Holder | Entity | Title/Class | Reported Value (as of Dec 31, 2023) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anthonie C. van Ekris | LICT Corp. | Common Stock | $217,200 |
| Anthonie C. van Ekris | The LGL Group, Inc. | Common Stock | $13,508 |
| Anthonie C. van Ekris | CIBL, Inc. | Common Stock | $42,480 |
| Anthonie C. van Ekris | The LGL Group, Inc. | Warrants | $616 |
| Anthonie C. van Ekris | M-Tron Industries Inc. | Common Stock | $39,270 |
| Anthonie C. van Ekris | MachTen Inc. | Common Stock | $28,080 |
These entities “may be deemed to be controlled by Mario J. Gabelli and/or affiliates and in that event would be deemed to be under common control with the Fund’s Adviser.” Disclosure reflects 12/31/2023; van Ekris not listed in the similar 2024 interests table in the 2025 proxy .
Governance Assessment
-
Strengths and signals of effectiveness
- Lead Independent Director role with responsibility for executive sessions and liaison duties supports independent oversight .
- Independence affirmed; Independent Directors meet regularly in executive session and chair all committees .
- Section 16(a) compliance: Fund reports insiders complied with ownership reporting requirements in FY2024 .
- Consistent attendance: at least 75% of Board meetings for FY2024; Board met quarterly .
-
Watch items and potential conflicts
- Low direct ownership in GCV (482 shares; <$10k dollar range) may signal limited alignment at the fund level despite large aggregate holdings across the complex .
- Cross-affiliate interlocks and prior disclosed personal holdings in entities under common control with the Adviser can create perceived conflicts; ongoing transparency and recusal practices are important .
- Annual meeting engagement: the Fund does not expect Director attendance, and none attended the May 13, 2024 meeting, which some investors view as a weak shareholder engagement signal .
- Not listed on Audit or Nominating Committees; governance influence primarily via Lead Independent Director role rather than committee chair positions .
Director term structure and nominations shown in recent proxies indicate he continues as an Independent Director, with long-tenured service since 1992 .