Anthonie van Ekris
About Anthonie C. van Ekris
Anthonie C. van Ekris is an Independent Trustee of The Gabelli Dividend & Income Trust (GDV), serving since the Fund’s October 23, 2003 organizational meeting; his current Board class runs through the 2026 annual meeting . He is Chairman and CEO of BALMAC International, Inc. (global import/export) and brings over 55 years of experience as Chairman/CEO in international and commodity trading, including nearly 20 years leading a large public jewelry chain; he has also served as a director of an oil and gas operations company and on numerous public company boards; he is a director of GAMCO International SICAV and serves on boards of other funds in the Gabelli Fund Complex . Year of birth: 1934 .
Past Roles
| Organization / Sector | Role | Tenure | Committees / Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| BALMAC International, Inc. (global import/export) | Chairman & Chief Executive Officer | 20+ years | International trading and commodity trading expertise |
| Large public jewelry chain (unnamed) | Chairman & Chief Executive Officer | Nearly 20 years | Retail operations and leadership experience |
| Oil & Gas operations company (unnamed) | Director | Former | Energy sector board oversight |
| Various public companies (unnamed) | Director | Former | Broad public board experience |
| Salvation Army of Greater New York | Advisory Board Member | 10+ years | Community oversight and advisory experience |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Status / Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gabelli Fund Complex (other registered funds) | Trustee/Director (multiple funds) | Ongoing | Oversees 23 portfolios in the Fund Complex at GDV; deep familiarity with fund governance practices |
| GAMCO International SICAV | Director | Ongoing | International fund governance role |
Board Governance
- Independence: Independent Trustee; all committees are chaired by Independent Trustees; Lead Independent Trustee is James P. Conn .
- Board class and tenure: Serving since 2003; in the class of Trustees whose terms expire at the 2026 annual meeting .
- Committee assignments (GDV): The standing committees are Audit (Salibello—Chair, Fahrenkopf, Zizza) and Nominating (Colavita—Chair, Melarkey, Zizza). van Ekris is not listed as a member of these committees and no ad hoc committee roles are disclosed for him in the 2024–2025 proxies .
- Meetings and attendance: 2024—Board met 5 times; each Trustee then serving attended at least 75% of Board and relevant committee meetings. 2023—Board met 4 times; same 75%+ attendance statement applies .
- Shareholder meeting attendance: Trustees are not expected to attend; none attended the May 13, 2024 annual meeting .
| Year | Board Meetings (count) | Attendance Statement |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 4 | Each Trustee attended at least 75% of Board and applicable committee meetings |
| 2024 | 5 | Each Trustee attended at least 75% of Board and applicable committee meetings |
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual retainer (Independent and certain Interested Trustees) | $18,000 | Paid by the Fund |
| Board meeting fee | $2,000 per meeting | Paid by the Fund |
| Committee meeting fee | $1,000 per meeting | Paid by the Fund |
| Audit Committee Chair fee | $3,000 (annual) | Paid by the Fund |
| Nominating Committee Chair fee | $2,000 (annual) | Paid by the Fund |
| Lead Independent Trustee fee | $2,000 (annual) | Paid by the Fund |
| Metric | FY 2023 | FY 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Aggregate compensation from GDV ($) | 26,000 | 26,000 |
| Aggregate compensation from Fund Complex ($) | 216,000 (23 portfolios) | 212,000 (23 portfolios) |
Performance Compensation
- The proxy discloses only cash retainers and meeting-based fees for Trustees; no stock awards, option awards, bonuses, or performance metrics for director pay are listed in the Trustee compensation disclosures .
| Performance-linked Element | Detail |
|---|---|
| Equity grants (RSUs/PSUs) | Not disclosed for Trustees in compensation table |
| Stock options | Not disclosed for Trustees in compensation table |
| Annual/Discretionary bonus | Not disclosed for Trustees in compensation table |
| Performance metrics (TSR, EBITDA, ESG) | Not applicable to Trustee compensation as disclosed |
| Clawback / CoC / Severance (directors) | Not applicable to Trustee compensation disclosures |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Entity | Role / Relationship | Potential Interlock / Note |
|---|---|---|
| Gabelli Fund Complex funds | Trustee/Director | Service across multiple funds advised by affiliates of GDV’s Adviser indicates deep network ties within the complex |
| GAMCO International SICAV | Director | Affiliated with the Adviser’s broader platform |
| LICT Corp.; The LGL Group, Inc.; CIBL, Inc.; M-Tron Industries Inc.; MachTen Inc. | Personal holdings as of 12/31/2023 (see table below) | Adviser/affiliate-related entities; Mario J. Gabelli serves as Chairman of LICT and Director of CIBL, highlighting potential perceived conflicts via cross-affiliations |
Expertise & Qualifications
- International and commodity trading operator with 55+ years as Chairman/CEO in public and private companies; retail sector leadership via large public jewelry chain experience .
- Global trade and board oversight experience across multiple industries and geographies; long-tenured fund governance exposure in Gabelli complex .
Equity Ownership
| Holding | Amount | As of Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Common Shares of GDV | 2,620 | Dec 31, 2024 | Less than 1% of outstanding |
| Dollar range in GDV | “D” ($50,001–$100,000) | Dec 31, 2024 | Self-reported range |
| Aggregate dollar range in Family of Investment Companies | “E” (Over $100,000) | Dec 31, 2024 | Self-reported range |
| Shares pledged/hedged | Not disclosed | — | No pledging/hedging disclosure for van Ekris in proxy |
Interests in Adviser/Affiliate-Controlled Entities (Disclosure for Independent Trustees)
| Company | Security | Value (12/31/2023) | % of Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| LICT Corp. | Common Stock | $217,200 | * |
| The LGL Group, Inc. | Common Stock | $13,508 | * |
| The LGL Group, Inc. | Warrants | $616 | * |
| CIBL, Inc. | Common Stock | $42,480 | * |
| M-Tron Industries Inc. | Common Stock | $39,270 | * |
| MachTen Inc. | Common Stock | $28,080 | * |
Note: The 2023 disclosure lists independent trustees’ interests “in a person, other than a registered investment company, that may be deemed to be controlled by the Fund’s Adviser and/or affiliates (including Mario J. Gabelli).” van Ekris appears in 2023; he is not listed in the analogous 2024 table excerpt shown for 2025 proxy, which includes other trustees, implying no such reported interests for him at 12/31/2024 in that table segment .
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent, very long-tenured trustee with substantial operator experience; meets attendance expectations; Independent Trustees chair all committees; the Board has designated a Lead Independent Trustee (Conn), and the fund maintains clear retainer/meeting fee policies .
- Potential concerns: No standing committee assignments disclosed for van Ekris in 2024–2025, which can limit direct oversight influence relative to peers serving on Audit/Nominating committees .
- Related-party exposure: 2023 disclosure shows personal holdings in entities associated with the Adviser/affiliates (e.g., LICT, CIBL, LGL, M-Tron, MachTen), which could raise perceived conflict-of-interest concerns despite independent status; Mario J. Gabelli holds leadership roles at some of these entities (e.g., LICT Chairman; CIBL Director) .
- Compensation alignment: Director pay is entirely fixed cash (retainer/meeting fees) with no performance-contingent equity or bonuses for trustees, which aligns with typical registered fund practice but provides limited pay-for-performance linkage; aggregate compensation across the Fund Complex is material ($212k in 2024; $216k in 2023), reflecting broad complex-wide responsibilities .
- Board structure: Classified board with three-year terms; van Ekris’ class runs through 2026; Independent Trustees meet in executive session and chair all committees, supporting oversight independence .
RED FLAGS:
- Historical interests in Adviser/affiliate-controlled entities (2023) may be perceived conflicts, warranting investor monitoring of ongoing disclosures .
- Absence of disclosed standing committee roles for van Ekris in 2024–2025 may indicate reduced committee-level oversight influence versus peers .
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