Marc Ackerman
About Marc Ackerman
Marc Ackerman is Chief Operating Officer of CardCash, the subsidiary acquired by Giftify (GIFT) in December 2023; he is a named executive officer in both 2023 and 2024, with equity-heavy compensation and significant beneficial ownership in the company’s stock . Giftify does not disclose his age, education, or a formal biography in the latest proxy . Company performance during his tenure shows modest revenue improvement in FY 2024 versus FY 2023, while EBITDA losses widened; detailed values are below. Values retrieved from S&P Global.
| Metric | FY 2022 | FY 2023 | FY 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revenues ($USD) | $97,008,102* | $87,146,804* | $88,934,036 |
| EBITDA ($USD) | -$3,741,779* | -$6,811,666* | -$15,944,058* |
Values retrieved from S&P Global.
- No citation provided by GetFinancials tool.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| CardCash (Giftify subsidiary) | Chief Operating Officer | 2023–present | Serves as COO of CardCash, the December 2023 acquisition that changed Giftify’s financial position, market profile, and brand focus . |
External Roles
No external public-company directorships or committee roles are disclosed for Mr. Ackerman in the proxy; he is listed among named executive officers, not directors .
No biography or external affiliations are presented in the DEF 14A for Mr. Ackerman .
Fixed Compensation
| Component ($USD) | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Base Salary | $375,000 | $375,000 |
| Target Bonus % | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Actual Bonus Paid | $0 | $100,000 (accrued and paid after year-end) |
| Stock Awards (Grant-Date Fair Value) | $2,500,000 | $422,000 |
| Option Awards | — | — |
| Non-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation | — | — |
| Non-qualified Deferred Compensation Earnings | — | — |
| All Other Compensation | — | — |
| Total | $2,875,000 | $897,000 |
Performance Compensation
Giftify’s annual cash bonus program ties payouts to specified annual corporate and individual goals set by the Compensation Committee; targets are based on a percentage of base salary, with payouts determined after year-end based on goal attainment. Specific metric weightings, targets, and outcomes for Mr. Ackerman are not disclosed .
| Metric | Weighting | Target | Actual | Payout | Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Cash Bonus (Corporate & Individual Goals) | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | $100,000 for FY 2024 | Cash (paid after year-end) |
| Stock Awards (RS/RSUs/PSUs) | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Standard vesting described below |
Vesting schedule (plan-level, typical): 25% on the first anniversary of grant, remaining shares vest in approximately equal quarterly installments through the fourth anniversary; vesting ceases upon termination . Equity awards are granted at no less than fair value on grant date; repricing of options/SARs requires shareholder approval .
Equity Ownership & Alignment
| Ownership Detail | Amount | As-of | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beneficial Ownership (Shares) | 1,065,659 | Aug 15, 2025 | 3.5% of shares outstanding (30,517,953) |
| Direct Shares Owned | 932,638 | Aug 15, 2025 | Footnote (6) indicates owned shares |
| Vested Restricted Stock | 133,021 | Aug 15, 2025 | Included in beneficial ownership |
| Options (Exercisable within 60 days) | Not listed for Ackerman | Jun 30, 2025 | No options shown in outstanding awards table |
| Outstanding Stock Awards (Unvested/Outstanding) | 577,083 shares | Jun 30, 2025 | Market value shown $2,046,278 (grant-date fair value methodology) |
| Ownership Guidelines | In place for executives (no multiple disclosed) | — | Designed to align with long-term performance |
| Pledged Shares | Not disclosed | — | Insider trading policy disclosed; no pledging policy noted |
Insider trading policy adopted; trading restrictions apply when in possession of MNPI . Related party transactions: none above $120,000 or 1% of average total assets since Dec 31, 2023; the company has no formal related-party transaction approval policy .
Employment Terms
- Change-of-control (2019 Plan): If an acquiring company does not assume awards, all outstanding options/SARs vest; performance-based awards deemed achieved at target on a prorated basis with payment within 45 days; restrictions on restricted stock and RSUs lapse; all other awards delivered or paid within 45 days .
- Plan administration: Equity awards under the 2019 Plan cannot be repriced without shareholder approval .
- Severance & change-in-control agreements: The company expects to enter agreements with certain executives providing specified benefits upon termination under defined circumstances, including following a change in control; specific multiples, triggers (single/double), and terms are not disclosed .
- Clawback: Not disclosed in the proxy .
- Non-compete / Non-solicit / Garden leave: Not disclosed in the proxy .
- Deferred compensation: The company does not maintain nonqualified deferred compensation plans .
- Defined contribution plan: The company does not currently have a defined contribution plan; broadly expects to maintain benefits including a 401(k) plan for all employees on the same basis as other employees .
- Indemnification: Directors and officers are indemnified and advanced expenses to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law; certificate of incorporation limits director liability per DGCL .
Investment Implications
- Alignment and skin-in-the-game: Ackerman’s 3.5% beneficial stake with 1,065,659 shares, including 133,021 vested restricted stock, indicates meaningful alignment; his equity is primarily in stock awards rather than options, reducing strike-risk and reinforcing retention .
- Vesting-driven supply: With 577,083 outstanding stock awards and a standard four-year vesting cadence, periodic vesting creates potential incremental selling pressure; monitor Form 4 filings and blackout windows for signal timing .
- Pay-for-performance transparency: Annual bonus mechanics are disclosed, but individual metric weightings/targets/outcomes are not, limiting predictability of cash bonus leverage; equity plan includes full acceleration if awards are not assumed in a change-of-control, which can amplify event-driven payout risk .
- Retention risk: Absence of disclosed severance multiples, non-compete, non-solicit, and clawback terms reduces contractual lock-in; retention relies on vesting and ownership guidelines rather than hard legal constraints .
- Operating execution context: Company revenues improved slightly in FY 2024 vs FY 2023 while EBITDA losses widened; continued negative EBITDA suggests execution focus on margin uplift at CardCash and Restaurant.com amid integration—compensation mix (equity-heavy) is consistent with long-term value orientation. Values retrieved from S&P Global. *
Values retrieved from S&P Global.
- No citation provided by GetFinancials tool.