Mark A. Blinn
GLOBE LIFEAbout Mark A. Blinn
Independent director of Globe Life Inc. since November 2021 (age 63). Former President & CEO and prior CFO of Flowserve Corporation; earlier CFO of FedEx Kinko’s and VP/Controller at Centex. Education includes B.S., MBA, and J.D. from Southern Methodist University; holds the CFA designation . Confirmed independent under NYSE and company criteria as of February 26, 2025 .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flowserve Corporation | President & CEO | 2009–2017 | Led large, complex international operations |
| Flowserve Corporation | Chief Financial Officer | 2004–2009 | Finance leadership |
| FedEx Kinko’s | Chief Financial Officer | 2003–2004 | Corporate finance |
| Centex Corporation | Vice President & Controller | 2000–2002 | Accounting/control |
External Roles
| Company/Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emerson Electric Co. (NYSE: EMR) | Director | 2019–present | Public company board |
| Leggett & Platt, Incorporated (NYSE: LEG) | Director | 2019–present | Public company board |
| Texas Instruments Incorporated (NASDAQ: TXN) | Director | 2013–present | Public company board |
| SMU Cox Executive Board | Member | N/A | University board |
| Cardone Industries | Board of Advisors | 2020–2023 | Private company |
| Kraton Corporation | Director | 2017–2021 | Prior public company board |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Compensation Committee member; served on a special Pricing Committee in August 2024 for the $450 million 5.850% Senior Notes due 2034 offering .
- Independence: Affirmed independent (February 26, 2025) .
- Attendance and engagement: In 2024, all directors attended ≥75% of Board and applicable committee meetings; Board held 4 physical meetings and 3 actions by unanimous written consent; Compensation Committee held 5 meetings in 2024 .
- Executive sessions: Independent directors met regularly in executive session, presided over by the Lead Director .
- Leadership context: Board Chair and CEO roles are combined; Board uses a strong Lead Independent Director structure with defined duties .
Fixed Compensation
| Component (Director) | Amount | Form/Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Retainer | $280,000 | $100,000 cash; $180,000 equity (options, restricted stock or RSUs, by election) |
| Committee Chair Fees | $25,000 (Comp Chair); $35,000 (Audit Chair); $20,000 (Gov/Nom Chair) | Not applicable to Blinn (not a chair) |
| Committee Member Fees | $12,500 (Audit members; excluding chair) | Not applicable to Blinn (Comp member; no member fee disclosed) |
| Lead Director Fee | $45,000 | Not applicable to Blinn |
| Meeting Fees | None; no meeting or written consent fees | Reimburse travel/lodging |
| Perquisites | Limited; none >$10,000 in 2024 | — |
| Blinn 2024 Actual | Fees: $100,000; Stock Awards: $180,039; Options: $0; Total: $280,039 | Restricted stock grant detailed below |
Performance Compensation
- Globe Life emphasizes equity for directors (restricted stock, RSUs, or options) but does not disclose performance metrics tied to director equity; equity instruments align interests rather than formulaic performance plans (metrics are for executives, not directors) .
| Equity Award Detail (Blinn) | Grant Date | Instrument | Shares/Units | Grant-Date Fair Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual equity retainer (2024) | Jan 2, 2024 | Restricted Stock | 1,475 shares | $180,039 |
Vesting terms for director restricted stock/RSUs are not explicitly detailed in the proxy; equity is issued first NYSE trading day each year, valued at the closing price, with instrument type elected by the director .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| External Board | Potential Interlock/Conflict with GL |
|---|---|
| EMR, LEG, TXN | No related-party transactions involving Blinn reported for 2024; Board policy requires approval/arm’s-length terms for any related-party dealings . |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Brings deep experience in business operations, organizational design, accounting/finance, and legal/governance matters from CEO/CFO roles and legal training .
- Board skills matrix indicates coverage across accounting/financial, business operations, capital markets, senior leadership of large organizations, ERM, legal/regulatory/compliance, strategic planning, and other relevant areas (matrix shows broad skill alignment for nominees, including Blinn) .
Equity Ownership
| Item | Value/Status |
|---|---|
| Beneficial ownership (Jan 31, 2025) | 5,122 shares; <1% of outstanding |
| Options outstanding (director) | 0 shares (aggregate outstanding options for Blinn: none) |
| Pledging/Hedging | Prohibited for directors; policy bars hedging and pledging of company stock |
| Ownership Guidelines | Non-management directors: 5x annual cash retainer; 7-year period to comply |
| Compliance Status (Board-wide) | As of Dec 31, 2024, all directors met guidelines or were within the accumulation period |
Insider Trades
| Item | Disclosure |
|---|---|
| Section 16 Compliance | Company states all required Section 16 filings for directors/executives were timely in 2024 |
| Form 4 Activity in Proxy | Not itemized for directors; no delinquent reports |
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent director with extensive CEO/CFO experience; active Compensation Committee member; engaged in capital markets oversight via Pricing Committee; strong stock ownership and anti-hedging/pledging policies supporting alignment; no related-party transactions in 2024 .
- Signals of board effectiveness: Regular independent executive sessions; Lead Independent Director framework; robust committee activity (Compensation Committee met 5 times in 2024); directors’ attendance ≥75% of meetings; say‑on‑pay support of 92% in 2024 indicates shareholder confidence in governance/comp structures .
- Watchpoints/Red Flags: Board Chair and CEO roles are combined, mitigated by strong Lead Director responsibilities; ensure continued monitoring of potential overboarding given multiple external public boards, though no conflicts or related‑party exposure are disclosed for Blinn .
Related Policies: Clawback policy; prohibition on option/SAR repricing; no tax gross‑ups; proxy access; majority voting standard for director elections .