Edmund Burke
About Edmund J. Burke
Edmund J. Burke (born 1961) is an Independent Trustee of Clough Global Dividend and Income Fund (GLV), with service on the Clough closed‑end funds’ boards since 2006 and independence effective November 1, 2021. He retired from ALPS in 2019 after senior leadership roles and currently holds multiple fund trustee/director positions; he is nominated to continue as a Class III Trustee for a term expiring at the 2028 Annual Meeting . Burke’s background centers on investment company operations (open‑end, closed‑end, ETFs) and fund governance .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| ALPS Holdings, Inc.; ALPS Advisors, Inc. | President and Director | 1991–2019 | Led day‑to‑day operations for investment companies/ETFs; operational expertise in CEF administration . |
| ALPS Fund Services, Inc.; ALPS Distributors, Inc.; ALPS Portfolio Solutions Distributor, Inc. | Director | 1991–2019 | Distribution, fund services, and portfolio solutions oversight across fund complexes . |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Since | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| ETF Action | Passive Partner | 2020 | Data/analytics platform for advisers . |
| Alliance Bioenergy Plus, Inc. | Director | 2020 | Technology company in renewable energy/biofuels/bioplastics . |
| BlueBiofuels Inc | Director | 2020 | Public company in alternative energy . |
| Financial Investors Trust | Trustee | N/A | Oversees 17 funds . |
| ALPS ETF Trust | Trustee | N/A | Oversees 23 funds . |
| Liberty All‑Star Equity Fund, Inc. | Trustee | N/A | Closed‑end fund board service . |
| Liberty All‑Star Growth Fund, Inc. | Director | N/A | Closed‑end fund board service . |
Board Governance
- Independence status: Independent Trustee effective November 1, 2021 .
- GLV Class III nominee for term expiring at the 2028 Annual Meeting .
- Executive sessions: Independent Trustees meet quarterly in executive session without interested trustees or adviser/administrator personnel .
| Item | FY 2022 | FY 2023 | FY 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Audit Committee Membership | Member (served since Jan 27, 2022) | Not listed as member; committee comprised of DiGravio, Crescenzi, Rutledge, Weber, Versaci | Member; committee comprised of DiGravio, Crescenzi, Weber, Burke, Versaci |
| Governance & Nominating Membership | Member (served since Jan 27, 2022) | Not listed as member; committee comprised of DiGravio, Crescenzi, Rutledge, Weber, Versaci | Member; committee comprised of DiGravio, Crescenzi, Burke, Weber, Versaci |
| GLV Board Meetings Held | 4 | 5 | 4 |
| Attendance | Each Trustee attended ≥75% of meetings/committees in role | Each Trustee attended ≥75% | Each Trustee attended ≥75% |
| Annual Meeting Attendance Policy/Practice | Trustees not required to attend annual meeting | — | No Trustees attended the 2024 Annual Meeting |
Fixed Compensation
- Structure: Cash retainer per fund plus per‑meeting fees; additional fees for telephonic meetings; no separate committee meeting fees; out‑of‑pocket expenses reimbursed .
- Rates (per fund): Independent Trustee retainer $14,000; Board meeting fee $1,500; Chairman retainer $16,800 and $1,800 per meeting; Audit Chair retainer $15,400 and $1,650 per meeting; telephonic fees $500 (Trustee), $600 (Chairman), $550 (Audit Chair) .
| Metric | FY 2021 | FY 2022 | FY 2023 | FY 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GLV Compensation Paid | $12,667 | $20,000 | $20,500 | $21,000 |
| GLQ Compensation Paid | $12,667 | $20,000 | $20,500 | $21,000 |
| GLO Compensation Paid | $12,667 | $20,000 | $20,500 | $21,000 |
| Total from Fund Complex | $38,330 | $60,000 | $61,500 | $63,000 |
Performance Compensation
| Component | Disclosure | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Equity/Option Awards | Not disclosed in proxy; compensation presented as cash retainers/meeting fees | No performance‑based metrics (TSR, EBITDA, etc.) referenced for Trustees in the proxy materials . |
| Bonuses/Variable Pay | Not disclosed | — |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company/Trust | Role | Potential Interlock Relevance |
|---|---|---|
| Financial Investors Trust (17 funds) | Trustee | Fund industry governance network; no related‑party transactions with adviser reported for independent trustees . |
| ALPS ETF Trust (23 funds) | Trustee | Prior ALPS affiliation ended in 2019; independence affirmed . |
| Liberty All‑Star Equity Fund, Inc. | Trustee | CEF governance experience . |
| Liberty All‑Star Growth Fund, Inc. | Director | CEF governance experience . |
| Alliance Bioenergy Plus, Inc. | Director | Renewable energy exposure . |
| BlueBiofuels Inc | Director | Alternative energy exposure . |
| ETF Action | Passive Partner | Data/analytics; passive capacity . |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Long‑tenured investment company operator across closed‑end, open‑end, and ETFs with senior roles at ALPS (1991–2019), bringing operational and compliance oversight expertise to fund boards .
- Active service on Audit and Governance & Nominating Committees (varied by year), supporting financial reporting oversight and board refresh processes .
- Multi‑fund trustee/director experience across several fund complexes, enhancing cross‑fund governance perspective .
Equity Ownership
| Security Ownership (as of proxy) | GLV | GLQ | GLO |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shares Owned | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| % of Shares Outstanding | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Dollar Range of Equity Securities Held | GLV | GLQ | GLO | Aggregate Family of Investment Companies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| As of May 10, 2024 | None | None | None | None |
| As of April 28, 2025 | None | None | None | None |
Governance Assessment
-
Positive signals:
- Independence affirmed; no direct or indirect interests >$120,000 in the adviser or affiliates for independent trustees, and no qualifying transactions reported over the last two fiscal years .
- Committee engagement: Member of Audit and Governance & Nominating in FY 2024; committees chaired by independent trustees (Audit: DiGravio; Governance: Crescenzi) .
- Attendance: Board met 4–5 times annually; each trustee met ≥75% attendance threshold for FY 2022–FY 2024 .
- Executive sessions quarterly for independent trustees, reinforcing board independence and oversight .
-
Potential concerns/RED FLAGS:
- Ownership alignment: Reports zero share ownership and “None” dollar range across the fund family; may reduce “skin‑in‑the‑game” alignment for a governance role focused on shareholder interests .
- Annual meeting engagement: Trustees not required to attend; no trustees attended the 2024 Annual Meeting—can be viewed as limited direct shareholder engagement for that year .
- Committee rotation: Not listed on Audit/Governance in FY 2023, then serving again in FY 2024—monitor continuity and rationale for changes in committee composition .
-
Compensation structure:
- Cash‑only retainers/meeting fees; no equity or performance‑based elements disclosed for trustees—limits pay‑for‑performance linkage but is common for CEF boards .
-
Tenure and expertise:
- Long tenure since 2006 provides historical continuity; prior ALPS leadership offers operational depth; independence effective November 1, 2021 mitigates prior affiliation concerns .