Anthonie C. van Ekris
About Anthonie C. van Ekris
Independent Trustee of GAMCO Natural Resources, Gold & Income Trust (GNT) since 2008; year of birth 1934. Chairman & CEO of BALMAC International, Inc. for 20+ years, with 55+ years leading public and private companies in international and commodity trading, including nearly 20 years as Chairman/CEO of a large public jewelry chain and prior service as a director of an oil & gas operations company . Current GNT board term runs until the 2026 Annual Meeting; he is part of the class of Trustees serving until 2026 . Dollar range of equity held in GNT: None (A); aggregate dollar range in the fund complex: Over $100,000 (E) .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| BALMAC International, Inc. | Chairman & CEO | 20+ years | Global import/export company leadership |
| Large public jewelry chain | Chairman & CEO | ~20 years | Led public company in retail jewelry |
| Oil & Gas operations company | Director (former) | Not disclosed | Board oversight in energy sector |
| Salvation Army of Greater New York (Advisory Board) | Advisory Board member | 10+ years | Philanthropic advisory experience |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes/Interlocks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gabelli International Ltd. | Independent Director | Not disclosed | May be deemed under common control with GNT’s Adviser (Mario J. Gabelli/affiliates) |
| Gabelli Fund, LDC | Independent Director | Not disclosed | Potential common control linkage |
| GAMA Capital Opportunities Master, Ltd. | Independent Director | Not disclosed | Potential common control linkage |
| GAMCO International SICAV | Director | Current | Also serves on boards of other funds in Gabelli Fund Complex |
Board Governance
- Independence: Classified as an Independent Trustee (not an “interested person” under the 1940 Act) .
- Board structure: 9 Trustees; independent lead structure without a Chair; James P. Conn is Lead Independent Trustee and presides over executive sessions .
- Committees: Audit Committee members (Heitmann—Chair, Enright, Fahrenkopf, Zizza); Nominating Committee members (Colavita—Chair, Melarkey, Zizza). Mr. van Ekris is not listed as a member of the Audit, Nominating, ad hoc Proxy Voting, or ad hoc Pricing Committees in the proxy .
- Attendance & engagement: Board met 4 times in FY2024; each Trustee then serving attended at least 75% of Board meetings and applicable committee meetings . The fund notes Trustees and nominees did not attend the May 13, 2024 annual meeting of shareholders .
- Executive sessions: Independent Trustees meet regularly in executive session; committees are chaired by Independent Trustees .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Rate/Amount | Period/Count | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual retainer (Independent and Interested Trustees) | $3,000 | FY2024 | Paid by the Fund |
| Board meeting fee | $1,000 per meeting | 4 meetings in FY2024 | Paid per Board meeting attended |
| Committee meeting fee | $500 per meeting | If applicable | Paid per committee meeting attended |
| Audit Committee Chair fee | $3,000 annually | N/A to van Ekris | Chair-specific; Heitmann is Chair |
| Nominating Committee Chair fee | $2,000 annually | N/A to van Ekris | Chair-specific; Colavita is Chair |
| Lead Independent Trustee fee | $2,000 annually | N/A to van Ekris | Role-specific; Conn is Lead Independent |
| Aggregate compensation from GNT (van Ekris) | $7,000 | FY2024 | Consistent with $3,000 retainer + 4×$1,000 meetings and no committee chair fees |
| Aggregate compensation from Fund Complex (van Ekris) | $212,000 | FY2024; 23 funds/portfolios | Total paid across related funds in complex |
Performance Compensation
| Metric/Instrument | Disclosure | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Equity awards (RSUs/PSUs) | None disclosed | Trustee compensation is structured as cash retainers and meeting fees; no equity grants indicated |
| Option awards | None disclosed | No option grants disclosed for Trustees |
| Performance bonuses/targets (TSR/EBITDA/ESG) | None disclosed | No performance-linked pay disclosed for Trustees |
| Change-in-control/severance | None disclosed | Not applicable to independent Trustees per proxy disclosures |
| Clawbacks/gross-ups/deferred comp/perquisites | None disclosed | Not described for Trustees in proxy |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Entity | Relationship to Adviser | Interlock/Conflict Note |
|---|---|---|
| Gabelli International Ltd.; Gabelli Fund, LDC; GAMA Capital Opportunities Master, Ltd.; GAMCO International SICAV | May be deemed controlled by Mario J. Gabelli and/or affiliates | Creates network interlocks across entities under common control with GNT’s Adviser; independence under 1940 Act retained but potential perceived conflicts should be monitored |
Expertise & Qualifications
- International commodities and trading leadership (55+ years as Chairman/CEO across public/private companies) .
- Long-tenured governance experience on multiple boards within the Gabelli Fund Complex and international fund structures .
- Business oversight background across retail jewelry and energy sectors; philanthropic advisory experience .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Security Type | Amount/Nature | % of Outstanding | Dollar Range (Fund) | Aggregate Dollar Range (Fund Complex) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anthonie C. van Ekris | Common Shares | 0 | Less than 1% | A = None | E = Over $100,000 |
- Beneficial ownership across Trustees and officers as a group is less than 1% of total Common and Preferred shares .
Insider Trades and Section 16 Compliance
- Based on the Fund’s review for FY2024, insiders complied with Section 16(a) filing requirements; one late Form 4 was filed by Mario J. Gabelli. No delinquent filings are noted for Mr. van Ekris .
Governance Assessment
- Alignment: RED FLAG — zero GNT share ownership (Dollar Range A = None) may weaken direct alignment with shareholders, especially given cash-only director compensation .
- Committee influence: Not listed on Audit, Nominating, or ad hoc Proxy/ Pricing committees; limits direct involvement in key oversight functions relative to peers serving on these committees .
- Interlocks/conflicts: Serves as independent director on multiple Gabelli-controlled entities; while independence is affirmed under 1940 Act, these interlocks can create perceived conflicts or influence channels requiring vigilant oversight by the Board and shareholders .
- Attendance and process: Met ≥75% attendance threshold across 4 Board meetings in FY2024, with Independent Trustees meeting regularly in executive session, supporting baseline governance engagement .
- Shareholder engagement: No Trustees or nominees attended the May 13, 2024 annual meeting of shareholders; for investors focused on engagement optics, this is a negative signal .
Overall: Long-tenured independent director with deep operating experience; however, lack of GNT share ownership and extensive interlocks within the Gabelli complex warrant scrutiny on potential conflicts and incentivization. Active leadership roles reside primarily with other Trustees (Lead Independent, Audit Chair, Nominating Chair), so monitoring board effectiveness hinges on committee outputs and executive session oversight rather than Mr. van Ekris’s direct committee involvement .