William Horne
About William Horne
William B. Horne is the Chief Executive Officer of Hyperscale Data, Inc. (ticker: GPUS) and is named among the company’s directors and executive officers in recent filings . He is also designated as one of the company’s proxy holders for special meetings, alongside the Executive Chairman and President/General Counsel . Background details such as age, education, tenure start date, and performance metrics (TSR, revenue/EBITDA growth) were not included in the 2025 special proxy statements reviewed .
Past Roles
Not disclosed in the 2025 special proxy statements reviewed .
External Roles
Not disclosed in the 2025 special proxy statements reviewed .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Detail | Effective Date |
|---|---|---|
| Base Salary ($) | 500,000 | May 1, 2025 |
Performance Compensation
No disclosure of annual/long-term incentive metrics, targets, payouts, RSU/PSU grants, or option awards for William Horne was included in the 2025 special proxy statements reviewed .
Equity Ownership & Alignment
| Metric | As of Jan 28, 2025 (DEF 14A Record Date) | As of Apr 30, 2025 (DEF 14A Record Date) |
|---|---|---|
| Shares Beneficially Owned | 10 (see footnote) | 1 (Class B share) |
| Approximate Percent of Class | * (less than 1%) | * (less than 1%) |
- Footnote detail: Filing footnotes state Horne’s holding represents one share of Class B Common Stock carrying the voting power of 10 shares of Class A Common Stock .
- Company-level control context: Ault & Company, Inc. is disclosed as the controlling beneficial owner, with approximately 95.67% of Class A Common Stock on an as-converted basis as of April 30, 2025, and substantial multi-class voting power, which materially influences governance and shareholder votes .
- Pledging/hedging: No disclosure for Horne in the reviewed filings .
- Ownership guidelines/compliance: Not disclosed in the reviewed filings .
Employment Terms
| Item | Term |
|---|---|
| Role | Chief Executive Officer |
| Base Salary | $500,000 effective May 1, 2025 |
| Other Contractual Terms (severance, CIC, non-compete, clawbacks, tax gross-ups) | Not disclosed in reviewed filings |
Board Governance
- Board service: Horne is listed among the company’s “directors and executive officers” and is named as a designated proxy holder for special meetings, indicating board service concurrent with his CEO role .
- Committee roles, chair positions, attendance, independence status: Not disclosed in the 2025 special proxy statements reviewed .
- Control dynamics: Filings show Ault & Company’s majority voting influence through Class B and preferred stock voting rights on an as-converted basis, which impacts overall board oversight and shareholder vote outcomes .
Investment Implications
- Limited skin-in-the-game: Horne’s personal beneficial ownership is de minimis (one Class B share with voting power of 10 Class A votes; <1% of class), which may weaken alignment with common shareholders absent robust performance-based equity—no equity award details were disclosed in the reviewed filings .
- Cash comp reset without disclosed performance metrics: CEO base salary increased to $500,000 effective May 1, 2025; with no disclosed annual/long-term incentive metrics or equity grants in the reviewed filings, pay-for-performance calibration cannot be assessed from current public materials .
- Governance concentration: Ault & Company’s disclosed ~95.67% beneficial ownership (as-converted) and multi-class voting structure centralize control, potentially reducing board independence and heightening key-person/related-party oversight risks; Horne serves as CEO while the Executive Chairman holds significant control via Ault & Company .
- Balance sheet and dilution overhang: The company is seeking shareholder approvals for multiple convertible instruments (Series B Preferred and several convertible notes), with filings explicitly warning of substantial dilution and potential share sales by holders; this financing strategy can pressure the stock and complicate retention and incentive alignment if equity grants are later introduced .
- Listing compliance pressure: The company disclosed NYSE American listing deficiencies tied to historical losses and low stockholders’ equity and is operating under a compliance plan; governance and financing decisions in this environment can be more tactical and short-term, complicating long-term incentive design and retention .
References:
- CEO designation and proxy roles:
- Base salary update (8-K Item 5.02):
- Beneficial ownership (Horne and Ault & Company):
- Voting power and meeting mechanics:
- Special proxy scopes (no executive compensation/grant tables or committee disclosures):
- Financing and dilution proposals (convertible preferred/notes):
- Listing compliance disclosures: