Anthonie C. van Ekris
About Anthonie C. van Ekris
Independent Trustee of The Gabelli Healthcare & WellnessRx Trust (GRX) since 2007; year of birth 1934. Chairman and CEO of BALMAC International, Inc. (global import/export) for over twenty years; over 55 years of experience as Chairman and/or CEO across public/private companies in international and commodity trading. Serves on boards of other funds in the Gabelli Fund Complex and as a director of GAMCO International SICAV; prior service includes a large public jewelry chain (nearly twenty years) and an oil & gas operations company. Beneficial owner of 12,300 GRX Common Shares; classified “E” (over $100,000) dollar range in GRX and Fund Complex; status as Independent Trustee under NYSE guidelines.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| BALMAC International, Inc. | Chairman & CEO | Over twenty years | Global import/export leadership |
| Large public jewelry chain | Chairman and/or CEO | Nearly twenty years | Retail operations oversight |
| Oil & gas operations company | Director (former) | Not disclosed | Board oversight |
| Salvation Army of Greater New York (Advisory Board) | Advisory Board Member | >10 years | Community/charitable advisory |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| GAMCO International SICAV | Director | Not disclosed | Governance oversight |
| Other funds in Gabelli Fund Complex | Trustee/Director | Not disclosed | Cross-fund governance |
| Portfolios overseen in Fund Complex | Oversight scope | 23 portfolios | Breadth of oversight |
Board Governance
- Independence: All Trustees except Messrs. Gabelli, Jonas and Ms. Mullady are Independent Trustees; van Ekris is independent under NYSE guidelines.
- Board structure: No Board Chairman; Lead Independent Trustee is James P. Conn; Independent Trustees meet regularly in executive session and chair all committees.
- Committees: Audit Committee and Nominating Committee members are Enright (Chair), Conn, Zizza; Proxy Voting Committee chaired by Enright; ad hoc Pricing Committee and multi‑fund Compensation Committees exist as needed. van Ekris is not listed among members of the standing Audit or Nominating Committees.
- Meeting cadence and attendance: Board met 4 times in fiscal 2024; each Trustee attended at least 75% of Board meetings and of any committee of which he/she is a member. Audit Committee met 2 times; Nominating Committee met once.
- Risk oversight: Board and Audit Committee receive reports on risk management, valuation, compliance, and controls; periodic CCO reporting facilitates oversight.
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual retainer (Independent Trustees and certain Interested Trustees) | $3,000 | Paid by GRX |
| Board meeting fee | $1,000 per meeting | Paid for each Board meeting attended |
| Committee meeting fee | $500 per meeting | Paid to all Board committee members |
| Audit Committee Chair fee | $3,000 annually | Chair: Vincent D. Enright (not van Ekris) |
| Nominating Committee Chair fee | $2,000 annually | Chair: Vincent D. Enright (not van Ekris) |
| Lead Independent Trustee fee | $1,000 annually | Lead Independent: James P. Conn (not van Ekris) |
| Aggregate remuneration paid by GRX to Trustees (FY2024) | $65,000 | Excludes out-of-pocket expenses |
Based on disclosed committee leadership and roles, chair/lead fees apply to those specific officeholders, not to van Ekris.
Performance Compensation
| Program/Metric | Disclosure | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Cash bonus | Not disclosed | Proxy enumerates retainer and meeting fees; no bonus program described for Trustees. |
| Equity awards (RSUs/PSUs/Options) | Not disclosed | No director equity grant program described; Trustee compensation presented as cash fees. |
| Performance metrics (TSR, revenue growth, ESG) | Not disclosed | No performance-tied director compensation metrics disclosed. |
| Severance/CoC provisions | Not disclosed | No director severance or change‑of‑control terms disclosed. |
| Clawback provisions | Not disclosed | No clawback policy referenced for Trustee pay. |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Entity | Role | Nature | Potential Interlock/Conflict Consideration |
|---|---|---|---|
| GAMCO International SICAV | Director | External fund | Governance role at a GAMCO-branded vehicle; affiliation context noted without specific conflict disclosed. |
| Other funds in Gabelli Fund Complex | Trustee/Director | Affiliated funds | Cross-board service within adviser’s fund complex; common in fund governance; independence affirmed by Board. |
Expertise & Qualifications
- International trade and commodity trading executive experience spanning over 55 years; multi‑industry leadership, including retail jewelry.
- Public company board experience and oil & gas sector exposure; long‑tenured advisory role with Salvation Army Greater New York.
- Oversight across 23 portfolios in Fund Complex indicates broad fund governance exposure.
Equity Ownership
| Measure | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| GRX Common Shares beneficially owned | 12,300 shares | <1% of shares outstanding |
| Dollar range of GRX equity held | E (Over $100,000) | Valued as of Dec 31, 2024 |
| Aggregate dollar range in Fund Complex | E (Over $100,000) | As of Dec 31, 2024 |
| Beneficial ownership determination basis | Rule 13d‑3 (1934 Act) | As disclosed |
No entry for van Ekris in the table of Independent Trustees’ interests in adviser‑controlled entities, whereas Conn and Zizza disclosed interests; suggests no such interests disclosed for van Ekris.
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent Trustee with extensive operating and board experience; meaningful personal ownership (12,300 shares; “E” dollar range), supporting alignment; consistent attendance at ≥75% of meetings; Board maintains structured risk oversight and independent leadership (Lead Independent).
- Committee participation: Not listed on Audit or Nominating Committees; committee leadership concentrated with Enright/Conn/Zizza—may limit his direct influence on core oversight committees but preserves independence of key financial and nominating functions.
- Interlocks/affiliations: Service on other funds in the Gabelli Fund Complex and as director of GAMCO International SICAV reflects cross‑complex governance ties; independence status affirmed by Board, and no specific related‑party interests disclosed for van Ekris in adviser‑controlled entities. Monitor for perceived conflicts in complex‑wide matters.
- Attendance and engagement: Board met four times (FY2024) with ≥75% attendance by all Trustees; Audit met twice; Nominating met once—cadence consistent with closed‑end fund governance norms.
RED FLAGS (none explicitly disclosed for van Ekris):
- No low attendance flagged; no pledging/hedging disclosed; no loans or related‑party transactions disclosed for van Ekris in adviser‑controlled entities table. Continue monitoring interlocks and any future disclosures for related‑party exposure.