J. Scott Ballard
Director at HBCP
Board
About J. Scott Ballard
Independent director since September 2021; age 52; CEO/owner of Ballard Hospitality, LLC and owner of Ballard Brands, LLC (Covington, LA). Bachelor’s in Political Science (Economics concentration) from Tulane University; Leadership Louisiana (2012). Board determined he is independent under Nasdaq standards; no director attended fewer than 75% of board and committee meetings in 2024.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| LSU Board of Supervisors | Chairman of the Board | Prior service (dates not specified) | State university governance leadership |
| St. Tammany Hospital Foundation | Board Member | Prior | Healthcare philanthropy governance |
| Louisiana Board of Regents | Board Member | Prior | Oversees higher education policy |
| Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance Commission | Board Member | Prior | Student aid oversight |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ballard Hospitality, LLC | CEO & Owner | Private company | Hospitality services (Covington, LA) |
| Ballard Brands, LLC | Owner | Private company | Multi-brand consumer/food |
| Committee of 100 Louisiana | Executive Board Member | Business policy group | Executive-level engagement |
| Louisiana Association of Business and Industry (LABI) | Executive Board Member | Business association | Policy advocacy |
| Young Presidents’ Organization (Louisiana) | Member | Executive network | Leadership development |
| St. Tammany ChamberPac | Board Member | Political action group | Local business advocacy |
| Louisiana Boys & Girls Club | Board Member | Nonprofit youth org | Community service |
| ForeKids Foundation | Board Member | Nonprofit | Philanthropy |
| Louisiana Hospitality Foundation | Board Member | Nonprofit | Hospitality community support |
| St. Tammany & Greater New Orleans Chambers of Commerce | Member | Business chambers | Regional engagement |
Board Governance
- Committee memberships (Home Bancorp, Inc.): Audit (member), Compensation (member); not a committee chair.
- Audit Committee Report lists Ballard as a member; Compensation Committee Report lists Ballard as a member.
- Independence: Board determined Ballard is independent under Nasdaq rules.
- Attendance: Board met 7 times in 2024; no director attended fewer than 75% of combined board and committee meetings.
- Annual meeting attendance: 3 directors attended the May 2024 annual meeting.
- Board leadership: CEO also serves as Chairman; Board acknowledges potential conflicts with combined roles but cites regulatory safeguards.
| Committee | Role |
|---|---|
| Audit | Member |
| Compensation | Member |
| Nominating | — |
Fixed Compensation
- Directors are compensated by Home Bank, not separately by Home Bancorp. Structure: $22,000 annual retainer; $800 per board meeting; $550 per committee meeting; +$100 per meeting for Chairman and Committee Chairs; Christmas gift ($400 in 2024).
| Metric | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Fees Earned or Paid in Cash ($) | 46,200 | 43,450 |
| Stock Awards ($, grant-date fair value) | 18,030 | 22,494 |
| All Other Compensation ($) | 442 | 400 |
| Total ($) | 64,672 | 66,344 |
Compensation mix trending toward more equity year-over-year (stock awards up; cash down modestly).
Performance Compensation
- Directors receive time-vested RSUs/equity; no performance-based metrics disclosed for director pay (metrics apply to executives).
- Stock ownership guidelines for non-employee directors: hold $150,000 in shares (or at least 6,000 shares if price ≤ $25); Company states all non-employee directors meet guidelines.
| Equity Metric | As of Dec 31, 2023 | As of Dec 31, 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| RSUs Outstanding (units) | 1,080 | 1,440 |
| Annual Director Equity Grant Fair Value ($) | 18,030 | 22,494 |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- Public company directorships: none disclosed.
- Compensation Committee interlocks: none; no transactions requiring disclosure.
Expertise & Qualifications
- Education: BA Political Science with Economics concentration, Tulane University; Leadership Louisiana graduate (2012).
- Domain experience: entrepreneurship (hospitality/consumer brands), statewide business policy leadership, nonprofit governance.
Equity Ownership
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Beneficial Ownership (shares) | 4,110 (as of Mar 24, 2025) |
| Percent of Common Stock | * (less than 1.0%) |
| RSUs/Restricted Shares included within 60 days | 360 |
| Stock Options | None (not listed for Ballard) |
| Pledged Shares | None (“none of the shares are pledged”) |
| Ownership Guidelines | Directors expected to hold $150,000 in shares or 6,000 shares if price ≤ $25; Company states compliance for all non-employee directors |
Say-on-Pay & Shareholder Feedback (context for governance climate)
| Proposal (May 13, 2025) | For | Against | Abstain | Broker Non-Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Say-on-Pay (NEO compensation) | 4,763,312 | 329,383 | 66,823 | 1,122,835 |
| Auditor Ratification (Wipfli LLP) | 6,228,626 | 49,507 | 4,221 | — |
| Director Elections (Trappey) | 4,484,218 | 675,301 | — | 1,122,835 |
| Director Elections (Washington) | 5,035,082 | 124,437 | — | 1,122,835 |
Strong shareholder support for executive pay and director elections.
Related Party Transactions & Policies
- Insider loans: made in ordinary course on market terms; no unfavorable features; performing as of Dec 31, 2024.
- Conflict handling: OCC regulations require disclosure, recusal, and approval by non-interested directors; minutes reflect recusals.
- Insider Trading Policy: directors/senior officers may not trade during blackout periods; hedging requires pre-clearance by Board; policy on file in 10-K exhibits.
- Recognition & Retention Plan Trust: trustees include Ballard and other directors who vote certain plan shares in their discretion (not allocated to individuals).
Risk Indicators & RED FLAGS
- Combined CEO/Chair structure may concentrate power; Board cites regulatory safeguards and oversight processes.
- Hedging only allowed with Board pre-clearance (not an outright ban).
- No share pledging by Ballard (positive alignment signal).
- No Section 16(a) delinquencies for directors/executives in 2024.
- No related-party transaction red flags identified; insider loans on market terms and performing.
Governance Assessment
- Board effectiveness: Ballard contributes on two key committees (Audit and Compensation) without chair roles—balanced oversight participation without concentration of authority. Attendance thresholds met; independence affirmed.
- Alignment: Meets company stock ownership guidelines; meaningful equity holdings and continuing RSU vesting support long-term alignment; no pledging.
- Potential conflicts: Serves as trustee voting certain plan trust shares at discretion alongside other directors—standard for legacy plans but warrants awareness; combined CEO/Chair role is a structural consideration for independence mitigated by regulatory context.
- Investor confidence signals: Robust say-on-pay support and clean related-party profile bolster governance quality.