Julie Freigang
About Julie S. Freigang
Julie S. Freigang (age 57) is Vice President and Chief Information Officer at CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CF) and has served on Horizon Bank’s board since 2019 and was appointed to the Horizon Bancorp, Inc. (HBNC) Board in January 2020; she holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering (honors) from Valparaiso University . Her core credentials are cybersecurity, information technology, business continuity, and enterprise risk management, built across prior CIO roles at Franklin Electric and senior IT leadership at Eaton .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin Electric Co., Inc. (NASDAQ: FELE) | Vice President, Chief Information Officer | 2014–2020 | Built comprehensive cybersecurity program; aligned Business Continuity with ERM |
| Eaton Corporation | Vice President – IT | 2011–2014 | Led IT programs; cybersecurity, policy development, incident response foundations |
| Valparaiso University | B.S. Mechanical Engineering (honors) | N/A | Technical foundation supporting IT/cyber leadership |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CF) | Vice President & Chief Information Officer | Oct 2020–Present | Oversees enterprise IT; cybersecurity strategy and risk |
No other public company directorships are disclosed for Ms. Freigang in HBNC’s proxy .
Board Governance
- Independence: HBNC’s Board determined 9 of 11 directors are independent; Audit, Compensation, and Corporate Governance & Nominating committees meet applicable independence tests. Ms. Freigang serves on the Audit Committee, which is fully independent .
- Committees: Audit Committee member; Audit met 4 times in 2024; membership listed as Reed (Chair), Burnell, Dworkin, Freigang, Maass .
- Attendance: Board held 10 meetings in 2024; each director attended 89.0% or more of Board and committee meetings; all 11 directors attended the 2024 Annual Meeting .
- Board leadership: Eric P. Blackhurst to become independent Chairman upon Craig M. Dwight’s retirement; Lead Independent Director role terminates thereafter .
- Cyber oversight: Board-level Cyber Security Committee exists (meets ≥3 times/year); complements ERM oversight; not listing Ms. Freigang as a member in the proxy excerpts .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount/Policy | 2024 Amount for Freigang | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer (non-employee directors) | $45,000 | $52,509 | Company retainer policy $45,000 cash; Ms. Freigang’s reported cash fees for 2024 were $52,509 . Directors do not receive meeting fees . |
| Committee chair fees | Audit Chair $10,000; Comp, Governance, ERM/Credit, Cyber, Wealth Chairs $7,500; Lead Director $15,000 | N/A | Chair fees schedule; Ms. Freigang is not listed as a chair in 2024 . |
Performance Compensation
| Component | Structure | 2024 Amount for Freigang | Vesting/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Equity retainer | Annual grant of common shares equal to $40,000 value | $39,991 | Equity retainer policy $40,000; proxy table shows stock awards of $39,991 for 2024 . |
| Directors’ Deferred Compensation Plan | Optional deferral of fees; earnings at 5-year U.S. Treasury +200 bps capped at 120% AFR; may invest in HBNC shares | Not disclosed (director-level election) | Distributions as lump sum or installments (cash or HBNC shares) . |
HBNC director pay is retainer-based with equity; no performance metric matrices apply to non-employee director compensation. Equity is intended to align interests; no meeting fees are paid .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Category | Detail |
|---|---|
| Current public company boards | None disclosed beyond HBNC/Horizon Bank . |
| Executive role at CF Industries | CIO at CF Industries (NYSE: CF); no HBNC-related transactions disclosed . |
| Committee interlocks | Compensation Committee reports no interlocks and no Item 404 related-person transactions for committee members . |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Cybersecurity/information technology leadership; built and maintained comprehensive programs: strategy, risk assessment, technology implementation, insurance, auditing, policy, training, incident response; responsible for Business Continuity aligned to ERM .
- Engineering background enabling technology risk oversight .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Shares Beneficially Owned | Ownership % of Outstanding | Detail/Breakdown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Julie S. Freigang | 12,066 | <1% | 97 shares owned directly; 11,969 shares owned jointly with spouse . Total outstanding shares: 44,012,566 (for context) . |
| Ownership guideline compliance | Directors must maintain ≥3× annual retainer; all directors satisfy guidelines | N/A | Ownership Guidelines apply; board reports all directors comply . |
| Hedging/pledging | Prohibited for directors; no exceptions granted | N/A | Stand-alone anti-hedging and anti-pledging policies; no waivers requested/granted . |
Governance Assessment
- Committee assignments and engagement: Active Audit Committee membership with strong independence and regular executive sessions is a positive signal for oversight of financial reporting and internal controls .
- Compensation alignment: Director compensation is modest and retainer-based with annual equity grants; absence of meeting fees and clear chair fee schedule reflects a standard community bank governance model; Freigang’s 2024 total director comp $92,500 ($52,509 cash, $39,991 equity) aligns with peers and ownership guidelines .
- Ownership and alignment: Beneficial ownership (<1%) combined with mandatory ownership guidelines and anti-hedging/anti-pledging policies supports alignment and reduces agency risk; no pledging waivers approved .
- Conflicts/related-party exposure: HBNC discloses director/officer banking relationships in ordinary course on market terms; Corporate Governance & Nominating Committee reviews related-person transactions >$120,000. No specific related-person transactions involving Ms. Freigang are disclosed, which lowers conflict risk .
- Attendance/independence: Board and committee attendance ≥89% across directors and independent committee composition are supportive of board effectiveness and investor confidence .
Red Flags:
- None disclosed specific to Ms. Freigang. HBNC prohibits hedging/pledging; no exceptions; related-party transactions are reviewed and ordinary-course bank loans are permitted under regulation .
Overall implication: Freigang brings deep cybersecurity and IT oversight to HBNC’s board and Audit Committee, a valuable competency for bank risk management. Her compensation and ownership structure are standard and aligned; independence and attendance metrics reinforce board effectiveness. No disclosed conflicts or related-party exposures related to her role increase governance quality .