Thomas Bartlett
HARTFORD INSURANCE GROUPAbout Thomas Bartlett
Thomas Bartlett is an independent director of The Hartford (HIG), appointed effective July 1, 2025, serving on the Audit Committee and the Finance, Investment and Risk Management Committee (FIRMCo). He is the retired CEO and president of American Tower Corp. (2020–2024) and previously its CFO for 11 years, with a 25-year leadership tenure at Verizon in finance and international operations; he began his career at Deloitte as a CPA. He holds a BS in Industrial Engineering from Lehigh University and an MBA in Professional Accounting from Rutgers University; current public boards include Otis Worldwide and ExlService Holdings. Director tenure: since July 2025; age not disclosed in company materials.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Tower Corp. | CEO & President | 2020–2024 | Led global REIT operations; preceded by 11 years as CFO, bringing deep finance and capital markets expertise. |
| Verizon Communications | Controller & Treasurer; President & CEO, Bell Atlantic International Wireless; CEO, Iusacell (Mexico); CEO, Verizon Global Solutions | ~25 years | Extensive operational leadership in regulated telecom across multiple geographies. |
| Deloitte LLP | Analyst/CPA | Early career | Foundation in accounting and audit; CPA credential. |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Otis Worldwide Corporation | Director | Current | Board oversight at an industrial leader; specific committees not disclosed. |
| ExlService Holdings, Inc. | Director | Current | Board oversight at a data/analytics services firm; specific committees not disclosed. |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Audit Committee; Finance, Investment and Risk Management Committee (FIRMCo).
- Independence: Board determined he meets NYSE and company independence requirements; no related-party transactions under Item 404(a).
- Committee mandates (context at HIG): Audit oversees financial reporting, internal controls, cybersecurity, compliance; FIRMCo oversees insurance risk, market risk, liquidity and capital, climate risk, and investment guidelines.
- Years of service: New appointment (Director since July 2025).
- Attendance: Not yet applicable; Board met 6 times in 2024 with all directors ≥75% attendance; non-management directors held six executive sessions in 2024.
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount/Terms | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Cash Retainer | $115,000 per non-management director | |
| Annual Equity Grant (RSUs) | $190,000; time-vested RSUs; dividend equivalents accrue; standard vest at end of Board service year; accelerated vesting upon retirement, death, disability, certain resignations with Committee consent, or change of control | |
| Bartlett Initial Awards (2025) | $115,000 cash retainer and $190,000 RSU grant for remainder of 2025–2026 Board year; RSUs to be granted on second trading day after filing Q2 2025 Form 10-Q, priced at that day’s close | |
| Insurance & Perquisites | $100,000 group life; $750,000 AD&D/PTD; reimbursement of travel/related expenses for Board service |
Performance Compensation
| Metric | Detail |
|---|---|
| Not applicable | HIG director equity is time-based RSUs; no director performance metrics (e.g., ROE/TSR) used. |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Entity | Sector | Potential Interlock with HIG | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Otis Worldwide | Industrials (elevators) | None disclosed | No related-party transactions noted for Bartlett. |
| ExlService Holdings | IT/Analytics services | None disclosed | No related-party transactions noted for Bartlett. |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Financial leadership: 11 years as CFO of American Tower; extensive controller/treasurer experience at Verizon, aligning with Audit Committee demands.
- Operational and regulatory experience: Led multinational operations in telecom; CEO roles in Mexico and international wireless; valuable for FIRMCo’s risk and strategy oversight.
- Education/credential: Engineering background (Lehigh) and MBA in professional accounting (Rutgers); CPA (Deloitte).
Equity Ownership
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Initial RSU Award | $190,000 RSUs to be granted after Q2 2025 Form 10-Q; vest at end of Board service year (unless deferred). |
| Beneficial Ownership | Not yet disclosed in proxy/ownership tables given mid-2025 appointment. |
| Ownership Guidelines | Directors must reach ownership equal to 5x total annual cash retainer (including chair/lead retainers) within 3 years of appointment. |
| Trading & Alignment | Prohibition on hedging/derivative/monetization and pledging/margin accounts; trading permitted only via 10b5‑1 plans or post-earnings “windows,” subject to pre-clearance and absence of MNPI. |
Governance Assessment
- Board effectiveness signals: Appointment adds a seasoned ex-CEO/CFO with global regulatory and finance experience; his committee placements (Audit, FIRMCo) match skillset and strengthen risk and financial oversight.
- Independence and conflicts: Board affirmatively determined independence; no related-party transactions; strong alignment with HIG’s independence framework.
- Overboarding risk: HIG lowered non-CEO director overboarding threshold in 2024–2025; Bartlett’s two other public boards (Otis, EXL) are within the updated limit.
- Compensation alignment: Standard, market-level director pay (cash + time-vested RSUs) with robust ownership guidelines and trading restrictions supports alignment and mitigates risk-taking.
RED FLAGS
- None disclosed: No related-party transactions; independence affirmed; current board count within HIG policy; hedging/pledging prohibited. Monitoring warranted for cumulative board workload and timely attainment of ownership guideline (5× retainer within 3 years).
Overall, Bartlett’s appointment is a governance-positive signal: complementary expertise on financial reporting, capital allocation, and enterprise risk; independence confirmed; and director pay/ownership policies that align with investor interests.