Dustin Plantholt
About Dustin Plantholt
Dustin Plantholt, 41, is Chief AI & Marketing Officer at Health In Tech (HIT), appointed in September 2025 after serving as Chief Growth Officer from March–August 2025; his background spans 20+ years across insurance, emerging technology, and media, including CEO roles at BlockBuzz Inc. and Life’s Tough Media, and editorial leadership at Forbes Monaco . Company performance during his 2025 tenure includes strong revenue growth and higher adjusted EBITDA versus 2024, reflecting accelerating distribution and product expansion; see tables below for quarterly and year-to-date revenue and adjusted EBITDA .
Company performance during Plantholt’s tenure (quarterly)
| Metric | Q3 2024 | Q3 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Total revenues ($USD) | $4,458,921 | $8,490,093 |
| Income before income tax ($USD) | $406,739 | $600,222 |
| Adjusted EBITDA ($USD) | $668,863 | $999,056 |
Company performance during Plantholt’s tenure (nine months YTD)
| Metric | 9M 2024 | 9M 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Total revenues ($USD) | $14,586,342 | $25,818,926 |
| Income before income tax ($USD) | $999,748 | $2,117,913 |
| Adjusted EBITDA ($USD) | $1,805,795 | $3,796,283 |
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| BlockBuzz Inc. | Chief Executive Officer | Nov 2018–present | Strategy, media and partnership advisory; emerging tech focus |
| Life’s Tough Media | Chief Executive Officer | Jul 2019–Jun 2023 | Led media operations and growth initiatives |
| Forbes Monaco | Senior Editor | Sep 2021–Feb 2023 | Editorial leadership in business/tech coverage |
| Optimed Health, Inc. | Executive Vice President | Sep 2017–Nov 2018 | Health benefits leadership and growth execution |
| Evergreen Health, Inc. | Chief Sales & Marketing Officer | Oct 2016–Sep 2017 | Commercial leadership in health insurance |
External Roles
| Event/Organization | Role | Date | Strategic Relevance |
|---|---|---|---|
| World Economic Forum Week 2026, Davos | Moderator, “First Ladies: Backing Women Who Build” | Jan 20, 2026 | Elevates HIT’s brand and ESG-aligned leadership visibility |
| Web Summit Lisbon | Speaker, “Blockchain Rx” with CEO Tim Johnson & Brittany Kaiser | Nov 12, 2025 | Showcases HITChain concept on TON blockchain for claims transparency |
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Detail |
|---|---|
| Employment agreement date | March 17, 2025 |
| Base salary | $280,000 annually |
| Bonus eligibility | Discretionary annual cash bonus based on individual and company performance (same framework as CEO/CFO) |
| Benefits | Eligible for equity incentive plan, health/life/disability insurance, and reimbursement of reasonable pre-approved expenses (same framework as CEO/CFO) |
Note: The 2024 Equity Incentive Plan was amended and approved by shareholders on Oct 3, 2025 to increase the share pool and enable Class B awards/options for executive officers, expanding potential equity participation for executives including Plantholt .
Performance Compensation
| Incentive Type | Metric | Weighting | Target | Actual | Payout | Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RSAs (2024 Plan – service-based) | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Generally 1–2 years; straight-line over service period |
| RSAs (2024 Plan – service + performance-based) | Specified metrics (not disclosed) | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Performance trigger may initiate subsequent 12-month service vesting, monthly installments; expense recognized only if achievement is probable |
| Stock options (2022 Plan) | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | Contractual term generally ~5 years; weighted avg remaining life 2.8 years as of 9/30/2025; weighted avg exercise price $0.76 |
Company-level stock-based comp expense recognized post-IPO (Dec 24, 2024), with 9M 2025 stock-based comp of $1,493,686, indicating meaningful non-cash compensation across executives and staff .
Equity Ownership & Alignment
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Beneficial ownership (as of Sept 8, 2025) | 14,000 shares of Class A; less than 1% of Class A and total voting power; no Class B |
| Shares outstanding context | 44,758,118 Class A outstanding; 1,091,638 restricted stock outstanding; 11,700,000 Class B outstanding |
| Initial Form 3 (Mar 27, 2025) | Reported “No securities are beneficially owned” at time of filing as Chief Growth Officer |
| Pledging/hedging | No pledging or hedging disclosures identified for Plantholt in proxy |
| Ownership guidelines | Not disclosed in proxy for executives; N/A |
Company equity award activity (context)
| Metric | Dec 31, 2024 | Sep 30, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Unvested RSAs (count; wtd avg FV) | 599,670; $0.94 | 1,285,985; $1.30 |
| Options outstanding (count; wtd avg exercise; remaining life; intrinsic) | 2,320,505; $0.76; 3.5 yrs; $10,669,746 | 2,196,947; $0.76; 2.8 yrs; $5,383,368 |
| Vested options (count; wtd avg exercise; remaining life; intrinsic) | — | 1,930,837; $0.77; 2.8 yrs; $4,718,093 |
Implication: Multiple RSAs and options continue vesting into 2026 under service/performance schedules, which can create periodic supply from executive/staff exercises/settlements, though no Form 4 transactions are disclosed for Plantholt in the records reviewed .
Employment Terms
| Provision | Detail |
|---|---|
| Employment term | At-will, per executive agreements framework |
| Non-compete & non-solicit | Invention assignment, confidentiality, non-compete and non-solicit apply during employment and for two years thereafter (Plantholt terms substantially same as CEO’s) |
| Severance | Not specifically disclosed for Plantholt; N/A |
| Change-of-control (equity) | 2024 Plan permits cancellation-for-cash, assumption/substitution, acceleration, purchase at holder’s request, or termination/adjustment of awards at Compensation Committee discretion upon change in control |
| Indemnification | Executive indemnification agreements executed Dec 2024 (advancement and reimbursement to fullest extent under Nevada law) |
Investment Implications
- Alignment and retention: Plantholt’s base salary is modest versus CEO/CFO, and his current disclosed equity ownership is small (14,000 Class A shares, <1% voting power), suggesting limited direct “skin in the game” but ongoing eligibility for RSAs/options under the expanded 2024 Plan could increase alignment over time .
- Potential selling pressure windows: Company-wide RSAs and options vest into 2026 with service/performance triggers; options carry a low exercise price (~$0.76) and significant intrinsic value at reporting dates, which can add periodic supply as awards settle/exercise; no specific Form 4 activity by Plantholt found in reviewed filings .
- Change-of-control economics: Equity awards may accelerate or be cashed out at the Committee’s discretion in a transaction, benefiting executives but potentially increasing dilution/cash outflows; the addition of Class B awards for executive officers concentrates potential voting power if granted, a governance consideration for investors .
- Execution track record: External-facing AI and blockchain initiatives (Web Summit HITChain panel; Davos programming) reinforce Plantholt’s role in strategic positioning; revenue and adjusted EBITDA expansion through Q3 2025 supports growth narrative during his tenure, though gross margin compression indicates scaling costs in new channels .