Brent Rosenthal
About Brent D. Rosenthal
Independent director at Horizon Kinetics Holding Corporation (HKHC) and Audit Committee Chair. Age 53. Founder of Mountain Hawk Capital Partners; inactive CPA. Education: B.S., Lehigh University; MBA, Cornell University (S.C. Johnson). Biography highlights include prior roles in M&A and investment management and multiple public company directorships. He served on the board during 2024 (100% attendance) and is nominated for election at the 2025 annual meeting .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| W.R. Huff Asset Management (affiliates) | Partner | 2002–2016 | Advised boards of Virgin Media and Time Warner Cable |
| RSL Communications Ltd. | Director of M&A | — | Corporate development/M&A |
| Deloitte & Touche LLP | Auditor/served emerging media companies | — | Audit, financial reporting exposure |
| Virgin Media; Time Warner Cable | Advisor to boards/executive management | — | Financial analysis, operational improvement, strategy |
External Roles
| Company | Role | Tenure/Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Syntec Optics Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: OPTX) | Director | Current; Director since 2023 | Capital markets/M&A expertise cited by company |
| Comscore, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCOR) | Director; Non‑Executive Chair/Lead Director (prior) | Former | Governance/board leadership experience |
| Rentrak Corporation (NASDAQ: RENT) | Director; Non‑Executive Chair (prior) | Former | Board leadership |
| FLYHT Aerospace Solutions Ltd (OTCQX: FLYLF) | Director (prior) | Former | Aerospace data/aviation telematics exposure |
| RiceBran Technologies (OTCPK: RIBT) | Director (prior) | Former | Specialty ingredients exposure |
| SITO Mobile (NASDAQ: SITO) | Director (prior) | Former | Mobile marketing exposure |
| Park City Group (ReposiTrak) (NASDAQ: PCYG) | Advisor to Board (prior) | Former | Retail/food traceability |
Board Governance
- Independence and expertise:
- The Board determined all Audit, Compensation, and Nominating & Corporate Governance committee members are independent; Rosenthal is designated an “audit committee financial expert” .
- Committee assignments: Audit (Chair), Compensation (Member), Nominating & Corporate Governance (Member) .
- Board leadership: Combined Chair/CEO; Lead Independent Director role held by Daniel J. Roller .
| Body | 2024 Meetings | Attendance |
|---|---|---|
| Board of Directors | 2 | All director nominees who served in 2024 attended all meetings |
| Audit Committee | 2 | All board members in attendance for Audit Committee sessions |
| Compensation Committee | 2 | All board members in attendance |
| Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee | 1 | All board members in attendance |
Fixed Compensation
| Element | 2024 Amount | 2025/Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Non‑management director annual retainer (cash; inclusive of committees) | $50,000 fees earned by Rosenthal (partial year) | $100,000 per year, paid quarterly; inclusive of all committee service |
| Equity awards to directors | None disclosed for 2024 | Not part of director pay policy (cash-only retainer) |
Performance Compensation
| Component | 2024 | Performance Metrics |
|---|---|---|
| Stock awards (RSUs/PSUs) | None disclosed for directors | N/A |
| Option awards | None disclosed for directors | N/A |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Relationship to HKHC | Interlock/Conflict Consideration |
|---|---|---|
| Syntec Optics Holdings (OPTX) | Unrelated industry (optics/photonics manufacturing) | No HKHC customer/supplier interlock disclosed |
| Prior boards (SCOR, RENT, FLYLF, RIBT, SITO) | Historical roles | No HKHC related‑party linkage disclosed |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Capital markets/M&A and financing across public/private equity and debt .
- Financial analysis and operational improvement, with advisory roles at Virgin Media and Time Warner Cable .
- Inactive Certified Public Accountant; designated Audit Committee financial expert at HKHC .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Shares Beneficially Owned | % of Outstanding |
|---|---|---|
| Brent D. Rosenthal | 400 | <1% |
Notes:
- Security ownership table indicates Rosenthal’s beneficial ownership is 400 shares; percentage less than 1% .
- No pledging/hedging disclosure specific to directors; company maintains an insider trading policy .
Related‑Party Exposure and Controls
- HKHC discloses related‑party relationships (e.g., FRMO revenue share and ownership; services/guarantees with CMSC/Winland; fee waivers for certain affiliates and employees) .
- Oversight: Related‑party transactions require approval by a majority of unaffiliated directors; Audit Committee (chaired by Rosenthal) pre‑approves and monitors such transactions under written Conflict of Interest Policy .
Governance Assessment
- Strengths:
- Independent director; Audit Chair with “financial expert” designation; 100% attendance and active committee workload support board effectiveness .
- Clear related‑party review framework and unaffiliated director approval standard; Audit Committee oversight formalized .
- Watch items:
- Director compensation is cash‑only (no equity), which limits equity alignment relative to common peer practice; Rosenthal’s reported HKHC ownership is modest at 400 shares .
- Company maintains multiple related‑party relationships (FRMO/CMSC/affiliates); continued robust recusal and unaffiliated approval practices remain important for investor confidence .
All information above is sourced from HKHC’s 2025 DEF 14A and referenced company filings as cited.