Alex Lieblong
HOME BANCSHARESAbout Alex R. Lieblong
Independent director since 2003 (age 74), with over four decades in financial services across brokerage and asset management. He founded Lieblong & Associates (brokerage) in 1997 and has been managing partner of Key Colony Fund, L.P. (hedge fund) since 1998; prior leadership roles at PaineWebber, Merrill Lynch, and E.F. Hutton add deep market and governance experience. He also serves as an Advisory Director to Centennial Bank (subsidiary) since 2002 and is designated independent under NYSE standards; previously chaired the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and currently sits on the Audit & Risk and Nominating & Corporate Governance Committees .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home BancShares, Inc. (HOMB) | Director (independent) | 2003–present | Audit & Risk; Nominating & Corporate Governance; prior Chair of Nominating & Corporate Governance |
| Centennial Bank (subsidiary) | Advisory Director | 2002–present | Advisory role to bank leadership |
| Lieblong & Associates, Inc. | Owner and General Principal (brokerage) | 1997–present | Financial markets and governance expertise |
| Key Colony Fund, L.P. | Managing Partner (hedge fund) | 1998–present | Investment oversight and risk management |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ballard Petroleum (private) | Director | Current | Privately held energy company board service |
| Deltic Timber (public) | Director | 1997–Feb 2007 | Former NYSE-listed company; prior public board experience |
| Lodgian, Inc. (public) | Director | 2006–2010 | Public hotel owner/operator; prior public board experience |
Board Governance
- Independence: Identified by the Board as independent; all members of Audit, Compensation, and Nominating committees are independent .
- Committee assignments: Audit & Risk Committee and Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee; prior chair of Nominating & Corporate Governance .
- Committee meeting cadence: In 2024, Audit met 5x; Compensation 2x; Nominating 1x; Asset/Liability 4x .
- Attendance: Each current Board member attended at least 75% of aggregate Board and committee meetings during 2024; all current Board members attended the 2024 Annual Meeting (non‑employee directors via teleconference) .
- Executive sessions: Independent Vice Chairman presides at executive sessions of independent directors (structural independence safeguard) .
- Audit expertise: Committee deems all members financially literate; audit committee financial experts identified as Jack E. Engelkes and Karen E. Garrett (Lieblong not designated) .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fees earned/paid in cash (2024) | $48,750 | Board and committee fees across holding company/bank/advisory bodies (see fee schedule below) |
| 2024 Director fee schedule | See breakdown below | Quantified fees per meeting/role |
| 2024 Director Fee Schedule | Amount | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer | $14,000 | Non-employee directors and Chairman |
| Board meeting fee | $5,000 per meeting; $7,500 for Chairman | Holding company Board |
| Compensation Committee (January meeting) | $1,500; $3,000 for chair | Compensation Committee |
| Compensation Committee (other meetings) | $1,000; $2,000 for chair | Compensation Committee |
| Audit & Risk Committee | $750; $1,500 for chair | Audit & Risk Committee |
| Asset/Liability Committee | $750 | Asset/Liability Committee |
| Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee | $500; $1,000 for chair | Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee |
Performance Compensation
| Equity Instrument | Grant date | Quantity | Grant-date fair value | Vesting | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Restricted Stock (RS) | Jan 19, 2024 | 3,000 shares | $24.61/share | 33.3% annually in three installments starting Jan 19, 2025 | Annual director grant; dividends accrue prior to vesting |
| Options | N/A | 0 | N/A | N/A | Non-employee directors (incl. Lieblong) held no options as of Dec 31, 2024 |
- No performance-based metrics disclosed for director equity; RS awards vest time‑based with no stated financial performance hurdles for directors .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company/Institution | Type | Overlap/Interlock |
|---|---|---|
| Ballard Petroleum (private) | Energy | Private board role; no disclosed HOMB transactional ties |
| Deltic Timber (public, former) | Forestry/Timber | Historical public board; no current interlock |
| Lodgian, Inc. (public, former) | Hospitality | Historical public board; no current interlock |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Capital markets and brokerage leadership; hedge fund oversight; prior public company board service (Deltic, Lodgian) .
- Committee experience (audit and nominating) underscores governance literacy; Board notes members of audit committee are financially literate; committee includes designated financial experts (not Lieblong) .
- Independent status affirmed; committee independence maintained across key oversight functions .
Equity Ownership
| Beneficial Ownership | Shares | % of Outstanding | Breakdown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alex R. Lieblong | 574,553 | <1% | Includes 6,000 restricted shares and 568,553 in Alex R. Lieblong Revocable Trust |
| Options (exercisable/unexercisable) | 0 | N/A | No options held as of Dec 31, 2024 |
| Shares pledged as collateral | None disclosed for Lieblong | N/A | Pledging disclosed for certain others; not indicated for Lieblong |
Insider Trades and Section 16 Compliance
| Item | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Delinquent Section 16 filings (2024) | None disclosed for Lieblong | Proxy notes late filings for Allison and Davis, not for Lieblong |
Related Party Transactions & Conflicts
- Related-party banking transactions are reviewed/approved (Audit/Nominating/Board) and conducted on market terms; aggregate insider loans of ~$36.3 million outstanding as of Dec 31, 2024, none impaired; largest relationship ~$34.1 million; transactions conformed to Regulation O (no specific disclosure tied to Lieblong) .
- Committee charter assigns review/approval of related-party transactions to Nominating & Corporate Governance (where Lieblong serves), reinforcing conflict oversight .
- Company Insider Trading Policy and derivative trading/hedging restrictions apply to directors, intended to deter abusive trading and hedging misalignment .
Say‑on‑Pay & Shareholder Feedback (context for governance)
- 2024 advisory vote approval on executive compensation: 93.1% support; enhancements implemented include performance‑based CEO equity and clawbacks across incentive programs .
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent status; dual membership on Audit & Risk and Nominating & Corporate Governance committees; consistent attendance; material personal equity stake (574,553 shares) without disclosed pledging; director equity structured as multi‑year RS aligning tenure with shareholder outcomes .
- Potential conflicts: Ongoing roles with brokerage and hedge fund present theoretical conflict vectors; mitigated by committee oversight of related‑party transactions and formal policies on insider trading/derivative hedging; no specific related‑party exposures disclosed for Lieblong .
- Skill coverage: Capital markets and governance expertise contribute to board effectiveness; not designated audit financial expert but serves on audit committee among financially literate members .
- RED FLAGS: None disclosed specific to Lieblong—no pledging, no delinquent filings, no identified related‑party transactions—while continued monitoring is prudent given external financial roles .