Robin Stone Sellers
HOVNANIAN ENTERPRISESAbout Robin Stone Sellers
Independent director of Hovnanian Enterprises (HOV), age 72, serving since 2018 (≈7 years of tenure). Former CEO of Christie’s International Real Estate (2012–2014), with prior leadership in real estate strategy at McKinsey and earlier legal practice in real estate; current HOV board service emphasizes audit, governance, and cybersecurity oversight, and she is deemed independent under NYSE and company rules .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christie’s International Real Estate | Chief Executive Officer | 2012–2014 | Led global sales, marketing strategy, new development projects, and finance groups |
| Crossroads Property Strategies | Chief Executive Officer | 2008–2012 | Real estate consulting firm leadership |
| McKinsey & Company | Partner; Head of Real Estate | 1989–2007 | Advised global real estate/other industries; managed residential marketing/sales businesses |
| NYC Law Firms (two major firms) | Real Estate Attorney | 1978–1989 | Real estate-focused legal practice |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weitzman School of Design (Univ. of Pennsylvania) | Board of Advisors | Current | Advisory role |
| McHarg Center for Urbanism and Ecology (UPenn) | Board of Advisors | Current | Advisory role |
| Forbes Global Properties (private) | Chair of the Board | 2019–2023 | Private real estate marketing firm |
| First Chance (non-profit) | Founder | Current | Pays bail for indigent women in Palm Beach County, FL |
| Other public company boards | — | Not disclosed | Biography and board matrix do not indicate other public directorships |
Board Governance
- Independence: Board determined Ms. Sellers is independent under NYSE rules and the Company’s Restated Certificate of Incorporation; independent slate post-2025 meeting includes Sellers .
- Committees: Member, Audit Committee; Member, Corporate Governance & Nominating Committee; Chair, Cybersecurity Subcommittee (under CG&N) .
- Attendance: 100% attendance at Board and committee meetings in FY2024; Board met 4x, Audit met 12x, CG&N met 4x, Cybersecurity Subcommittee met 3x .
- Board structure: Lead Independent Director (E.A. Kangas) in place; governance guidelines, executive sessions, and hotline reported .
- Control environment: Hovnanian family voting control assures director election outcomes, an important governance context for independent directors’ influence .
Fixed Compensation (Director)
| Component | HOV Program Detail | Ms. Sellers FY2024 ($) |
|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer | $50,000; +$27,500 per committee; +$50,000 for Lead Director; pro-rated if partial year | Included in cash below |
| Meeting fees | $3,000 per regular quarterly Board; $2,000 per additional Board; $5,000 per regular quarterly committee; $2,500 per additional committee | Included in cash below |
| Cash total (fees earned/paid) | — | 174,500 |
| RSU grant (annual) | $75,000 for Board service + $15,000 per committee (grant date value; 2-year post-vesting delivery; 1-year vest) | 104,971 (grant-date fair value) |
| All other comp | $15,000 charitable donation in director’s name | 15,000 |
| Total | — | 294,471 |
Notes: All non-employee director RSUs vest on the first anniversary of grant and are subject to a mandatory two-year post-vesting delayed delivery; accelerated vesting on death, disability, or qualified retirement as defined .
Performance Compensation (Director)
- Directors do not receive performance-based bonuses at HOV; equity is delivered via time-vested RSUs with a mandatory two-year post-vesting delivery delay to promote long-term alignment .
- Annual director RSU sizing: $75,000 for board service plus $15,000 per committee at grant; grants occur on the second Friday in June per fixed calendar to avoid informational timing issues .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Category | Detail |
|---|---|
| Current public company boards | None disclosed for Sellers |
| Prior public company boards | None disclosed for Sellers |
| Private/academic/non-profit | Forbes Global Properties (Chair, 2019–2023); Weitzman School of Design and McHarg Center (Advisory Boards); Founder of First Chance |
| Interlocks/conflicts | No related-party transactions disclosed involving Sellers in FY2024; Company applies a formal Related Person Transaction Policy |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Real estate/home sales leadership (CEO Christie’s IRE; head of real estate at McKinsey) and sales/marketing domain experience .
- Board matrix attributes emphasize enterprise leadership, financial, risk management, human capital, sales & marketing, and corporate governance capabilities for the board overall; Sellers’ biography details underpin these areas .
- Cybersecurity oversight: Chairs the Board’s Cybersecurity Subcommittee under CG&N, signaling active involvement in cyber risk governance .
Equity Ownership
| Holding | Amount | % of Class A | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class A Common Stock (beneficial) | 13,350 | 0.26% | As of Jan 28, 2025 record date |
| Class B Common Stock | — | — | None disclosed |
| Pledged shares | — | — | Company policy prohibits pledging without consent; no pledging by Sellers disclosed |
| Section 16 compliance | — | — | Company believes all directors complied with Section 16 filing requirements in FY2024 |
| Director ownership guideline | 5x annual board retainer ($250,000) within five years; all non-employee directors currently in compliance |
Governance Assessment
- Positives: Independent status; 100% attendance; Audit and CG&N membership; Chair of Cybersecurity Subcommittee; adherence to robust stock ownership guidelines; director equity features (mandatory two-year delayed delivery) support long-term alignment; anti-hedging/pledging policy strengthens alignment; no related-party transactions involving Sellers disclosed .
- Watch items: Company’s dual-class structure and concentrated family voting power assure director election outcomes, which can limit minority shareholder influence—even as independent directors (including Sellers) populate key committees .
- Compensation structure: Director pay is a balanced mix of cash retainers/meeting fees plus RSUs sized by board and committee roles; no performance-contingent elements—consistent with standard governance practice for director independence .