Gary Yablon
Hub GroupAbout Gary Yablon
Gary Yablon, age 62, is an independent director of Hub Group since May 2022 and serves as Chair of the Audit Committee; the Board has designated him an “audit committee financial expert.” He previously was Senior Managing Director at 22V Advisors (2022–2025), Managing Partner at Impala Asset Management (2004–2022), and earlier held senior sell-side research roles at Credit Suisse First Boston, Schroder Wertheim, and Oppenheimer. He holds a B.A. in Political Science from Emory University and an MBA from New York University, and was recognized by Institutional Investor as the No. 1 transportation analyst across multiple sectors for eight consecutive years, entering the Institutional Investor Hall of Fame in 2010 .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22V Advisors | Senior Managing Director | 2022–2025 | Advised family offices on public/private investing; logistics/transportation focus |
| Impala Asset Management | Managing Partner | 2004–2022 | Led investment research/portfolio mgmt. in global transportation/industrials/logistics |
| Credit Suisse First Boston | Managing Director, Equity Research (Freight & Logistics) | Not disclosed | Led all freight transportation/logistics equity research coverage |
| Schroder Wertheim | Managing Director, Equity Research (Transportation) | Not disclosed | Oversaw transportation-related equity research |
| Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. | Equity Research | Not disclosed | Transportation-focused research roles |
External Roles
| Institution | Recognition/Role | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Institutional Investor Magazine | No. 1 sector analyst across Railroads/Trucking/Airfreight/Ground Transportation (eight years) | Not disclosed | Earned Hall of Fame induction in 2010 |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Audit (Chair), Compensation, and Nominating & Governance; Audit Committee responsibilities include oversight of financial reporting, internal controls, environmental, litigation, cybersecurity (including AI), and periodic comprehensive risk review .
- Audit committee financial expert: Yablon (with Flannery and McNitt) designated per SEC rules; Audit Committee fully independent .
- Independence: The Board determined Yablon is independent under Nasdaq listing standards; only David P. Yeager and Phillip D. Yeager are non-independent .
- Attendance and engagement: In 2024 the Board met 5 times; Audit 8; Compensation 2; Nominating & Governance 1; each director attended at least 75% of Board/committee meetings; directors accessed the 2024 virtual annual meeting .
- Lead Independent Director and executive sessions: Peter B. McNitt is Lead Independent Director; non-management directors meet in executive session, typically with Board meetings .
Fixed Compensation
| Element | 2024 Amount | Structure/Terms |
|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer | $100,000 | Payable quarterly; Yablon elected to defer 50% via nonqualified deferred compensation plan |
| Equity (restricted stock) | $200,089 | Restricted Class A shares; targeted grant value; vests after one year |
| Total | $300,089 | Cash + equity; market-based design approved by Board/Comp Committee with consultant input |
- Director stock ownership guidelines: Minimum holding equal to 3x annual cash retainer within 5 years; directors must retain at least 25% of shares granted until target met; all directors were in compliance as of Dec 31, 2024 .
Performance Compensation
- No director performance-based pay disclosed: Non-employee director compensation comprises a fixed cash retainer plus one-year vesting restricted stock; no options or performance metrics for directors are reported .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Role | Type | Interlock/Conflict Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hub Group, Inc. | Director; Audit Chair | Public | Independent; no related-party ties disclosed |
| Other public boards | Not listed | — | Proxy biography does not list other current public company directorships for Yablon |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Board Skills Matrix credits Yablon with three skills including financial expertise, alongside industry experience and corporate strategy .
- Deep sector expertise across global transportation/logistics and investor relations; strengthens oversight of strategy and performance as Audit Chair .
- Designated audit committee financial expert under SEC rules .
Equity Ownership
| Class | Shares Beneficially Owned | % Outstanding | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class A | 28,212 | <1% | As of March 17, 2025; sole voting/investment power unless noted |
| Class B | 0 | 0% | Controlled entirely by Yeager family |
- Hedging/pledging policy: Board members and executive officers are prohibited from hedging and pledging Hub Group securities, per Insider Trading Policy .
- Ownership guidelines: Directors must maintain ≥3x cash retainer; all directors compliant as of Dec 31, 2024 .
Insider Trades (Form 4)
| Date (Filing) | Trade Date | Type | Shares | Price | Vesting/Notes | Holdings After |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-01-07 | 2025-01-03 | Grant (restricted stock) | 4,528 | $0 | Restricted stock award vests in one year | 28,212 |
| 2024-01-04 | 2024-01-02 | Grant (restricted stock) | 2,193 | $0 | Restricted stock award vests in one year | 11,842 |
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent director; Audit Chair and SEC-designated financial expert; majority-independent Board with fully independent committees; regular executive sessions; clear risk oversight including cybersecurity/AI; strong director ownership guidelines; hedging/pledging prohibited .
- Compensation alignment: Director pay mix is simple (cash retainer + one-year RS), aligning with shareholders via equity and ownership guidelines; Yablon defers 50% of fees, further aligning long-term focus .
- Watchpoints: Hub Group is a “controlled company” with Yeager family controlling ~61.7% voting power via Class B; while Board maintains independence beyond Nasdaq requirements, control can limit outside shareholder influence .
- Conflicts/related parties: Related-party transactions disclosed involve Yeager family members and a director’s son (Slark); no related-party items naming Yablon were disclosed, and the policy requires Audit Committee review/approval with recusals as appropriate .