Elisha Finney
About Elisha W. Finney
Elisha W. Finney, 63, is an independent director of ICU Medical (ICUI) since January 2016. She is Chair of the Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee and a member of the Audit Committee, where she is designated an “audit committee financial expert.” Finney is retired; she served as CFO of Varian Medical Systems and previously held finance roles at Fox Group and Beatrice Foods. Her board tenure emphasizes financial expertise and governance leadership .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Varian Medical Systems | CFO (1999), SVP (2005), EVP (2012); led Finance & Corporate IS | Joined 1988; 29 years with Varian | Managed ~400 staff; led accounting, IR, audit, risk, tax, treasury, IT |
| Fox Group (Foster City, CA) | Finance roles | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Beatrice Foods (Chicago, IL) | Finance roles | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mettler Toledo | Director | Since Nov 2017 | Multinational scales and analytical instruments |
| Viatris | Director | Since Dec 2022 | Global pharma and healthcare |
| NanoString Technologies | Director | May 2017 – Jun 2024 | Prior board service |
| Laserscope | Director | Aug 2005 – Jul 2006 (sold to AMS) | Prior board service |
| Thoratec | Director | Jul 2007 – May 2013 | Mechanical circulatory support devices |
| Altera | Director | Sep 2011 – Dec 2015 (sold to Intel) | Semiconductor (PLDs) |
| Cutera | Director | Nov 2017 – May 2019 | Aesthetic systems |
| iRobot | Director | Jan 2017 – Nov 2021 | Robotics |
Board Governance
- Committee roles: Chair, Nominating/Corporate Governance; Member, Audit; Independent director per Nasdaq rules .
- Audit Committee designation: Audit committee financial expert (SEC/Nasdaq definition) .
- Attendance: Board met 6x; Nominating 2x; Audit 5x; all directors attended >75% of combined Board/committee meetings in 2024 .
- Board leadership: CEO serves as Chair; a Lead Independent Director (David C. Greenberg) is in place with a formal charter, and independent directors hold executive sessions .
- Board diversity: 7 directors; 3 female; 2 racially/ethnically diverse (context for governance quality) .
Fixed Compensation (Director)
| Component | 2024 Amount | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Cash retainer | $85,000 | Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee Chair retainer |
| Equity (RSUs) | $180,019 | 1,723 RSUs granted 5/15/2024; vest on earlier of 1-year or next annual meeting |
| Total | $265,019 | Cash + RSUs reported in 2024 Director Compensation |
Performance Compensation (Director)
| Performance-based elements | Disclosed? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual bonus tied to metrics | No | Non-employee directors receive cash retainers and time-based RSUs; no performance metrics disclosed for director pay |
| PSU/PRSU awards | No | Director grants are time-based RSUs; PSUs not disclosed for directors |
Signals: Director pay structure aligns with governance best practices (time-based RSUs plus role-based retainers), without variable pay that could impair independence .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Potential Interlock | Nature | Conflict Risk |
|---|---|---|
| Mettler Toledo, Viatris | External public boards | No related party transactions disclosed for 2024; independence affirmed. No disclosed dealings with ICUI suppliers/customers linked to Finney . |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Financial leadership: Former Varian CFO; led accounting, IR, internal audit, risk management, tax, treasury, and corporate IS; managed ~400 staff .
- Audit competence: Audit committee member; designated financial expert .
- Industry depth: Extensive medical devices and healthcare experience across multiple public boards .
- Independence: Board determined her independent status per Nasdaq rules .
Equity Ownership
| Metric | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Shares owned | 2,129 | As of March 20, 2025 |
| Shares acquirable (≤60 days) | 11,192 | Options/RSUs exercisable/vesting within 60 days |
| Total beneficial ownership | 13,321 | <1% of outstanding shares |
| Director options held | 9,469 | Outstanding as of 12/31/2024 |
| 2024 RSUs outstanding | 1,723 | Granted 5/15/2024 |
| Ownership guidelines | 3× annual base retainer within 5 years | Applies to all non-employee directors; method includes vested RSUs and certain indirect holdings |
| Hedging/pledging | Prohibited | Insider trading policy bans hedging and pledging for directors |
Governance Assessment
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Strengths:
- Independence with dual governance roles (Nominating Chair; Audit member) and audit financial expert designation—supports board effectiveness and financial oversight .
- Attendance compliance and active committee work; board structure includes Lead Independent Director and executive sessions—mitigates combined CEO/Chair risk .
- Clean conflicts profile: No related-party transactions in 2024; compensation consultant independence affirmed; no family relationships disclosed .
- Alignment mechanisms: Director stock ownership guidelines; hedging/pledging prohibitions; clawback policy for executives enhance overall governance tone .
- Investor confidence signal: 96% say-on-pay support at 2024 meeting (reflects broader governance/compensation credibility) .
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Watch items:
- Multiple external boards (Mettler Toledo, Viatris) create time-commitment considerations; continue to monitor meeting attendance and engagement—current >75% threshold met .
- Combined CEO/Chair structure persists; reliance on Lead Independent Director and robust committee leadership is essential; Finney’s Nominating Chair role is a positive counterbalance .
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RED FLAGS: None disclosed specific to Finney—no related-party transactions, hedging/pledging prohibited, and independence affirmed .