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Michael Purcell

Lead Independent Director at International Money Express
Board

About Michael Purcell

Independent director (Lead Independent Director since September 24, 2020), age 68, on IMXI’s board since 2018. Purcell is a CPA with 36+ years at Deloitte as audit partner and Philadelphia office leader for middle-market/growth enterprise services; retired in 2015. He holds a BS from Lehigh University and an MBA from Drexel University, and has extensive board experience including audit committee leadership; IMXI’s board designates him as a financial expert and independent under Nasdaq rules .

Past Roles

OrganizationRoleTenureCommittees/Impact
Deloitte & Touche LLPAudit Partner; Philadelphia office leader for middle-market & growth enterprise services>36 years; retired 2015Led audit engagements; accounting and finance expertise
Tabula Rasa HealthCare, Inc. (NASDAQ: TRHC)Chairman, Director, Audit Committee Chair2018–2023Oversight of financial reporting and audit; governance leadership

External Roles

OrganizationRoleTenureCommittees/Impact
Hepion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: HEPA)DirectorCurrentBoard oversight
CFG BankDirector; Audit Committee memberCurrentAudit oversight
Hyperion BankDirector; Audit Committee memberCurrentAudit oversight
Various for‑profit and non‑profit entitiesDirectorCurrent/PriorGovernance advisory

Board Governance

  • Independence: Board determined Purcell is independent; he serves as Lead Independent Director with responsibilities over agendas, information flow, executive sessions, and calling meetings .
  • Committee assignments: Audit Committee Chair; Compensation Committee member (Chair until June 23, 2024); Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee member; Strategic Alternatives Committee Chair (formed in 2024) .
  • Attendance: Board held 10 meetings in 2024 (plus 4 unanimous written consents); directors attended 98% of aggregate Board and committee meetings; all directors attended the 2024 annual meeting .
  • Audit Committee: All members independent; Purcell is Chair and designated audit committee financial expert; committee met 5 times and oversees financial reporting, internal controls, cybersecurity risk, and related‑party transaction approvals .

Fixed Compensation

ComponentJan 1–Jul 25, 2024Jul 26–Dec 31, 2024Notes
Annual Cash Retainer (all independent directors)$60,000 $65,000 Paid in cash
Annual Equity (all independent directors)$145,000 (equity award) $150,000 (equity award) Vests on 1‑year anniversary or day before next annual meeting
Lead Independent Director cash$50,000 $50,000 Quarterly restricted stock vesting
Lead Independent Director equity$50,000 $50,000 Quarterly restricted stock vesting
Audit Chair cash$12,500 $12,500 Quarterly restricted stock vesting
Audit Chair equity$12,500 $12,500 Quarterly restricted stock vesting
Comp Committee member cash$10,000 $10,000 Non‑chair member fee
Nominating Committee member cash$8,000 $8,000 Non‑chair member fee
DirectorFees Earned (Cash)Stock Awards (Grant‑date FV)Total
Michael Purcell (2024)$178,000 $212,500 $390,500

Performance Compensation

Equity TypeGrant MechanicsVesting2024 Holding Snapshot
Annual equity grant (non‑employee directors)Equity under 2020 Omnibus PlanOne‑year vest or day before next annual meeting; quarterly vesting for certain chair/lead roles Each independent director held 7,336 unvested RSUs at 12/31/2024, vesting June 19, 2025
Plan governanceNo repricing; director total comp cap $750,000/year; dividends not paid on unvested awards; anti‑liberal share recycling Standard plan limits and governance apply Applies to director awards

No director performance metrics (e.g., TSR, EBITDA) are disclosed for director equity; grants are time‑based under the A&R 2020 Plan governance features .

Other Directorships & Interlocks

  • Current public company: Hepion Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: HEPA) .
  • Prior public company: Tabula Rasa HealthCare (NASDAQ: TRHC) – Chair and Audit Chair (2018–2023) .
  • Banking boards: CFG Bank and Hyperion Bank (audit committee member at both) .
  • Interlocks/conflicts: Company reports no compensation committee interlocks or insider participation issues; members (including Purcell) were not officers and had no related‑party relationships requiring disclosure under SEC rules .

Expertise & Qualifications

  • CPA; AICPA member; former President, Philadelphia Chapter of Pennsylvania Institute of CPAs .
  • Audit committee financial expert; financial literacy; corporate governance and risk oversight expertise per board skills matrix and committee designations .
  • Education: BS (Lehigh University); MBA (Drexel University) .
  • Cybersecurity oversight: Audit Committee charter explicitly includes cybersecurity/program oversight; board maintains a cybersecurity expert among directors .

Equity Ownership

ItemAmount
Total beneficial ownership65,919 shares; <1% of outstanding
RSUs deliverable within 60 days of record date (included)7,336 shares
Additional RSUs deliverable within 30 days (excluded)1,223 shares
Ownership guidelinesNon‑management directors: 5x annual base retainer; all directors in compliance as of 12/31/2024
Anti‑hedging/pledgingProhibited (short sales, options/derivatives, hedging, pledging, margin accounts)

Governance Assessment

  • Committee leadership and independence: Purcell is Lead Independent Director and Audit Chair; he chaired the 2024 Strategic Alternatives Committee during IMXI’s assessment of strategic options, signaling high engagement on value‑creation and oversight .
  • Attendance and engagement: IMXI directors achieved 98% attendance in 2024; Purcell participated in leadership roles across committees, indicating strong engagement .
  • Compensation alignment: Director pay mix combines cash retainers for roles with time‑based equity; total director comp cap ($750k) and no dividend on unvested awards reinforce pay governance discipline. Purcell’s 2024 compensation totaled $390,500 with significant equity component ($212,500) aligning incentives with shareholders .
  • Shareholder signals: In the June 21, 2024 annual meeting, Purcell’s director election received 17,074,842 “For” and 7,647,717 “Withhold” versus peers with higher “For” votes; say‑on‑pay passed with 24,113,434 “For,” 602,528 “Withhold,” 6,597 “Abstain,” indicating broad support for executive pay but comparatively elevated dissent for Purcell’s re‑election (potential engagement focus) .
  • Related‑party exposure: Company disclosed related‑party buybacks from CEO Robert Lisy and LAIH (owned by director John Rincon); no related‑party transactions involving Purcell were reported .
  • Compliance: No Section 16 filing delinquencies were noted for Purcell; anti‑hedging/pledging and stock ownership guidelines enforced, with all directors compliant as of year‑end 2024 .

Fixed Compensation (Detail)

Pay ElementAmountBasis
Annual director cash retainer$60,000 (H1 2024); $65,000 (H2 2024) Role‑based
Annual director equity grant$145,000 (H1 2024); $150,000 (H2 2024) Time‑based vesting
Lead Independent cash + equity$50,000 cash; $50,000 equity (per period) Quarterly restricted stock vesting
Audit Chair cash + equity$12,500 cash; $12,500 equity (per period) Quarterly restricted stock vesting
Committee member fees$10,000 (Comp); $8,000 (Nominating) Non‑chair roles

Performance Compensation (Director Equity Mechanics)

FeatureDescription
VestingAnnual RSUs vest on 1‑year anniversary or day before next annual meeting; chair/lead quarterly awards vest quarterly
Cap & governanceDirector total compensation capped at $750,000; no option/SAR repricing; dividends not paid until vesting; strict share counting
2024 RSU holdingsPurcell (and all independent directors) held 7,336 unvested RSUs at 12/31/2024 vesting June 19, 2025

Other Signals and Shareholder Votes

Proposal (June 21, 2024)ForWithhold/AgainstAbstainBroker Non‑Votes
Elect Michael Purcell (Class III)17,074,842 7,647,717 2,728,017
Elect Robert Lisy (Class III)23,030,625 1,691,934 2,728,017
Elect Adam Godfrey (Class III)23,155,070 1,567,489 2,728,017
Ratify auditor (BDO USA, P.C.)27,372,546 73,638 4,392 0
Say‑on‑Pay (NEOs)24,113,434 602,528 6,597 2,728,017

RED FLAGS

  • Elevated “Withhold” votes on Purcell’s 2024 re‑election versus peers may signal investor concerns or desire for governance changes; merits targeted investor outreach .
  • Related‑party transactions elsewhere on the board (Lisy and LAIH/Rincon) indicate sensitivity to conflict oversight; Audit Committee (chaired by Purcell) reviews and approves such transactions under policy—ongoing rigor is important .

Policy & Controls

  • Anti‑hedging and anti‑pledging prohibitions apply to directors; no hedging/derivative trades, pledging, or margin accounts permitted .
  • Stock Ownership & Retention Policy: Directors must maintain 5x base retainer; compliance confirmed as of 12/31/2024 .
  • Clawback: Company‑wide compensation recovery policy adopted (2023) for incentive compensation tied to financial reporting; plan‑level clawback provisions apply to awards .

Summary Implications

  • Governance strength: Purcell’s financial expertise and leadership roles (Lead Independent; Audit Chair; Strategic Alternatives Chair) bolster board effectiveness in oversight of financial reporting, risk (including cybersecurity), and strategic review .
  • Investor engagement: The 2024 vote outcome suggests stakeholders may seek more clarity on board actions and independence; proactive engagement and clear disclosure from the Lead Independent Director could reinforce confidence .
  • Alignment: Director equity and ownership guidelines ensure meaningful “skin in the game” without hedging/pledging, supporting alignment with long‑term value creation .