Richard Kuntz
IdentivAbout Richard E. Kuntz, M.D.
Richard E. Kuntz, M.D., age 68, has served as an independent director of Identiv, Inc. since October 2022. He is the former Senior Vice President and Chief Medical and Scientific Officer of Medtronic (2009–2022) and previously led Medtronic Neuromodulation; earlier, he founded the Harvard Clinical Research Institute and was Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and an interventional cardiologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Dr. Kuntz holds a B.A. from Miami University, an M.D. from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, and an M.S. in biostatistics from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medtronic, Inc./plc | SVP, Chief Medical & Scientific Officer | 2009–2022 | Led global clinical/science strategy; senior executive experience |
| Medtronic Neuromodulation | SVP & President | 2005–2009 | Business leadership in neuro tech |
| Harvard Clinical Research Institute | Founder & Chief Scientific Officer | Prior to Medtronic | Established clinical research infrastructure |
| Harvard Medical School | Associate Professor of Medicine | Prior to Medtronic | Academic leadership |
| Brigham & Women’s Hospital | Interventional Cardiologist | Prior to Medtronic | Clinical practice |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| ZimVie Inc. (Nasdaq: ZIMV) | Director | Since Mar 2022 | Public medical technology company |
| DiaMedica Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: DMAC) | Director | Since May 2023 | Public biopharma |
| Bactiguard Holding AB | Director | Since Oct 2022 | Public medical technology (Sweden) |
| Rockley Photonics Holdings Ltd | Director (private) | Since Aug 2022 | Digital health monitoring |
| Cognito Therapeutics Inc. | Director (private) | Since Oct 2022 | Medical technology manufacturing |
| Endospan Ltd. | Director (private) | Since Jan 2024 | Medical technology |
Board Governance
- Independence: The Board affirmatively determined all directors other than the CEO are independent under Nasdaq/SEC rules; Dr. Kuntz is independent .
- Committees: Compensation Committee member (chair: Laura Angelini); Nominating Committee member and chair (Dr. Kuntz); Audit Committee (Angelini, Kremen, Ousley; chair: Ousley) .
- Attendance: Board held 10 meetings in 2024; each director attended at least 75% of Board and applicable committee meetings .
- Leadership: Chair and CEO roles are separated (Chair: James E. Ousley). Lead Independent Director is elected only when Chair and CEO roles are combined; not applicable currently .
- Executive sessions: Independent directors meet in executive session as needed; the Chair presides .
- Declassification: Stockholders approved declassification; directors will stand for annual elections by 2026, enhancing accountability .
- Hedging policy: The company does not prohibit hedging (potential alignment concern) .
- Related-party oversight: Related transactions are reviewed by independent directors/committees; policy embedded in Code of Conduct and Governance Guidelines .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Structure/Amount | 2024 Amount (Kuntz) |
|---|---|---|
| Annual retainer | $125,000 per board year (Chair/Lead Independent Director: $175,000) | Included in fees earned (see right) |
| Committee membership fee | $5,000 per committee per board year | Included in fees earned |
| Committee chair fee | Audit chair: $20,000; Compensation/Nominating chair: $10,000 each | Included in fees earned |
| Cash/equity mix | Directors elect to receive 50% of annual retainer in RSUs; 50% cash quarterly | Elected structure applies |
| 2024 fees earned (cash) | Total cash fees earned in 2024 | $65,000 |
Performance Compensation
| Metric | Incentive Link | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Performance-conditioned director pay | RSUs granted for director service; time-based vesting monthly (1/12 beginning 6/1/2024); settlement deferred 3 years or separation; no director performance metrics disclosed | Not applicable; no performance metrics for director awards |
Director Compensation – Grants
| Type | Grant Date | Shares/Units | Grant-Date Fair Value | Vesting/Settlement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RSUs (director service) | Board year starting 6/1/2024 | Notional; based on retainer elections | Included in “Stock Awards”: $65,769 for Kuntz (2024) | 1/12 monthly vest; settlement at earlier of 3 years from initial vesting start or separation |
| Options | — | — | — | No new option awards to Kuntz in 2024 |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Sector Relationship to Identiv | Potential Interlock Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| ZimVie (ZIMV), DiaMedica (DMAC), Bactiguard | Healthcare/medtech/biopharma; Identiv’s growth includes healthcare RFID/BLE-enabled solutions | No related-party transactions disclosed; oversight in place; adjacency could provide industry insights, not a disclosed conflict |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Healthcare/Medical Devices, Regulatory & Compliance, R&D/Innovation: Listed in Board’s skills matrix for Dr. Kuntz; also public company board experience .
- Senior public-company leadership and risk management experience; international operations exposure .
- Academic and biostatistics credentials support data-driven oversight .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Shares Beneficially Owned | % Outstanding | Breakdown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richard E. Kuntz, M.D. | 27,020 | <1% | Includes 3,343 RSUs that vest within 60 days of April 14, 2025; 8,904 and 14,773 fully vested RSUs with settlement deferred to earlier of June 1, 2026/June 1, 2027 or departure |
| Shares pledged as collateral | Not disclosed | — | No pledging disclosure identified |
Insider Filings and Trades
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Section 16(a) compliance (2024) | RSU grants on July 29, 2024 for Dr. Kuntz and three other directors were reported on October 23, 2024 (late Form 4 timing) |
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent director with deep healthcare R&D and regulatory expertise; chairs Nominating Committee and sits on Compensation Committee; consistent attendance; director pay partly in equity (RSUs) supporting alignment .
- Board accountability improving: Declassification approved for annual elections by 2026; director resignation policy for majority-withhold outcomes enhances responsiveness .
- Alignment considerations: Director compensation uses time-based RSUs with deferred settlement, aligning tenure with ownership; no director performance metrics disclosed (standard market practice) .
- Potential red flags: Company lacks anti-hedging policy (could weaken alignment); minor late Section 16 filings for 2024 RSU grants; no director stock ownership guidelines disclosed .
- Say-on-pay context: 2024 advisory vote approved (13.34M for vs. 1.67M against), indicating broadly supportive shareholder sentiment toward compensation governance .