Tom Wiggans
About Tom Wiggans
Tom Wiggans, 73, is the independent, non-employee Chairperson of Jasper Therapeutics’ Board, serving since November 2023. He holds a B.S. in Pharmacy from the University of Kansas and an MBA from Southern Methodist University, and brings >40 years of biopharma leadership including CEO and chair roles at Pardes Biosciences and Dermira, and senior roles at Peplin, Connetics, CytoTherapeutics, Ares‑Serono, and Eli Lilly; he currently serves on Annexon’s board and is a trustee of the University of Kansas Endowment Association .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pardes Biosciences (PRDS) | CEO & Chair | Mar 2022 – Aug 2023 (merged with MediPacific) | Led company through merger |
| Dermira (DERM) | Founder, CEO; Chair | CEO Aug 2010–2020; Chair Apr 2014–2020 (acquired by Eli Lilly 2020) | Built dermatology pipeline; sale to Lilly |
| Peplin | Chair; CEO | Chair Oct 2007; CEO Aug 2008–Nov 2009 (acquired by LEO Pharma) | Led strategic sale |
| Connetics USA | CEO; Chair | CEO from 1994; Chair Jan–Dec 2006 (acquired by Stiefel Dec 2006) | Grew specialty pharma; sale to Stiefel |
| CytoTherapeutics | President & COO | 1992–1994 | Operations leadership |
| Ares‑Serono S.A. | President US Pharma; MD UK Pharma | 1980–1992 | Led US/UK operations |
| Eli Lilly | Early career | N/A | Foundational pharma experience |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annexon (ANNX) | Director | Feb 2017–present | Current public company directorship |
| University of Kansas Endowment Association | Trustee | Current | Non-profit governance |
| Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) | Board member (prior) | Prior years | Instrumental in formation, long-time director |
| Prior public boards (selected) | Director/Chair | Various | Cymabay (until Mar 2024), Onyx (until Oct 2013), Sangamo (2008–2012), Somaxon (2008–2012), Forma (2020–2022), Excaliard Chair (2010–2011; sold to Pfizer) |
Board Governance
- Role: Non-employee Chairperson with authority to call/preside over meetings, set agendas, and determine materials; CEO and Chair roles are separated to enhance accountability and independent oversight .
- Independence: Board determined Wiggans is independent under Nasdaq and SEC rules .
- Committee assignments: Not listed as a member of Audit, Compensation, Nominating & Corporate Governance, or Research & Development Committees in the director roster (committee markers absent next to his name) .
- Executive sessions: Independent directors generally meet in executive session after each regular Board meeting .
- Attendance: In 2024, the Board held six meetings and each director attended at least 75% of Board and applicable committee meetings (Wiggans met the threshold; exact rate not disclosed) .
- Class/Term: Class II director; current term expires at the 2026 annual meeting .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Board Chair cash retainer (2024) | $70,000 | Earned quarterly; paid in arrears |
| Committee cash retainers (policy) | Audit: Chair $15,000 / Member $7,500; Compensation: Chair $10,000 / Member $5,000; Nominating & Corporate Governance: Chair $8,000 / Member $4,000; R&D: Chair $11,300 / Member $6,300 | Paid quarterly; reimbursed reasonable meeting expenses |
| 2024 Fees Earned (Wiggans) | $70,000 | Non-employee director compensation table |
| 2024 Option Awards (Grant-date fair value) | $161,489 | FASB ASC 718 fair value under the 2024 Plan |
| 2024 Total Director Compensation | $231,489 | Sum of cash and option award fair value |
Performance Compensation
| Equity Award Type | Shares | Vesting | Timing/Eligibility |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual non-employee director stock option grant | 7,500 | 100% vest on first anniversary of grant, subject to continued service | Granted at each annual meeting to continuing non-employee directors (effective Apr 19, 2024 policy) |
| Initial non-employee director stock option grant | 15,000 | 25% vest at 1-year; remaining vest monthly (1/48th) thereafter, subject to continued service | Granted upon appointment (effective Apr 19, 2024 policy) |
| Options outstanding (as of 12/31/2024) – Wiggans | 18,500 | Not broken out between vested/unvested | Aggregate number of shares underlying options |
Anti-hedging/pledging: Directors are prohibited from short sales, option transactions, hedging, margin accounts, and pledging company securities .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Role | Industry Linkage | Potential Conflict/Interlock Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annexon (ANNX) | Director | Neuro/immunology therapeutics | No related-party transactions with Jasper disclosed |
| Prior boards (e.g., Cymabay, Onyx, Sangamo, Somaxon, Forma, Excaliard) | Director/Chair | Biopharma | Historical network across biopharma; no Jasper-related transactions disclosed |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Deep biopharma operating and product development experience, including multiple successful M&A exits (Dermira→Lilly; Peplin→LEO; Connetics→Stiefel; Forma→Novo; Onyx→Amgen; Excaliard→Pfizer) .
- Governance credentials as independent chair; prior service on industry association boards; formal pharmacy and business education .
- Board determined independence under Nasdaq/SEC standards .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Shares Beneficially Owned | % of Class | Shares Outstanding Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tom Wiggans | 16,584 | * (<1%) | 15,022,122 shares outstanding as of April 30, 2025 |
Jasper’s insider trading policy prohibits hedging and pledging; no share pledge by Wiggans is disclosed .
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent, non-employee Chair with clear authorities and separation from CEO enhances oversight; independent directors meet in executive session; Board confirms Wiggans’ independence; attendance threshold met; robust anti-hedging/pledging policy .
- Alignment: Director pay mix includes modest cash retainer and equity via options; Wiggans received $70,000 cash and $161,489 in option fair value in 2024; option-only equity for directors ties value to stock appreciation .
- Ownership: Beneficial ownership is <1% (16,584 shares); options outstanding total 18,500 as of year-end 2024; no ownership guidelines disclosed in proxy .
- Committees: Wiggans is not listed on standing committees, concentrating his role on Board leadership; committee independence and charters are established and posted .
- Conflicts/Related parties: No related-party transactions involving Wiggans disclosed; Board cites one non-independent director due to consulting (Dr. Shizuru), not involving Wiggans .
RED FLAGS: None specifically disclosed for Wiggans (no pledging, no related-party transactions, attendance ≥75%). Watch items include relatively small disclosed ownership and lack of committee participation which places governance influence primarily through chair role rather than committee work .
