Eric Schwartzman
About Eric Schwartzman
Independent director since 2025; age 54. Former Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Now Optics Holdings, LLC; previously CFO of TPS Group Holdings, LLC and Vice President, Strategy, Finance & Supply Chain Performance Management at Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. He holds a B.S. in Business Administration (1993) and an MBA (1994) from Washington University in St. Louis, and is designated by the Board as an “audit committee financial expert.”
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Now Optics Holdings, LLC | Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer | 2023 (principal occupation listed as “Former” in proxy) | Senior financial leadership at a technology-enabled omni-channel retailer with ~300 locations; audit committee financial expertise credentials supported by this role |
| TPS Group Holdings, LLC | Chief Financial Officer | 2021–2023 | CFO of multi-location, omni-channel gift retailer; retail finance and operations experience |
| Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. | Vice President, Strategy, Finance & Supply Chain Performance Management (various roles since 2003) | 2012–2020 (at BBBY since 2003) | Deep retail finance and supply chain performance expertise; prior BBBY experience may inform Kirkland’s transformation focus |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| None disclosed | — | — | No current public company directorships disclosed in proxy |
Board Governance
- Appointment and tenure: Appointed June 24, 2025; elected at July 24, 2025 annual meeting with 11,839,184 votes “For,” 61,853 “Against,” 22,592 “Abstain,” and 4,120,142 broker non-votes .
- Independence: Board affirmatively determined Schwartzman is independent under Nasdaq rules; Board and all standing committees are chaired by and comprised of independent directors; Tamara R. Ward appointed Chair of the Board effective June 24, 2025 .
- Committee assignments: Audit Committee Chair as of June 24, 2025; committee members are Schwartzman (Chair), Tamara R. Ward, and Neely J. Tamminga; Compensation Committee (Tamminga Chair; Ward); Governance & Nominating Committee (Ward Chair; Tamminga) .
- Expertise: Board determined Schwartzman (and prior chair) is an “audit committee financial expert” under SEC rules .
- Majority voting policy: Incumbent directors failing to receive required votes must tender resignation for Governance & Nominating Committee consideration; decision disclosed within 90 days .
- Board refresh/declassification: Board declassified by shareholder vote; all directors elected annually beginning 2025 .
- Attendance context: In fiscal 2024, Board held five regular meetings; all directors (then serving) attended at least 75% of Board and committee meetings; current members attended the 2024 annual meeting .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer (non-employee director) | $55,000 | Standard director cash retainer |
| Audit Committee Chair retainer | $20,000 | Chair retainer (audit committee members receive $10,000; chair $20,000) |
| Other committee fees | N/A | Schwartzman serves only on Audit Committee as Chair |
| Chair of the Board premium | N/A | Applies to Board Chair (+$55,000); Schwartzman is not Chair |
Performance Compensation
| Grant Type | Grant Value | Vesting | Terms/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| RSUs (Annual Meeting 2025) | Approximately $42,000 fair value | RSUs vest one year from grant date | Each non-employee director receives RSUs at Annual Meeting; cash substitution possible at change in control if no qualifying replacement award; unvested RSUs fully vest upon change in control absent qualifying replacement award |
| Options/PSUs | Not disclosed for directors | — | No option/PSU grants disclosed for non-employee directors in 2025 proxy |
Performance metrics tied to director compensation
- None. Director equity grants are time-based RSUs; no revenue/EBITDA/TSR metrics apply to non-employee director awards .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Role | Interlock/Relation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beyond, Inc. | Significant shareholder (49.8% beneficial ownership) | Nominating rights placed Tamara R. Ward and Steven C. Woodward on Board (per A&R Investor Rights Agreement) | Highlights influence of a major shareholder; Schwartzman was not nominated by Beyond |
| Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. | Prior employer (not a directorship) | Indirect industry overlap | Prior BBBY leadership experience; no related-party transaction disclosed |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Audit committee financial expert; deep experience in retail finance, strategy, and supply chain performance .
- Education: B.S. and MBA from Washington University in St. Louis (1993, 1994) .
- Industry experience: 30+ years in retail finance and management; omni-channel retail expertise .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Shares Beneficially Owned | Percent of Class |
|---|---|---|
| Eric L. Schwartzman | — (none reported as of May 22, 2025) | Less than 1% |
| Beyond, Inc. | 13,402,880 (incl. 4,468,415 issuable on term loan conversion) | 49.8% |
Insider trades
- Filed Form 4 on September 25, 2025 (Statement of Changes in Beneficial Ownership). Filing appears as an “Award” entry on the company’s SEC filings page; specific units not disclosed in our source links .
Governance Assessment
-
Strengths:
- Independent director serving as Audit Committee Chair; designated audit committee financial expert—supports financial oversight quality .
- Strong shareholder support in 2025 election; majority voting framework enhances accountability .
- Director compensation balanced: moderate cash retainer and equity grant vesting in one year aligns with service continuity without excessive guarantees .
-
Watchpoints/Red flags:
- Concentrated ownership: Beyond, Inc. holds 49.8%; two directors nominated via investor rights agreement—monitor independence in strategic decisions and committee processes .
- Ownership alignment: No shares reported for Schwartzman as of May 22, 2025; equity alignment relies on annual RSU grants—track subsequent Form 4 awards and holdings growth .
- Board turnover: Significant refresh in June 2025; stability and committee effectiveness should be monitored through subsequent meeting attendance and Audit Committee reports .
-
Compensation structure observations:
- Year-over-year equity grant value for directors increased from ~$28,000 (2024) to ~$42,000 (2025), shifting mix toward equity; monitor dilution given the 2002 Plan share increase approved in 2025 .
- Change-in-control terms permit full vesting of unvested RSUs absent qualifying replacement awards—ensure alignment with shareholder interests in potential transactions .
No related-party transactions, tax gross-ups, or hedging/pledging disclosures involving Schwartzman were identified in the available proxy materials. Attendance specifics for Schwartzman in 2025 were not disclosed; general 2024 attendance exceeded 75% for then-serving directors .