Anthony W. Hall, Jr.
KINDER MORGANAbout Anthony W. Hall, Jr.
Independent director of Kinder Morgan, Inc. (KMI), age 80, serving on the Board since 2012; previously a director of El Paso Corporation (EP) from 2001 until its acquisition by KMI in 2012 . A career attorney and public-sector executive, he served as Chief Administrative Officer (2004–2010) and City Attorney (1998–2004) for the City of Houston, and was a partner at Jackson Walker, LLP; he has chaired prominent nonprofits including Houston Endowment, Inc. (12 years on its board) and the Boulé Foundation . The Board identifies him as independent under NYSE rules and KMI’s Guidelines and highlights his legal and risk management expertise and diverse perspective .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| City of Houston | Chief Administrative Officer | 2004–2010 | Senior municipal management; oversight of city administration |
| City of Houston | City Attorney | 1998–2004 | Chief legal officer for the city |
| Jackson Walker, LLP | Partner | Prior to 1998 | Private legal practice |
| El Paso Corporation (public) | Director | 2001–2012 | Board service until KMI acquisition |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston Endowment Inc. | Past Chairman; Director | 12 years on board | Major Houston philanthropic institution |
| Boulé Foundation | Chairman | Not disclosed | National philanthropic organization |
Board Governance
- Current KMI committees: Environmental, Health & Safety (EHS) Committee (member); Nominating & Governance Committee (member). Not a chair of either committee .
- Committee focus and cadence: EHS (2 meetings in 2024) oversees EHS policies, sustainability practices, and approves the annual Sustainability Report; Nominating & Governance (3 meetings in 2024) handles board composition, director nominations, governance policies, and evaluations .
- Independence: The Board affirmed independence for all non-employee directors except Mr. Kinder and Mr. Kean; Ms. Dang is an employee director. Mr. Hall is independent .
- Attendance: The Board met 7 times in 2024; each director attended at least 75% of aggregate Board and committee meetings; average attendance exceeded 97% .
- Board structure: Separate Chair and CEO roles; lead independent director is Michael C. Morgan; independent directors meet in executive session .
Fixed Compensation
| Year | Cash Retainer | Meeting/Committee Fees | Equity/Stock in Lieu | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $235,000 | $0 | $0 | $235,000 |
| 2025 (approved) | $250,000 | $0 | Elective (directors may opt to receive shares; not performance-based) | N/A |
Notes:
- Non-employee directors receive a single annual retainer; no additional meeting or committee fees .
- Directors can elect to receive some/all retainer in common stock under the Stock Compensation Plan for Non-Employee Directors; Hall did not elect stock in 2024 .
- Stock awards received in lieu of cash carry a short restricted period and receive dividends; shares are generally subject to forfeiture if service ends before restrictions lapse .
Performance Compensation
Directors do not receive performance-based compensation at KMI; no options or performance equity for directors are disclosed . For context on company-wide incentive metrics used for executives (governance oversight relevance), the 2024 performance targets and outcomes were:
| Metric (Company-wide executive incentives) | 2024 Target | 2024 Actual |
|---|---|---|
| DCF per share | $2.26 | $2.19 |
| Net Debt-to-Adjusted EBITDA | 3.9x | 4.0x |
| EHS/Operational performance | Qualitative targets (incident rates vs. industry and prior 3-year averages; no significant incidents) | Considered in bonus pool funding |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Type | Company | Role | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public company (prior) | El Paso Corporation | Director | Former (2001–2012) |
- No current public-company directorships are disclosed for Mr. Hall; no disclosed interlocks or related party ties involving Mr. Hall .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Legal expertise and over 40 years’ legal experience; prior senior public-sector leadership (City of Houston) .
- Skills matrix: experience on other public company boards; legal expertise; risk management expertise .
- Board diversity: KMI highlights total gender/minority representation and values diversity of experience; Mr. Hall contributes an African American perspective per the Board’s biography .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Shares Beneficially Owned | % of Class | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anthony W. Hall, Jr. | 47,260 | <1% | As of 3/17/2025 record date |
Alignment and policies:
- Director ownership guideline: 3x annual retainer; expected to meet within 5 years; as of January 2025, all directors are compliant or within the transition period (only Ms. Chronis was within the 5-year period) .
- Hedging prohibited for directors and household members; pledging generally prohibited except for holdings above guideline levels or without pecuniary interest; no pledging disclosed for Mr. Hall .
- Section 16 compliance: Company reports all Section 16 filings were timely in 2024 except a one-day-late filing by another director; no delinquency indicated for Mr. Hall .
Governance Assessment
- Committee impact: Active roles on EHS (safety, environmental oversight, sustainability report approval) and Nominating & Governance (board refreshment, evaluations) support board effectiveness; neither role indicates conflicts or overboarding .
- Independence and attendance: Independent under NYSE rules; Board-wide attendance robust (>97% average); supports investor confidence in engagement .
- Ownership alignment: Director guideline of 3x retainer; company states directors are compliant or within transition timelines; hedging prohibited; no pledging noted for Hall—alignment positive .
- Conflicts and related-party exposure: No material legal proceedings; no related-party transactions disclosed for Hall; charitable payments involving independent directors did not exceed SEC thresholds in the past three years—low conflict risk .
- Pay practices and shareholder sentiment: Director pay is simple, predominantly cash, with optional stock election and no performance-based elements; say-on-pay approval exceeded 94% in 2024, indicating supportive shareholder sentiment toward overall compensation governance .
RED FLAGS
- None disclosed specific to Mr. Hall (no attendance or filing issues; no related-party disclosures; no pledging) .
Watch items
- Board succession/refresh: Mr. Hall’s age (80) and long tenure (director since 2012) suggest ongoing refresh considerations; KMI indicates continued efforts to enhance diversity and has reduced board size from 16 to 11 since 2020 .