Michael J. O'Neil
About Michael J. O'Neil
Michael J. O’Neil (born 1983) is Executive Vice President and Secretary of Kayne Anderson Energy Infrastructure Fund, Inc. (KYN). He became Executive Vice President in June 2024 and has served as Secretary since 2021. He has been Chief Compliance Officer (CCO) of Kayne Anderson since March 2012, and served as CCO of KYN beginning in December 2013; as of 2025, KYN’s CCO is Mark V. Mangilit (CCO since March 2024). Prior roles include compliance officer at BlackRock Inc. (2008–2012) and CCO/Secretary positions at affiliated entities (KABDC, KDL). No company‑level performance metrics (e.g., TSR, revenue, EBITDA) are disclosed for Mr. O’Neil in KYN’s proxy filings.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kayne Anderson (KAFA) | Chief Compliance Officer | Since Mar 2012 | Senior compliance leadership at the investment adviser to KYN |
| KYN | Chief Compliance Officer | Since Dec 2013 (CCO function now held by Mark V. Mangilit since Mar 2024) | Oversight of fund compliance; transitioned to EVP role in 2024 |
| KYN | Secretary | Since 2021 | Corporate secretariat responsibilities |
| KABDC (affiliated) | Chief Compliance Officer; Secretary | Since Feb 2021; since Jun 2021 | Compliance and corporate secretary for affiliate |
| KDL (affiliated) | Chief Compliance Officer and Secretary | Since Dec 2021 | Compliance leadership for affiliate |
| BlackRock Inc. | Compliance Officer | 2008–2012 | Institutional compliance experience |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Worcester Academy (non‑profit) | Board role (current) | Not disclosed | Listed as current external directorship |
Fixed Compensation
KYN is externally managed. Executive officers (including Mr. O’Neil) are employees of KA Fund Advisors, LLC (KAFA) and do not receive salary, bonus, equity, pensions, perquisites, or other compensation from KYN; KYN has no employment agreements with executive officers.
| Element | Paid by KYN? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Base salary | No | Executives are compensated by KAFA (not disclosed by KYN) |
| Target/actual bonus | No | Determined and paid by KAFA; not broken out for KYN |
| Pension/SERP | No | KYN does not provide pension or retirement benefits to executive officers |
| Perquisites | No | KYN does not provide perquisites or personal benefits to executive officers |
| Employment agreements | No | KYN has no employment agreements with executive officers |
Performance Compensation
KYN does not grant equity or options to executive officers and does not maintain compensation plans authorizing issuance of its equity securities to executives. KAFA considers KYN’s performance when determining compensation for certain senior managers, but no specific metrics, weightings, targets, or payouts are disclosed at the KYN level.
| Incentive type | Grant/metrics | Target | Actual | Payout | Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RSUs/PSUs (KYN) | None | — | — | — | — |
| Stock options (KYN) | None | — | — | — | — |
| Cash incentive (via KAFA) | KAFA considers KYN’s performance; specific metrics not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
Equity Ownership & Alignment
| Metric | Dec 31, 2023 | Dec 31, 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Common shares beneficially owned (Michael J. O’Neil) | 0 | 0 |
| Ownership as % of shares outstanding | <1% | <1% |
| Options (exercisable/unexercisable) | None disclosed (KYN does not grant equity/option awards) | None disclosed (KYN does not grant equity/option awards) |
| Shares pledged as collateral | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Firm/affiliate aggregate investment in KYN | Approx. $33 million (KA + officers/employees) | Approx. $35 million (KA + officers/employees) |
Additional ownership context:
- All Directors & Executive Officers as a Group held 838,610 KYN common shares as of Dec 31, 2023, and 843,108 shares as of Dec 31, 2024 (each <1% of class). Mr. O’Neil individually reported no KYN common stock.
Employment Terms
| Term | Provision |
|---|---|
| Employment agreement | KYN has no employment agreements with executive officers (executives are KAFA employees) |
| Severance | KYN has no arrangements to make payments to executive officers upon termination |
| Change‑of‑control (CoC) | KYN has no arrangements to make payments to executive officers in the event of a change in control |
| Equity acceleration | Not applicable (no KYN equity awards) |
| Clawback | Not disclosed |
| Non‑compete / non‑solicit | Not disclosed by KYN (would be governed by KAFA employment) |
| Deferred compensation | Not applicable at KYN |
Additional Governance and Compliance Notes
- Section 16(a) reporting: The company reported compliance for directors and executive officers in the last fiscal year; late Form 3 filings were noted for two officers (Harrison J. Little and Gordon H. Hamilton), with no late filing noted for Mr. O’Neil.
- Board interactions with CCO: The Board meets at least quarterly with the Chief Compliance Officer regarding compliance with federal securities laws (role‑based process; current KYN CCO is Mark V. Mangilit since March 2024).
Investment Implications
- Alignment: Mr. O’Neil holds no KYN common shares and receives no KYN equity or cash compensation; compensation is set and paid by the external adviser (KAFA). This structure reduces direct, company‑level pay‑for‑performance alignment for this executive, though KAFA states it considers KYN’s performance in senior manager pay decisions.
- Insider selling pressure: With no KYN equity holdings and no KYN equity awards or options, near‑term insider selling pressure from Mr. O’Neil appears minimal.
- Retention risk: KYN bears no severance/CoC obligations to executive officers; retention and economics are primarily governed by KAFA employment and incentive structures, which are not disclosed at the KYN level.
- Governance/compliance continuity: Mr. O’Neil’s long tenure in compliance and corporate secretary roles at KYN/affiliates, alongside the formal quarterly CCO interactions with the Board, supports process stability; however, these are structural observations rather than performance guarantees.