Yolanda Daniel
Leslie'sAbout Yolanda Daniel
Independent director at Leslie’s, Inc. since October 2020; age 58. Former VP Finance at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago (2017–2022) with 30 years of finance, accounting, audit, and leadership experience across distribution, financial services, and healthcare. Education: MBA (Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern), B.S. Accounting (University of Alabama at Birmingham), marketing alumna (Jackson State University). Selected for board service based on deep finance/audit leadership; determined independent under Nasdaq rules .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago | Vice President, Finance | 2017–2022 | Led finance, financial analytics, procurement, supplier diversity |
| IFF (community development financial institution) | Chief Financial Officer | 2015–2017 | Led finance and investor relations |
| American Board of Medical Specialties | Chief Financial Officer | 2015–2017 | Finance leadership |
| W.W. Grainger, Inc. | Global Chief Audit Executive; CFO and Board Director for Grainger Canada; VP Finance Transformation and U.S. Financial Services | ~7-year tenure within broader 15-year period | Led U.S. payment operations; global audit leadership |
| CVS Health (formerly Caremark) | Vice President, Internal Audit Services | Prior to Grainger tenure | Attestation and consultation during acquisitive growth period |
| Banks, Finley, White & Company | Public Accounting | 1990–1994 | Early career in audit/accounting |
External Roles
| Organization | Role |
|---|---|
| Aspen Institute | 2017 Finance Leaders Fellow; member of Aspen Global Leadership Network |
Board Governance
- Committee memberships: Audit Committee member; Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee member .
- Audit Committee Financial Expert: Board determined Daniel qualifies under SEC rules (alongside O’Farrell) .
- Independence: Non‑employee directors, including Daniel, deemed independent; only independent directors sit on Board committees .
- Attendance and engagement: Fiscal 2024—Board held 10 meetings; Audit 11; Compensation 7; Nominating & Corporate Governance 7; all incumbent directors attended at least 75% of aggregate meetings; independent directors meet in executive session regularly .
- Board declassification underway to full annual elections by 2027; separate Independent Chairman structure .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount ($) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Board retainer (Non-Executive Chairman) | 150,000 | Program rate |
| Annual Board retainer (Member) | 75,000 | Program rate |
| Lead Independent Director retainer | 25,000 | Program rate |
| Audit Committee Chair | 25,000 | Program rate |
| Audit Committee Member | 10,000 | Program rate |
| Nominating & Corporate Governance Chair | 10,000 | Program rate |
| Nominating & Corporate Governance Member | 5,000 | Program rate |
| Director | Fees Earned/Paid in Cash ($) | Stock Awards ($) | All Other Comp ($) | Total ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yolanda Daniel | 90,000 | 125,000 | 5,042 (health premiums eligibility for pre‑FY23 directors) | 220,042 |
- Daniel’s cash fees align with retainer schedule: $75,000 Board + $10,000 Audit member + $5,000 NCGC member = $90,000 .
Performance Compensation
| Equity Component | Grant Date | Grant Value ($) | Vesting | Outstanding RSUs (as of 9/28/2024) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual RSU grant (re‑election) | 3/15/2024 | 125,000 | Vest on earlier of one year from grant or day prior to next annual meeting; share count = $125,000/closing price | 18,248 |
| Performance Metric | Applies to Director Equity? | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth | No | Director RSUs are time‑based; no performance metrics disclosed |
| EBITDA/TSR/ESG goals | No | Not applicable to non‑employee director equity grants |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Public Board? | Committee Roles | Interlocks/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| None | — | — | No other public company boards disclosed for Daniel |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Skills cited: Strategic Management, Supply Chain, Finance/Accounting, Governance/Risk Management, Senior Leadership, Sustainability, Public Company Experience .
- Designation: Audit Committee Financial Expert .
- Education: MBA (Kellogg, Northwestern); B.S. Accounting (UAB); marketing alumna (Jackson State University) .
Equity Ownership
| Metric | As of Dec 31, 2024 | As of Jul 14, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Beneficially owned shares | 32,015 | 50,263 |
| Ownership % of outstanding | <1% (outstanding shares: 185,208,018) | <1% (outstanding shares: 185,578,489) |
| RSUs outstanding | 18,248 (as of 9/28/2024) | — |
| Stock ownership guidelines | 5x annual cash retainer for non‑employee directors; hold 50% of net shares until compliant; all non‑employee directors in compliance as of record date | 5x annual cash retainer; 50% hold until compliant |
| Hedging/Pledging | Prohibited for directors; no margin/pledging allowed | Prohibited |
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent director with audit expertise (SEC “financial expert”); member of Audit and NCGC; independent committees and executive sessions; strong stock ownership and anti‑hedging/pledging discipline; director compensation benchmarked with independent consultant (FW Cook) .
- Alignment: Director equity via RSUs with standard one‑year vest aligns with annual re‑election cycle; stock ownership guidelines (5x retainer) and 50% post‑vest holding requirement support long‑term alignment; Daniel’s reported beneficial ownership increased from 32,015 to 50,263 shares from 12/31/2024 to 7/14/2025 .
- Attendance/engagement: Board and committees met frequently in FY2024; all incumbent directors met at least 75% attendance threshold; virtual annual meeting promotes shareholder interaction .
- Conflicts/Related‑party: No Daniel‑specific related party transactions disclosed; Audit Committee reviews related party transactions per policy; family relationship disclosure pertains to another director’s family member employed at the company, with market‑consistent compensation .
- Potential red flags: Charter “corporate opportunities” waiver allows Non‑Employee Directors and sponsors to engage in overlapping/competing business activities without duty to refrain—typical in sponsor‑backed structures but a conflict‑tolerance provision investors should monitor . Director health premium participation appears limited to those in place prior to FY2023; Daniel received $5,042 in “All Other Compensation” for FY2024 (minor, but a non‑core perk) .
- Governance trajectory: Board declassification by 2027 increases annual accountability; proposals in 2025 proxy include removal without/with cause mechanics and officer exculpation—neutral but relevant for investor oversight .