George Paletta
About George Paletta
George A. Paletta, Jr., MD, MBA is an orthopedic surgeon, entrepreneur, investor, and team physician who joined Longeveron’s Board as a Class I director effective October 1, 2025 (age 63 at appointment). He earned a BA in Chemistry from the College of the Holy Cross, an MD from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, completed residency at Hospital for Special Surgery with fellowships at HSS, Cleveland Clinic, and Children’s Hospital of Michigan, and holds an MBA from Washington University’s Olin School of Business . He is internationally recognized in orthopedics, serves as head team physician for the St. Louis Cardinals, and has been active in founding and selling ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) with aggregate deal values approaching $1B . Tenure at Longeveron commenced 10/01/2025 .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hospital for Special Surgery | Orthopedic surgeon (academic/private practice) | Not disclosed | Early-career academic/clinical role |
| Washington University School of Medicine (Dept. of Orthopedic Surgery) | Orthopedic surgeon (academic) | Not disclosed | Academic leadership/clinical practice |
| The Orthopedic Center of St. Louis | Orthopedic surgeon (private practice) | Most recent prior to LGVN appointment (dates not disclosed) | Clinical leadership |
| Preston Worldwide (medical device) | Founder/developer (sling and pillow technology) | Not disclosed | Product development; multiple patents (orthopedic and cardiovascular) |
| Various start-up ventures | Early-phase investor/advisor | Not disclosed | Capital formation and advisory roles across industries |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis Cardinals (MLB) | Head team doctor | Not disclosed | Ongoing sports medicine leadership |
| Ambulatory Surgical Centers (ASCs) | Developer/owner | Not disclosed | Participated in sale of two ASCs with deal values totaling almost $1B |
| Multiple start-ups | Investor/advisor | Not disclosed | Early-stage investments; formal/informal advisory roles |
Board Governance
- Appointment and class/term: Appointed to fill a vacancy as a Class I director effective Oct 1, 2025; will receive standard director compensation pro-rated and standard indemnification agreement .
- Committee assignments: Not disclosed at appointment; no committee roles specified in the 8-K or press release .
- Independence status: Not specified in the appointment 8-K; prior proxy (April 2025) independence list predates his service .
- Attendance baseline: In 2024, the Board met nine times; all then-serving directors attended at least 75% of aggregate Board and committee meetings (pre-dates Paletta’s tenure) .
- Board structure and policies: No lead independent director; independent directors hold executive sessions; committees include Audit (Baluch chair), Compensation (Ungaro chair), Nominating & Corporate Governance (Hajjar chair), and Science & Strategy (Hajjar chair) per 2025 proxy .
Fixed Compensation
Longeveron’s current director pay framework (2024 structure, applicable on a pro-rated basis for new directors per appointment 8-K):
| Component | Amount |
|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer (as of July 1, 2024) | $45,000 |
| Chair of the Board additional retainer | $20,000 |
| Committee chair retainers | Audit: $15,000; Compensation: $12,000; Nominating & Corporate Governance: $10,000; Science & Strategy: $7,500 |
| Committee member retainers | Audit: $8,000; Compensation: $6,000; Nominating & Corporate Governance: $5,500; Science & Strategy: $5,000 |
| Annual equity grant (standard) | 8,000 RSUs after annual meeting (vesting as set by plan) |
| Initial equity grant upon joining (2024 precedent) | 16,000 RSUs (for 2024 joiners; 2025 initial grant for Paletta not disclosed) |
| Cash-to-Equity Program eligibility | Directors may elect RSUs or options in lieu of cash at a 125%–200% premium valuation; options fully exercisable at grant; RSUs fully vested at grant |
Note: Dr. Paletta will be compensated consistent with current Board arrangements on a pro-rated basis for 2025 service; specific cash/equity grant amounts for him were not disclosed at appointment .
Performance Compensation
- Non-employee director pay at Longeveron is retainer- and equity-based; no performance-conditional director metrics (e.g., TSR, EBITDA) are disclosed for directors. Cash-to-Equity elections affect the mix, not performance conditions .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Public Company? | Role | Committee roles | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| None disclosed | — | — | — | No other public company directorships disclosed in LGVN’s appointment 8-K/press release |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Clinical and sports medicine expertise: Nationally/internationally recognized orthopedic surgeon; head team physician for St. Louis Cardinals .
- Innovation/IP: Multiple patents in orthopedic and cardiovascular fields; founder/developer of medical device technologies (Preston Worldwide) .
- Entrepreneurship and transactions: Developed and sold ASCs with aggregate deal values near $1B; active early-stage investor/advisor .
- Education: BA (Holy Cross), MD (Johns Hopkins), residency (HSS), fellowships (HSS, Cleveland Clinic, Children’s Hospital of Michigan), MBA (Olin, Washington University) .
Equity Ownership
| As of | Security | Beneficially Owned | Ownership Form | Derivatives | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10/27/2025 (Form 3) | Class A Common Stock | 0 | Direct | None reported | Initial statement of beneficial ownership filed after appointment showed no securities owned |
Policies impacting alignment and risk:
- Hedging/pledging prohibition: Company policy prohibits directors from short sales, options, hedging, margin and pledging of company stock (except as may be separately approved), supporting alignment with shareholders .
Governance Assessment
- Board effectiveness and fit: Paletta adds deep clinical, translational, and commercialization perspective relevant to Longeveron’s regenerative therapies and clinical programs; his ASC development and transaction experience may bolster commercialization and capital allocation discussions .
- Independence/committees: Independence and committee assignments were not specified upon appointment; monitoring for an Audit or Science & Strategy Committee role would be relevant given his background .
- Alignment: Form 3 shows zero initial holdings; alignment should increase once annual/initial director equity grants are made or if he opts into Cash-to-Equity (directors eligible) .
- Conflicts/related party: Appointment 8-K disclosed no related-party transactions under Item 404(a) and no selection arrangements; standard indemnification agreement executed — low immediate conflict risk .
- Board practices: Majority-independent board with executive sessions; however, no lead independent director — a governance nuance to monitor amid ongoing leadership changes .
RED FLAGS and Risk Indicators
- None disclosed specific to Paletta at appointment (no Item 404 transactions; no insider holdings that could be pledged; hedging/pledging prohibited by policy) .
- Watch items: Confirm independence designation and committee placement in subsequent filings; track any equity awards issued and any future Form 4 activity to assess ownership build and potential signals .
Quotes signaling engagement
- “I am excited to join the Longeveron Board at this transformational period… As a physician, I see tremendous potential for stem cell therapy… As an entrepreneur, I see incredible opportunity for Longeveron to be a leader in commercializing stem cell therapies” — Dr. Paletta, Oct 1, 2025 press release .
Sources
- Appointment and terms: LGVN 8-K (Item 5.02), Oct 1, 2025 .
- Background, achievements, education: LGVN press release, Oct 1, 2025 .
- Board structure, independence, attendance, committees: LGVN DEF 14A, Apr 28, 2025 .
- Director pay framework and Cash-to-Equity program eligibility: LGVN DEF 14A, Apr 28, 2025 ; Cash-to-Equity program details .
- Form 3 beneficial ownership (Paletta): Filed Oct 27, 2025 .
- Insider trading/hedging policy: LGVN DEF 14A, Apr 28, 2025 .
- Corporate updates context: LGVN press release and 8-K, Nov 4, 2025 .