Roger Newport
ALLIANT ENERGYAbout Roger K. Newport
Independent director of Alliant Energy (LNT), age 60, serving since 2018 across Alliant Energy, IPL, and WPL boards; tenure expires in 2027. Former CEO and CFO of AK Steel Holding Corporation, bringing deep finance and manufacturing operations leadership; Board-designated independent director under Nasdaq rules. Current committee assignments: Compensation and Personnel; Operations. Skills noted by the Board include strategic leadership, financial acumen, operations, customer perspective, public policy/regulatory, human capital, risk management, technology systems, and environmental/safety .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| AK Steel Holding Corporation | Chief Executive Officer and Director | Jan 2016 – Mar 2020 | Led during Cleveland-Cliffs acquisition; broad finance/operations leadership |
| AK Steel Holding Corporation | EVP Finance & CFO | May 2015 – Jan 2016 | Senior finance leadership; capital allocation oversight |
| AK Steel Holding Corporation | SVP Finance & CFO | May 2014 – May 2015 | Finance and accounting leadership |
| AK Steel Holding Corporation | VP Finance & CFO | May 2012 – May 2014 | CFO; investor relations/treasury roles |
| AK Steel Holding Corporation | Various leadership roles | 1985 – 2012 | Business planning, controller/CAO, assistant treasurer, FP&A, product management |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Financial Group, Inc. | Director | Since 2024 | Insurance holding company; current public company directorship |
Board Governance
- Independence: Board affirmed independence of Mr. Newport and all standing committee members under Nasdaq rules; at least 75% of Board independent; Audit, Compensation & Personnel, and Nominating & Governance composed solely of independent directors .
- Committee assignments: Compensation & Personnel; Operations (not chair) .
- Attendance: Board held seven meetings in 2024; each director attended at least 75% of Board and committee meetings; all directors present at the 2024 Annual Meeting .
- Leadership: Strong independent oversight—Lead Independent Director role in 2024–early 2025 (Carol P. Sanders), transitioning to independent Board Chair post-Annual Meeting 2025 .
- Executive sessions: Independent directors meet in executive session at every regular Board meeting .
- Shareowner engagement: Outreach to ~55% of outstanding shares in 2024, with feedback reported to the Board .
Fixed Compensation
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 Fees Earned or Paid in Cash | $282,500 | Non-employee director cash retainer and applicable fees |
| All Other Compensation | $3,500 | Foundation matching gifts; occasional no-incremental-cost aircraft accompaniment |
| Total (2024) | $286,000 | Sum of cash plus other compensation |
| Deferred in 2024 (Aggregate) | $211,875 | Deferred into Company Stock Account, credited with dividend equivalents |
| Shares Credited (Company Stock Account) | 4,028 | Company Stock Account credits for 2024 deferrals |
Director fee schedule (policy):
| Year | Annual Retainer (All Boards) | Lead Independent Director | Audit Chair | Compensation & Personnel Chair | Nominating & Governance Chair | Operations Chair | Other Audit Committee Members |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $280,000 | $35,000 | $25,000 | $20,000 | $17,500 | $17,500 | $5,000 |
| 2025 | $290,000 | $35,000 | $25,000 | $20,000 | $20,000 | $20,000 | $5,000 |
Meeting fees: none (2024 and 2025) . Receipt of fees in stock encouraged—55% of cash retainer via Shareowner Direct Plan or Deferred Compensation Plan; directors may elect all/any portion in common stock under 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan .
Performance Compensation
- No performance-based director compensation (no options or PSUs granted to directors; equity awards discussed in proxy apply to executives, not directors) .
- Share ownership guidelines for directors: 2x annual retainer (equivalent to $560,000 in 2024); five-year compliance window; all non-employee directors with ≥5 years on Board have met guidelines (includes Mr. Newport); newer directors are on track .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Relationship | Potential Interlock/Conflict |
|---|---|---|
| American Financial Group, Inc. | Current public company board | No LNT-related party transactions reported since 2024; Board independence affirmed |
- Related-person transactions: None since beginning of 2024; policy administered by Nominating & Governance Committee .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Core competencies: Strategic leadership; financial acumen; operations; customer perspective; public policy/regulatory; human capital; risk management; technology systems; environmental/safety .
- Background: Former CEO/CFO of AK Steel; extensive manufacturing finance and operations experience .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Shares Beneficially Owned | RSUs | Total | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roger K. Newport | 27,341 | — | 27,341 | Includes 26,341 shares held in deferred compensation plans; none pledged |
| Shares Outstanding (3/10/2025) | 256,866,523 | — | — | No director or officer >1% ownership; none pledged |
Stock ownership guidelines: Directors must hold 2x retainer; five-year compliance window; all with ≥5 years have met guidelines .
Insider Trades (Form 4 filings)
| Date | Transaction | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-07-11 | Acquisition | 876 deferred common stock units credited (to be settled in shares upon termination of service) |
| 2025-10-10 | Acquisition | 802.583 deferred common stock units credited; settled in stock upon end of service |
| 2025-10-10 | Filing reference | Explanation of deferred units settlement upon cessation of director service |
| 2025-01-14 | Form 4 filed | Reporting owner: Newport Roger K (CIK: 0001298509) |
| 2024 (index) | EDGAR index | Alliant Energy Corp filing referencing Newport (2024 Form 4 index) |
Note: Deferred units are typically director fee deferrals into company stock equivalents, aligning interests via equity settlement at end of service .
Compensation Committee Analysis
- Compensation & Personnel Committee membership includes Newport (member; chair is Patrick E. Allen); five meetings in 2024; all members independent .
- Independent compensation consultant: Pay Governance LLC engaged; Committee determined no conflicts of interest; reviewed independence per SEC/Nasdaq criteria .
- Committee interlocks: None—no insider participation; no cross-comp committee relationships with executives of other companies .
Governance Assessment
- Independence and committee service: Strong—Newport serves on two key committees (Compensation & Personnel; Operations), both restricted to independent directors .
- Attendance and engagement: Board-level attendance standards met; seven Board meetings in 2024; annual meeting attendance confirmed .
- Ownership alignment: Material personal stake and ongoing deferral to company stock units; meets director ownership guidelines (≥5-year directors compliant); no pledging allowed and none pledged .
- Conflicts/related-party exposure: No related-person transactions since 2024; robust policy oversight by Nominating & Governance Committee .
- Risk indicators: Hedging/pledging prohibited for insiders; clawback policy on incentive-based compensation (executive-level) adopted; majority voting with resignation policy enhances accountability .
- Shareholder signals: 2024 say-on-pay received >95% support, indicating strong investor confidence in compensation governance .
Red Flags: None disclosed relating to attendance, related-party transactions, hedging/pledging, or option repricing; director compensation structure is standard (cash retainer; elective stock deferrals), with no performance option awards for directors .