Laurie Z. Douglas
LOWES COMPANIESAbout Laurie Z. Douglas
Laurie Z. Douglas is an independent director of Lowe’s, serving since 2015 and age 61 in the 2025 proxy. She is Senior Vice President, Chief Information Officer and Chief Digital Officer at Publix Super Markets, with deep expertise across enterprise technology, digital commerce, cybersecurity, data protection, risk management, regulatory compliance, and human capital leadership; she chairs Lowe’s Technology Committee and serves on the Audit Committee .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Publix Super Markets, Inc. | SVP, CIO & Chief Digital Officer | 2019–Present | Enterprise technology and digital vision; financial management of IT investments; oversight of emerging tech, cybersecurity |
| Publix Super Markets, Inc. | SVP, CIO & Chief Security Officer | 2006–2018 | Led broad IT disciplines incl. infrastructure, mobile, omnichannel, cybersecurity, data protection |
| FedEx Kinko’s Office and Print Services, Inc. | SVP & CIO | 2004–2005 | Technology leadership during integration and operations |
| Kinko’s, Inc. | SVP & CIO | 2003–2004 | Set enterprise IT agenda |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Public Board? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Publix Super Markets, Inc. | SVP, CIO & Chief Digital Officer | No | Operating executive role; not a public company board |
Board Governance
- Independence: Board determined Douglas is independent under Lowe’s Categorical Standards, NYSE and SEC rules; Audit and Compensation Committees are fully independent, and Audit members meet Rule 10A-3; Compensation members are “non-employee directors” per Rule 16b-3 .
- Committee assignments and chair roles:
- Technology Committee: Chair; 2 meetings in fiscal 2024; committee oversees technology, e-commerce, innovation strategy and related risks .
- Audit Committee: Member; 9 meetings in fiscal 2024; committee oversees financial reporting, internal controls, compliance, and major risk exposures incl. cybersecurity, AI, data protection .
- Prior service: In 2024 proxy, Douglas also listed on Nominating & Governance Committee; 6 meetings in fiscal 2023 .
- Attendance: Each incumbent director attended 90%+ of Board/committee meetings in fiscal 2024; independent directors meet in executive session at each regular Board meeting .
| Committee | Role | Meetings (FY2024) | Key Oversight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technology | Chair | 2 | Technology, e-commerce, innovation oversight; strategy, infrastructure, budgets, emerging tech risks |
| Audit | Member | 9 | Financial reporting, internal controls, compliance; risk exposures incl. cybersecurity, privacy, AI |
Fixed Compensation
| Component | FY2024 Amount ($) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer | 100,000 | Standard for non-employee directors |
| Committee chair fee (Technology) | 20,000 | Chair fees: $20k for Compensation/N&G/Sustainability/Technology; $25k for Audit |
| Meeting fees | 0 | No meeting or committee member fees; only chair fees |
| Fees Earned or Paid in Cash (Douglas) | 120,000 | Reported in director compensation table |
Performance Compensation
| Equity Award | Units | Grant Date Fair Value ($) | Vesting/Settlement | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deferred Stock Units (DSUs) | 1,000 | 221,290 | Subject to vesting under 2006 LTIP (amended May 27, 2022); paid in common stock after termination of service | Value computed under ASC 718; annual grant to each non-employee director |
| Options | — | — | — | No option awards reported for directors in FY2024 compensation table |
- Compensation mix philosophy: Target ~1/3 cash and ~2/3 equity; aligned with market median per independent consultant .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Current Public Company Board? | Role | Potential Interlocks |
|---|---|---|---|
| None disclosed in proxy biography for Douglas | — | — | No public company directorships disclosed; Board independence review considered ordinary-course transactions with director-affiliated organizations and found them immaterial (under 2% revenue thresholds) . |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Enterprise technology leadership across application development, infrastructure, digital/mobile, omnichannel, cybersecurity, data protection, risk management, regulatory compliance .
- Financial strategy and analysis for IT investments; emerging technologies oversight; human capital management for tech/digital teams .
Equity Ownership
| Metric | Amount | Date/Context |
|---|---|---|
| Beneficially owned shares | 16,357 | As of March 24, 2025; less than 1% of class |
| Deferred Stock Units held | 17,280 | As of January 31, 2025 |
| Ownership guideline | 5x annual retainer | Directors must meet within 5 years; DSU full value counts; all current directors met or are on track |
| Pledged/hedged shares | Not disclosed | No pledging/hedging disclosure specific to Douglas in proxy sections reviewed . |
Governance Assessment
- Board effectiveness: Douglas chairs Technology oversight during a period of heightened cyber/AI/data risk, while also serving on Audit—strong alignment of her CIO/CDO skill set with Lowe’s risk and digital priorities .
- Independence and conflicts: Board affirmed her independence; related-person transaction review disclosed no Douglas-specific transactions; ordinary-course dealings with director-affiliated organizations were below thresholds and deemed immaterial .
- Attendance and engagement: 90%+ attendance standard met by all incumbents; independent director executive sessions at each regular meeting support robust oversight .
- Compensation alignment: Cash retainer plus Technology chair fee ($120k total cash) and annual DSU grant ($221,290 ASC 718 fair value) reflect market median and ownership alignment via DSUs; no options or meeting fees reduce pay-for-attendance risk .
- Shareholder support: 2025 election support for Douglas was strong (For: 412,283,923; Withheld: 4,429,157; Broker Non-Votes: 84,078,983), indicating investor confidence in her continued service .
RED FLAGS: None identified in proxy regarding related-party transactions, low attendance, option repricing, pledging, or independence issues for Douglas .
Signals: Combined Technology chair and Audit membership, strong vote support, and DSU-based equity alignment support investor confidence in governance and digital risk oversight .