Grant LaMontagne
About Grant LaMontagne
Grant LaMontagne, age 69, has served as an independent director of Laird Superfood (LSF) since December 2021. He brings over 40 years of consumer packaged goods (CPG) leadership, including SVP, Chief Customer Officer at Clorox and President, Consumer Sales/Customer Development at Kimberly‑Clark North America. He currently serves as Senior Advisor to McKinsey & Company and as non‑executive Board Chair at Acosta Sales & Marketing. He holds a B.A. in Finance from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clorox Co. (NYSE: CLX) | SVP, Chief Customer Officer | Through 2013 | Led large CPG customer organization; track record building branded businesses |
| Kimberly‑Clark North America | President, Consumer Sales/Customer Development | Through Nov 2017 | Built capabilities and structures for robust results in CPG |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acosta Sales & Marketing | Non‑Executive Board Chair | Current | Leading industry brand‑building agency |
| McKinsey & Company | Senior Advisor | Since Jan 2018 | Focus on integrated commercial plans and demand planning |
Board Governance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Independence | Independent under SEC and NYSE American rules |
| Board Tenure | Director since 2021 |
| Committees | Audit Committee – Member; Nominating & Corporate Governance – Member |
| Committee Chairs | Audit: Greg Graves (Chair); Nominating & Corporate Governance: Maile Naylor (Chair) |
| Attendance | During 2024, each director attended at least 75% of Board and committee meetings; Board held 11, Audit 4, Compensation 4, Nominating 3 |
| Executive Sessions | Non‑employee and independent directors meet in executive session at least twice per year |
| Board Leadership | Independent Chair (Geoffrey T. Barker); roles of Chair and CEO separated |
Fixed Compensation (Director)
| Fiscal Year | Cash Fees ($) | Equity Awards ($, grant‑date fair value) | Total ($) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 55,000 | 95,800 | 150,800 |
| Program Detail | Rate |
|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer (non‑employee director) | $45,000 |
| Committee fees – Audit (member) | $7,000; chair receives 2× |
| Committee fees – Compensation (member) | $5,000; chair receives 2× |
| Committee fees – Nominating & Corporate Governance (member) | $4,000; chair receives 2× |
| Equity grant form | Director‑elected: stock options, RSUs, or 50/50 split; vests after one year |
| Per‑meeting fees | None |
Performance Compensation (Director)
| Award Type | Performance Metric | Vesting | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| RSUs (director annual grant) | None disclosed (no performance conditions) | One‑year vesting for director equity awards | Directors may elect RSUs or options; time‑based vesting |
| Options (director annual grant) | None disclosed (no performance conditions) | One‑year vesting for director equity awards | No options outstanding for LaMontagne as of FY‑end |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Category | Detail |
|---|---|
| Current public company boards | None disclosed for LaMontagne |
| Private boards | Acosta Sales & Marketing – Non‑Executive Board Chair |
| Potential interlocks/conflicts | No related‑party transactions disclosed for LaMontagne; board reviews related‑party transactions via Audit Committee |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Extensive CPG experience; sales, marketing, operational leadership credentials highlighted by prior senior roles at Clorox and Kimberly‑Clark.
- Senior advisory focus on integrated commercial and demand plans (McKinsey); board chair experience at a major brand‑building agency (Acosta).
- Identified by LSF for “extensive sales and marketing” and “operational and leadership experience” on the Board skills matrix.
Equity Ownership
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Outstanding shares beneficially owned | 55,747 |
| Shares exercisable/settling within 60 days | 20,000 |
| Total beneficial ownership | 75,747 |
| Percent of class | <1% (asterisk in proxy table) |
| Options outstanding (director) | None |
| RSUs outstanding (director) | 20,000 |
| Hedging/Pledging | Company prohibits hedging; pledging prohibited without Audit Committee pre‑approval |
Note: Beneficial ownership percentages computed against 10,569,831 shares outstanding on May 16, 2025.
Governance Assessment
- Independence and committee engagement: LaMontagne is independent and serves on Audit and Nominating & Corporate Governance, positioning him in financial oversight, risk, food safety, related‑party review, and board composition/governance policy.
- Attendance and engagement: Each director met ≥75% attendance in 2024 across Board and their committees; Board and committees met regularly (Board 11; Audit 4; Nominating 3).
- Director pay and alignment: 2024 compensation balanced between cash ($55k) and equity ($95.8k) with one‑year vesting; no per‑meeting fees and equity election flexibility (RSUs/options).
- Ownership alignment: Holds 75,747 shares beneficially (<1%); has 20,000 RSUs outstanding; no options; anti‑hedging and restricted pledging policies mitigate misalignment risk.
- Compensation governance quality: Compensation Committee uses independent consultant FW Cook; independence assessed regularly; consultants prohibited from other Company services.
- Related‑party oversight: Audit Committee reviews/approves related‑party transactions; no related‑party transactions disclosed involving LaMontagne.
RED FLAGS
- None disclosed specific to LaMontagne: no related‑party transactions, no hedging/pledging reported, and independence affirmed. Monitor any potential future commercial ties via Acosta given industry proximity, though none are disclosed.