Quincy Allen
Director at LUMN
Board
About Quincy L. Allen
Independent director at Lumen since 2021; age 65. Allen brings 35+ years in technology services with senior go-to-market, marketing, and operations roles at IBM, Unisys, Vertis Communications, and Xerox. He currently chairs the Human Resources & Compensation Committee (HRCC) and serves on the Nominating & Corporate Governance (NCG) Committee, and is affirmatively determined independent; he is designated an “audit committee financial expert” under SEC rules . Other public company directorships include ABM Industries (Audit; Stakeholder & Enterprise Risk) and Office Depot (Audit; Corporate Governance & Nominating) .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| IBM Corporation | Go-To-Market Leader, Cognitive Process Services; Chief Marketing Officer, IBM Cloud | 2015–2018 | Technology go-to-market and cloud CMO leadership |
| Unisys Corporation | Chief Marketing and Strategy Officer | 2012–2015 | Strategy and marketing leadership |
| Vertis Communications | Chief Executive Officer | 2009–2010 | CEO leadership in direct marketing/advertising |
| Xerox Corporation | President, Global Services & Strategic Marketing Group; President, Production Systems Group | 1982–2009 | Senior operations and strategic marketing roles |
| Skills overview | Customer Experience; Digital Transformation; Finance; Global Business; Strategy; Technology & Innovation | — | Board-relevant skill matrix |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees |
|---|---|---|---|
| ABM Industries, Inc. | Director | Since 2021 | Audit; Stakeholder & Enterprise Risk |
| Office Depot | Director | Since 2020 | Audit; Corporate Governance & Nominating |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: HRCC (Chair, effective May 2025), NCG member; previously served on Audit through October 2024 .
- Independence: Board affirmatively determined Allen independent; meets heightened HRCC and Audit independence/qualification standards; designated “audit committee financial expert” .
- Attendance and engagement: HRCC met 6 times in 2024 with 100% attendance; NCG met 4 times with 100% attendance, with Allen among committee members; Audit met 9 times (98% attendance overall) .
- Board education: directors encouraged/ reimbursed for continuing education; 70+ hours of sessions collectively in 2024; orientation and ongoing assessment processes detailed .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | 2023 | 2024 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer (structure) | $100,000 | $100,000 | Standard outside director retainer |
| Committee chair/member fees (structure) | Chair: Audit/HRCC $35,000; NCG/RS $30,000; Member: Audit/HRCC $17,500; NCG/RS $15,000 | Chair: Audit/HRCC $35,000; NCG/RS $30,000; Member: Audit/HRCC $17,500; NCG/RS $15,000 | No changes in May 2024; benchmarked ~50th percentile vs peers |
| Equity grant (structure) | Target $200,000, time-vested RS/RSU | Target $200,000, time-vested RS/RSU | Vests 1 year from grant; dividends accrue; deferral converts to RSUs |
| Max annual comp (cap) | $750,000 | $750,000 | Aggregate cap cash + equity |
| Other benefits | Physical exam reimburse up to $5,000; travel; NetJets for company business; tablets; indemnification; D&O insurance | Same | Per director benefits policy |
| Quincy Allen – Director Compensation | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Fees Earned or Paid in Cash | $132,500 | $134,375 |
| Stock Awards (FASB ASC 718 fair value) | $201,172 | $204,773 |
| All Other Compensation | $2,000 (NACD conference) | $0 |
| Total | $335,672 | $339,148 |
| 2024 Equity Grant Details | Grant Date | Type | Shares/Units | Grant Date Fair Value | Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual director grant | May 16, 2024 | RS or RSU (if deferred) | 157,518 | $200,000 target (reported at $204,773 fair value) | 1-year cliff; May 16, 2025 |
- Deferred compensation: Allen participates in the Non-Employee Directors Deferred Compensation Plan; directors may defer cash/equity; deferred equity issued as RSUs and settle at elected date; several current directors participate, including Allen .
Performance Compensation
| Performance Metrics Linked to Director Compensation | Status |
|---|---|
| Performance-based metrics (e.g., TSR, EBITDA) for directors | None; director equity is time-vested RS/RSUs, no options/PSUs disclosed for directors |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Category | Detail |
|---|---|
| Current public boards | ABM Industries (Audit; Stakeholder & Enterprise Risk), Office Depot (Audit; Corporate Governance & Nominating) |
| Potential interlocks/conflicts | No related-party transactions reportable for 2024; independence affirmed; insider policy prohibits hedging/pledging by directors |
| Committee interlocks | HRCC composed entirely of independent directors; no HRCC member was an officer/employee; no reciprocal interlocks with companies employing Lumen executives in 2024 |
Expertise & Qualifications
- 35+ years in technology services; senior roles across IBM Cloud, Unisys, Xerox; prior CEO experience at Vertis Communications .
- Skills: customer experience, digital transformation, finance, global business, strategy, technology & innovation .
- Audit committee financial expert designation; depth in governance and human capital oversight via HRCC/NCG roles .
Equity Ownership
| Metric (as of records provided) | Amount | Date/Context |
|---|---|---|
| Total shares beneficially owned | — (none listed in unrestricted or unvested columns) | Record date (2025 proxy ownership table) |
| Vested deferred stock units | 276,173 | Record date (ownership table) |
| Percent of class | <1% | Record date |
| Unvested RSUs held | 157,518 | As of Dec 31, 2024 |
| Vested RSUs deferred (earlier period) | 118,655 | As of Dec 31, 2024 |
| Ownership guideline (directors) | 5x annual cash retainer ($500,000) | Policy level |
| Compliance status | In compliance as of March 19, 2025 | Board tracking |
| Hedging/Pledging | Prohibited for directors | Insider trading policy |
Governance Assessment
- Board effectiveness and independence: Allen is independent, designated an audit committee financial expert, and will chair HRCC—a pivotal role for pay design and human capital strategy—supporting governance quality and oversight rigor .
- Engagement and attendance: Committee attendance reported at 100% for HRCC and NCG in 2024; he transitioned from Audit to NCG in October 2024, indicating active refreshment aligned to skill needs .
- Pay-for-performance and alignment: Director pay mix balances cash and equity; equity is time-vested, encouraging long-term alignment; he complies with stringent stock ownership guidelines ($500k) and utilizes deferral to accumulate RSUs, reinforcing “skin in the game” .
- Conflicts/RED FLAGS: No related-party transactions in 2024; hedging/pledging prohibited; no Section 16 issues disclosed for Allen; cap on annual director compensation ($750k) limits excess .
- Implications: As HRCC Chair, Allen will influence executive and director pay design, peer benchmarking, and human capital strategy; his technology and transformation background plus governance credentials suggest emphasis on incentives aligned to strategic turnaround, with low apparent conflict risk .
RED FLAGS
- None disclosed specific to Allen: no related-party transactions; hedging/pledging prohibited; ownership guideline compliance .
- Monitor HRCC decisions (e.g., peer group changes, incentive recalibration) for pay inflation or lowered performance hurdles; HRCC reviews outside director compensation near 50th percentile and uses independent consultants .