Tony Hunt
About Tony J. Hunt
Tony J. Hunt, 61, is an independent Class II director of 908 Devices (MASS) serving since March 2022. He is Executive Chairman of Repligen (RGEN) and a director of BioLife Solutions (BLFS). He holds a B.S. in Microbiology and an M.S. in Biotechnology from University College Galway, and an MBA from Boston University. The board cites his deep understanding of the bioprocessing market as a core credential for board service .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Repligen (RGEN) | Executive Chairman (previously CEO 2015–2024; COO 2014–2015) | Exec Chair since Sep 2024; CEO 2015–2024; COO starting May 2014 | Led bioprocessing growth; strategic M&A track record |
| Life Technologies | President, Bioproduction; earlier GM roles | 2008–2014 (acquired by TMO in 2014) | Led bioproduction, pharma analytics businesses |
| Applied Biosystems | Senior Director, Pharma Programs | 2000–2008 | Launched pharma analytics business (later part of Life Technologies) |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Start | Committees/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| BioLife Solutions (BLFS) | Director | Jan 2, 2025 | Audit Committee (from appointment); Compensation Committee (since Mar 2025) |
| Repligen (RGEN) | Executive Chairman and director | Sep 2024 (Exec Chair) | Board leadership role |
Board Governance
- Independence: Board determined all directors except the CEO are independent; Hunt is independent under Nasdaq and SEC rules .
- Committee assignments: Not listed on Audit, Compensation, or Nominating & Governance committees in 2024–2025 .
- Attendance and engagement: Board met 10 times in 2024; each director attended ≥75% of combined board/committee meetings. Hunt recused himself from four full and two partial board meetings due to a conflict related to Repligen’s acquisition of 908 Devices’ desktop PAT portfolio, demonstrating adherence to conflict management protocols .
- Stock ownership policy: Non-employee directors must hold stock equal to ≥3x the annual cash board retainer (excluding committee retainers) .
- Hedging/pledging: Company prohibits short sales, derivatives, hedging and pledging of Company stock; no waivers granted to date .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | 2024 Amount (Hunt) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Board Cash Retainer | $40,000 | Director policy: $40k board member; committee retainers add’l: Audit $10k/$20k (member/chair), Compensation $10k/$20k, Nominating $7.5k/$15k; Board Chair +$40k |
Performance Compensation
| Equity Award (Director) | Grant Date | Shares/Options | Grant-Date Fair Value | Vesting / Terms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RSUs (Annual award) | Jun 13, 2024 | 11,364 RSUs | $67,502 | Vest in full at next annual meeting/one-year anniversary; pro rata on termination |
| Stock Options (Annual award) | Jun 13, 2024 | 15,996 options | $67,502 | 10-year term; strike = closing price on grant date; vests monthly over 1 year |
Note: Director equity is time-based; no performance metrics (e.g., TSR, EBITDA) are attached to director awards per policy .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- Repligen (Exec Chairman): On March 4, 2025, Repligen acquired 908 Devices’ desktop PAT portfolio for $70 million cash. Hunt recused from related MASS board deliberations (4 full and 2 partial meetings in 2024), signaling appropriate conflict handling .
- BioLife Solutions (Director): Appointed Jan 2, 2025; serves on Audit (from appointment) and Compensation (since March 2025) Committees .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Bioprocessing market expertise; led scale-ups and product commercialization at Repligen and Life Technologies .
- Academic credentials in microbiology, biotechnology, and business (MBA) .
- Board determined he is qualified due to deep understanding of bioprocessing .
Equity Ownership
| As of April 17, 2025 | Shares | % of Outstanding | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Beneficial Ownership (Hunt) | 76,489 | <1% | 18,721 shares owned + 57,768 shares issuable within 60 days via options/RSUs |
| Shares Outstanding (MASS) | 35,739,753 | — | Record date for 2025 meeting |
| Outstanding RSUs (as of Dec 31, 2024) | 13,422 | — | Non-employee director RSUs outstanding (Hunt) |
| Outstanding Options (as of Dec 31, 2024) | 46,404 | — | Non-employee director options outstanding (Hunt) |
- Ownership alignment: Director stock ownership guidelines apply (≥3x cash retainer). Hedging/pledging prohibited; no waivers granted .
Governance Assessment
Strengths
- Independent director with domain expertise directly relevant to MASS’s historical bioprocessing analytics portfolio and broader life sciences tools ecosystem .
- Demonstrated conflict management: formal recusals from deliberations concerning Repligen’s $70M acquisition of MASS’s desktop PAT assets; board disclosed recusals and transaction terms .
- Strong ownership alignment framework: director ownership guidelines and strict hedging/pledging prohibitions enhance investor alignment .
Watch items / potential risks
- Interlock/conflict exposure: As Repligen’s Executive Chairman, Hunt sits atop a company that transacted with MASS; while properly managed by recusals and policy, continued monitoring of related-party exposure is warranted .
- Time and bandwidth: Multiple leadership and board roles (Exec Chairman of RGEN; director at BLFS) may constrain availability; Hunt was not assigned to any MASS board committee in 2024–2025, which limits his direct oversight in committee forums .
Policy and controls context
- Related-person transactions are reviewed/approved by MASS’s Audit Committee under a written policy assessing terms vs. arm’s length, size, purpose, and benefits; ongoing oversight supports mitigation of conflicts should future interactions with Repligen or other affiliates arise .
- As an Emerging Growth Company, MASS is not required to conduct say‑on‑pay votes; director pay is primarily equity-based under a simple, transparent policy with standardized annual awards and disclosed vesting terms .