James Buch
MALIBU BOATSAbout James R. Buch
James R. Buch, age 71, is an independent Class II director of Malibu Boats, Inc. (MBUU) who has served on the Board since 2014. He is a former CEO of UMA Enterprises, Inc., with prior CEO roles at Lynx Grills and interim leadership at SunBrite TV, and holds a bachelor’s degree and MBA from California State University–Fullerton . He is currently designated independent under Nasdaq standards and serves on the Audit and Nominating & Governance Committees .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| UMA Enterprises, Inc. | Chief Executive Officer | May 2017 – Sep 2019 | Led a major home décor distributor (private) |
| Lynx Grills | President & Chief Executive Officer | 2012 – 2016 | Manufacturer of outdoor kitchen products |
| SunBrite TV | Interim President & Chief Executive Officer | 2011 – 2012 | Consumer electronics; interim leadership |
| Various PE/investment firm engagements | Consultant/Operating Advisor | 2008 – 2010 | Growth strategies, restructuring, business model assessment |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private and non-profit organizations (unspecified) | Board/advisory councils | Ongoing | Continues to serve; entities not specified |
Board Governance
- Independence: Affirmatively determined independent by the Board .
- Committee assignments: Audit Committee member; Nominating & Governance Committee member .
- Committee meeting cadence FY2025:
- Audit: 17 meetings .
- Nominating & Governance: 5 meetings .
- Board meetings FY2025: 8 meetings; all directors attended ≥75% of Board and committee meetings during their tenure; independent directors meet in executive session regularly .
- Class/term: Class II; term expires at the annual meeting to be held in 2027 .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | FY2025 Policy/Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Board Cash Retainer | $65,000 | Payable quarterly, in arrears |
| Committee Member Cash Retainers | Audit: $5,000; Compensation: $5,000; Nominating & Governance: $2,000 | Payable quarterly, in arrears |
| Committee Chair Cash Retainers | Audit: $20,000; Compensation: $15,000; Nominating & Governance: $10,000 | Not applicable to Buch (not a chair) |
| FY2025 Cash Fees Earned (Buch) | $72,000 | As reported in Director Compensation Table |
| Perquisites – use of company boat | Provided; director pays insurance/maintenance/gas; option to purchase at 75% of dealer invoice at end of term | Designed to enhance product familiarity |
Performance Compensation
| Component | FY2025 Policy/Grant | Vesting/Terms | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Equity Retainer | $110,000 (stock units or shares) | Fully vested on grant; directors may elect stock units with deferred payout (in lump sum or installments over 5 or 10 years) | Valued at grant-date share price |
| FY2025 Stock Awards (Buch) | $109,969 | From Nov 5, 2024 annual grant | Aggregate grant date fair value |
| Unvested Director Equity at FY-end | None | As of Jun 30, 2025, no director held unvested stock units or unvested shares | Company-wide director status |
Performance metrics: Director equity is not performance-conditioned; it is granted as fully vested stock units or shares with optional deferral mechanics .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Role | Committee Positions | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| — | — | — | No current other public company boards listed for Buch |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Senior leadership across consumer products and electronics (CEOs of UMA Enterprises, Lynx Grills; interim CEO, SunBrite TV) .
- Advisory/consulting experience supporting growth, restructuring, and business model assessments .
- Education: Bachelor’s; MBA, California State University–Fullerton .
Equity Ownership
| Category | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Total beneficial ownership (Class A) | 33,457 | Includes direct and deferred stock units |
| Direct shares | 5,272 | Held directly |
| Deferred stock units (fully vested) | 28,185 | Payable on a deferred basis |
| Ownership as % of combined voting power | <1% | Individual combined voting power denoted as less than 1% |
| Pledging/Hedging | Company prohibits hedging/derivatives and pledging (except limited CFO-approved exception) | Applies to directors, officers, employees |
Governance Assessment
- Board effectiveness: Buch serves on two core governance committees (Audit; Nominating & Governance) with high meeting cadence in FY2025 (Audit 17; N&G 5), supporting oversight rigor in financial reporting and board composition . Attendance thresholds were met across directors, indicating engagement .
- Independence and conflicts: Buch is affirmed independent; proxy discloses related-party considerations for other directors (e.g., supplier ties for Cook) but no related party transactions or LLC unit-related arrangements are disclosed for Buch, and tax receivable agreement payments to related persons were not made since July 1, 2024 .
- Compensation alignment: Director pay mixes cash retainers with fully vested annual equity; Buch’s FY2025 compensation was $72,000 cash and $109,969 equity (deferred units optional), with no unvested director equity outstanding—moderate equity exposure supporting alignment without time-based overhang .
- Risk indicators & red flags: No disclosed hedging or pledging by Buch; firm-wide prohibitions mitigate misalignment risk . No disclosed related-party transactions, legal proceedings, or attendance shortfalls tied to Buch . Use-of-boat perquisite is disclosed and structured to enhance product familiarity; director bears operating costs .
Overall signal: Independent, multi-sector operating expertise, active committee participation, clean conflicts profile, and transparent/standard director compensation structure bolster investor confidence in board oversight quality .