Martin Roper
MGP INGREDIENTSAbout Martin Roper
Independent Group B Director at MGP Ingredients (appointed April 14, 2025; age 61). Currently CEO of The Vita Coco Company, Inc.; previously President and CEO of The Boston Beer Company (1999–2018 in senior roles, CEO 2001–2018). Recognized by the Board as an Audit Committee Financial Expert. Independent under Nasdaq standards; stands for election at the 2025 annual meeting following his April 2025 appointment to fill a vacancy.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Boston Beer Company (NYSE: SAM) | President & CEO; earlier COO/President; VP Manufacturing/Business Dev. | 1994–2018 (CEO 2001–2018) | Drove portfolio expansion (Twisted Tea, Angry Orchard, Truly), supply-chain redesign, >$100M cost-savings, brewery acquisitions/capex to expand capacity. |
| The Vita Coco Company, Inc. | President (2019–2020); Co-CEO (2021–2022); CEO | 2019–present | Led one of 2021’s successful CPG IPOs; record sales/profitability in 2023–2024. |
| Blocksom & Co. | EVP & GM | 1990–1992 | Operational leadership. |
| Steelworks, Inc. (MEG Division) | President | 1992–1994 | Division leadership. |
| Boston Consulting Group | Associate Consultant | 1986–1988 | Strategy consulting. |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fintech | Board Member | 2018–present | Private company board. |
| Bio-Nutritional Research Group, Inc. | Board Member | 2019–2025 | Private company board. |
| LL Flooring Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: LL) | Director | 2006–2024 | Public company board. |
| The Boston Beer Company (NYSE: SAM) | Director | 1999–2018 | Public company board. |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Audit; Human Resources & Compensation; Nominating & Governance. Not a committee chair. The Board has determined Roper is an Audit Committee Financial Expert.
- Independence: Board deems all directors other than the non‑employee Chair (Donn Lux) independent; Roper’s profile lists him as Independent.
- Attendance and engagement: In 2024 the Board met 11x, Audit 8x, HRC 9x, N&G 6x; each then‑serving director attended >75% of applicable meetings. Roper joined in April 2025; 2024 attendance not applicable. Independent directors held 3 executive sessions in 2024.
- Election/tenure: Appointed April 14, 2025 to fill a vacancy; standing for election at the 2025 annual meeting as a Group B director.
- Board leadership: Non‑executive Chair (not independent); independent director leads executive sessions.
Fixed Compensation (Director)
| Component | Amount / Structure | Vesting / Terms | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer (non‑employee director) | $75,000 | Paid quarterly | Standard director retainer. |
| Annual equity award | $90,000 in common stock | Vests immediately on grant | Standard annual award; some directors may elect cash if >10x guideline ownership. |
| Committee chair retainers | Audit $15,000; HRC $10,000; N&G $8,000 | Paid quarterly | Roper is not a chair. |
| Non‑exec Chair retainer | $70,000 | Paid quarterly | Applies to Chair (not Roper). |
| Initial grant for new directors | $90,000 in RSUs (Roper) | Granted April 14, 2025; vests on 2nd anniversary | One‑time onboarding award for Roper and Lopez. |
Performance Compensation (Director)
| Performance Element | Metrics | Weighting/Curve | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| None for non‑employee directors | N/A | N/A | Director equity is time‑vested (no performance metrics). |
Note: MGPI’s performance‑based metrics (Adjusted Operating Income, Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted Basic EPS) apply to executives, not directors.
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Type | Company | Role | Interlock/Conflict Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current public boards | None disclosed | — | No current public company directorships disclosed besides MGPI. |
| Prior public boards | LL Flooring (NYSE: LL) | Director (2006–2024) | Ended 2024; no MGPI interlock disclosed. |
| Prior public boards | Boston Beer (NYSE: SAM) | Director (1999–2018) | No MGPI interlock disclosed. |
| Compensation Committee interlocks (MGPI) | — | — | Company discloses no compensation committee interlocks. |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Food & beverage operator with a track record of portfolio innovation and scaling brands (Twisted Tea, Angry Orchard, Truly; doubled Samuel Adams volume).
- Public company CEO experience (Vita Coco; Boston Beer); led efficiency programs and >$100M cost savings; supply chain redesign cutting wholesaler inventories by ~50%.
- Operations, logistics, M&A, and capital projects leadership; deemed an Audit Committee Financial Expert by the Board.
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Common Shares Beneficially Owned | % Outstanding | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Martin Roper | 0 | <1% | No common stock listed as beneficially owned as of April 14, 2025. |
| RSU grant (director onboarding) | $90,000 value | — | RSUs granted 4/14/2025; vest on 4/14/2027 (two‑year anniversary). |
| Pledging/Hedging | Prohibited | — | Company prohibits hedging/pledging; as of proxy date, no directors/officers had pledged shares. |
| Ownership guideline | 3x annual retainer | 5‑year phase‑in | All non‑employee directors either meet or are in phase‑in; Roper in phase‑in as a new director. |
Governance Assessment
-
Strengths
- Independence and expertise: Roper is independent and qualifies as an Audit Committee Financial Expert—a strong signal for financial oversight quality.
- Broad committee engagement: Service on Audit, HRC, and N&G embeds him across risk, pay, and governance levers, enhancing board effectiveness if workload is managed.
- Alignment features: Mandatory ownership guidelines (3x retainer), immediate‑vest annual equity, and onboarding RSUs promote alignment; hedging/pledging prohibited.
-
Potential watch items
- External CEO commitments: As a sitting CEO of a public company, time demands are material; MGPI policy limits executives to one additional public board without approval, which frames expectations.
- Beneficial ownership: No common shares reported yet (newly appointed); alignment expected to build via onboarding RSUs and ownership guideline ramp.
-
Conflicts/related‑party exposure
- No related‑party transactions involving Roper are disclosed; Audit Committee oversees related‑party reviews.
-
Engagement backdrop
- Board met frequently in 2024 (11 full board; 8 Audit; 9 HRC; 6 N&G) with >75% attendance for then‑serving directors; independent director executive sessions held three times.
- Say‑on‑pay support was strong in 2024 (common >97%, preferred >94%), indicating a generally favorable investor governance climate.
-
RED FLAGS
- None disclosed specific to Roper (no attendance issues, no pledging/hedging, no related‑party transactions, no interlocks).