Kumi Walker
M/I HOMESAbout Kumi D. Walker
Independent director of M/I Homes since 2020; age 47. Founder and managing partner of Embedded Services; previously Chief Business Development & Strategy Officer at Root Insurance (2018–2021) and GM of Live Video/Global Head of Platform Business Development at Twitter (2014–2018). Identified as an independent director under NYSE rules with stated expertise in technology, interactive marketing, advertising, business development, and strategic planning .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Embedded Services | Founder & Managing Partner | Not specified | Technology and strategic advisory background leveraged on board |
| Root Insurance, Inc. (NYSE: ROOT) | Chief Business Development & Strategy Officer | Jan 2018 – Oct 2021 | Public-company C-level experience; business development and strategy |
| GM, Live Video; Global Head of Platform Business Development | 2014 – Jan 2018 | Platform BD and media/tech partnerships; interactive marketing |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Equipt Women | Director | Not specified | Board of Directors |
| ORLI Foundation | Director | Not specified | Board of Directors |
| Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) | Board of Trustees | Not specified | Public transit governance; community engagement |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Nominating & Governance Committee (member); no chair roles disclosed .
- Independence: Board determined Walker is independent under NYSE rules; Board requires directors to notify of changes affecting independence .
- Attendance and engagement: In 2024, the Board met four times, and each director attended at least 75% of Board and committee meetings held during their service; independent directors held four executive sessions; all directors attended the 2024 annual meeting except Mr. Böhm .
- Nominating & Governance responsibilities include director nomination, committee composition, governance guidelines, and ESG oversight; the committee met four times in 2024 .
Fixed Compensation (Director)
| Component | Amount | Period/Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Board retainer (non-chair) | $75,000 | 2024; paid quarterly; no meeting fees |
| Committee chair fees | N/A | Walker not disclosed as chair |
| Lead Independent Director premium | N/A | Not applicable to Walker |
| Deferrals | None disclosed for Walker | Director Deferred Compensation Plan available; only Mr. Soll deferred in 2024 |
Performance Compensation (Director)
| Award Type | Grant Date | Units/Shares | Fair Value | Vesting/Settlement | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Director RSUs | May 13, 2024 | 1,622 | $199,879 | Vest on first anniversary; settle in common shares (policy updated in 2025 to settle no later than 2.5 months post-vesting, with deferral option) | Annual director equity grant; aligns interests; time-based (no performance metrics) |
No stock options or PSUs for non-employee directors; director equity is time-based RSUs with dividend equivalents accruing until vesting/settlement .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- Current public-company directorships: None disclosed for Walker .
- Network/interlock observation: Another M/I Homes director, Nancy Kramer, serves as director and Chair of the Compensation Committee at Root Insurance; Walker was ROOT’s CBDO until Oct 2021. No related-party transactions with Root disclosed; note as a potential network tie rather than an active interlock .
Expertise & Qualifications
- C-level technologist with experience in platform development, interactive marketing/advertising, and business development; strategic planning orientation .
- Contributes to Nominating & Governance oversight including board composition, independence, conflicts, and ESG matters; committee oversees ESG reporting/practices .
Equity Ownership
| Metric | As of Mar 19, 2025 | As of Mar 19, 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Total beneficial ownership (shares) | 11,997 | 10,375 |
| Ownership as % of outstanding shares | <1.0% | <1.0% |
| Vested director RSUs (2018 LTIP) | 10,375 | Included in above |
| Unvested director RSUs scheduled to vest | 1,622 (vest on May 13, 2025) | 2,894 (vest on May 10, 2024) |
Citations: 2025 beneficial ownership table and RSU breakdown ; 2024 beneficial ownership table and RSU schedule .
Policy note: Company Insider Trading Policy prohibits hedging, short sales, derivatives, holding in margin accounts, and pledging of company securities, strengthening alignment and reducing risk of collateralized pledges .
Governance Assessment
- Board effectiveness: Participation on Nominating & Governance is additive to governance quality (director nominations, independence, conflicts, ESG oversight); independence confirmed; attendance at least 75% supports engagement .
- Compensation alignment: Director pay mixes cash retainer with annual RSU grants (~$200k at grant), a standard structure in peer groups; no meeting fees; RSUs are time-based, not performance-linked, typical for directors to preserve independence from financial targets .
- Ownership alignment: Holds a modest stake and vested RSUs; policy prohibiting hedging/pledging reduces misalignment risk; no pledging disclosed .
- Conflicts/related-party exposure: No related-person transactions involving Walker disclosed; Audit Committee reviews/approves related-person transactions per policy; only CEO’s family home purchase noted in 2023–2024 period .
- Shareholder signals: Company say-on-pay support remains high (91% in 2024), indicating broad investor confidence in compensation governance; indirect positive governance signal despite being executive-focused .
RED FLAGS
- Potential network tie: Former ROOT executive (Walker) and current ROOT director (Kramer) both on M/I Homes board; no transactions disclosed, but note as informational network link for monitoring .
Overall, Walker’s independent status, governance committee role, and technology/BD background support board oversight capabilities; compensation and ownership structure are conventional and aligned, with no direct conflicts disclosed .