Tara Long
EVERSPIN TECHNOLOGIESAbout Tara Long
Tara Long, 57, has served as an independent director of Everspin Technologies (MRAM) since March 2022. She is a seasoned finance and corporate development executive: CFO of Furtuna Skin (2021–2024), Senior Advisor to Dell Technologies (2019–2021) and Smart Global Holdings (Aug–Nov 2021), SVP Strategy & Corporate Development at McAfee (2018–2019), and VP Strategy & Corporate Development at Seagate (2006–2017). She holds an MBA from the University of Maryland and a BA from Marquette University; the Board highlights her finance and strategy expertise, and she is designated an “audit committee financial expert.”
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Furtuna Skin | Chief Financial Officer | 2021–2024 | Led finance for consumer skincare brand |
| Dell Technologies | Senior Advisor | Nov 2019–Aug 2021 | Strategic advisory, large-cap tech |
| Smart Global Holdings | Senior Advisor | Aug 2021–Nov 2021 | Strategic advisory, semiconductor hardware |
| McAfee | SVP Strategy & Corporate Development | Mar 2018–Sep 2019 | Corporate strategy and M&A |
| Seagate Technology | VP Strategy & Corporate Development (various roles) | 2006–2017 | Long-tenured strategy and finance leadership |
External Roles
| Company | Board Role | Committee Positions | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| None disclosed | — | — | MRAM proxy biographies list no other public company directorships for Long |
Board Governance
- Independence: MRAM affirms Long is independent under Nasdaq rules; she serves on committees that require independence.
- Financial expertise: Board identifies Long as an “audit committee financial expert.”
- Attendance and engagement: In 2024, the Board met 7 times; Audit 5, Compensation 4, Nominating & Corporate Governance 4; each director attended at least 75% of applicable meetings; all prior-year directors attended the 2024 annual meeting.
- Executive sessions: Compensation committee meets regularly in executive session; management excluded from CEO pay deliberations.
- Shareholder support: 2025 say-on-pay passed (see Governance Assessment).
Committee assignments by year:
| Committee | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Audit | Member | Member |
| Compensation | Member | Not a member |
| Nominating & Corporate Governance | Chair | Chair |
Fixed Compensation
| Component | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer ($) | $55,000 | $53,625 |
| Nominating & Corporate Governance Chair fee ($) | $7,500 | $7,313 |
| Total cash paid to Long ($) | $62,500 | $60,938 |
Notes:
- No director meeting fees; quarterly cash installments; reimbursement of reasonable out-of-pocket expenses.
Performance Compensation
| Equity Grant | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual RSU grant value ($) | $250,000 initial for new directors; vests 50% on each of first and second anniversaries | $0 for Long (had 2022 initial grant vesting over two years) | ~$125,000 annual RSU; vests monthly over one year |
| Option awards | None | None | None |
Outstanding RSUs and equity status:
| Metric | As of Dec 31, 2023 | As of Dec 31, 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Unvested RSUs (count) | 23,408 | 8,739 |
| Options (exercisable/unexercisable) | None | None |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- No other public company boards disclosed for Long; biography lists operating/advisory roles (Dell, McAfee, Seagate, Smart Global, Furtuna) rather than directorships.
- No related-party transactions involving Long were disclosed for 2023–2024.
Expertise & Qualifications
- Designated audit committee financial expert; financially sophisticated under Nasdaq listing standards.
- Deep finance, corporate strategy, and M&A background across large-cap and cybersecurity/semiconductor ecosystems.
- Education: MBA (University of Maryland); BA (Marquette University).
Equity Ownership
| Metric | Mar 26, 2024 | Mar 25, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Shares owned | 23,408 | 64,293 |
| Shares that may be acquired within 60 days | 23,408 | 3,496 |
| Total beneficial ownership | 46,816 | 67,789 |
| Ownership % of outstanding | <1% | <1% |
| Shares pledged as collateral | None disclosed; company policy prohibits pledging by directors/officers | None disclosed; policy prohibits pledging |
Governance Assessment
-
Strengths:
- Independent director with audit committee financial expert designation; sits on Audit and chairs Nominating & Corporate Governance, aligning with best-practice oversight.
- Consistent engagement: Board/committee activity and ≥75% attendance across directors; annual meeting attendance noted.
- Director pay mix balances cash retainer with annual RSUs, aligning incentives with shareholders; Long received $60,938 cash and ~$125k RSUs in 2024.
- No related-party transactions reported; insider policy prohibits hedging, short sales, margin accounts and pledging—reduces alignment risks.
- Shareholder support signals: 2025 say-on-pay approved (For: 9,461,175; Against: 1,722,701; Abstain: 129,962; Broker non-votes: 5,015,046).
- Board diversity context: 29% of directors are women or racially/ethnically diverse.
-
Risk indicators and red flags:
- Administrative lapse: 2024 Section 16(a) review notes one late Form 4 for Tara Long; minor compliance flag without broader implications.
-
2025 director election voting support for Long:
For Withheld Broker Non-Votes 7,945,475 3,368,363 5,015,046
Overall view: Long’s committee leadership and audit financial expertise bolster board effectiveness; compensation structure and ownership are aligned with shareholders, and no conflicts/related-party exposure are disclosed. The single late Form 4 is a minor process issue; broader shareholder signals (say-on-pay approval) and governance practices support investor confidence.