Christine Helmig
About Christine Helmig
Christine M. Helmig (Age 55) is an independent director of Meridian Corporation (MRBK). She is Managing Director at Maximus Partners, LLC (CFO advisory), and previously served 16 years at the Hankin Group, including 10 years as CFO; earlier roles include partner in an accounting firm, and accountant roles at Elko, Fischer, McCabe & Rudman and KPMG . The Board classifies Helmig as independent under SEC and Nasdaq rules .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hankin Group (real estate development, construction, property management) | CFO; later Executive Advisor | 16 years total; CFO for 10 years | Financial leadership; long-tenure operating finance experience |
| Boylston, Rothman and Helmig, LP (CPA firm) | Partner | Not disclosed | Specialized in business and individual taxation and attest services |
| Elko, Fischer, McCabe & Rudman | Senior Accountant | Not disclosed | Accounting/attest experience |
| KPMG, LLP | Staff Accountant | Not disclosed | Foundational audit/accounting experience |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maximus Partners, LLC | Managing Director | Current | Provides CFO advisory services to middle-market companies |
| Peter’s Place (non-profit) | Board of Directors & Finance Committee | Current | Community engagement; governance oversight in non-profit setting |
| Church Farm School Leadership Council | Advisory Board | Past | Community leadership |
| SEEDCOPA (PA small business loans) | Advisory Board | Past | Credit/SME finance exposure |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Audit Committee member (Chair: Robert T. Holland; members: Holland, Anthony M. Imbesi, Helmig); met 11 times in 2024 .
- Governance & Nominating Committee: comprised of all independent directors; met 10 times in 2024 (Helmig participates as an independent director) .
- Risk Management Committee: includes all independent directors; met 4 times in 2024 (Helmig participates) .
- Attendance: All current directors attended at least 90% of Board and applicable committee meetings in 2024; Board met 12 times .
- Independence: Board determined Helmig meets SEC/Nasdaq independence standards; Board has majority independent directors; Lead Independent Director is Robert T. Holland .
- Governance policies: Anti-hedging and pledging prohibitions; clawback policy; insider trading policy; board self-evaluations and executive sessions chaired by Lead Director .
Fixed Compensation
| Compensation Element | FY 2023 | FY 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Helmig – Fees Earned or Paid in Cash ($USD) | $48,000 | $48,500 |
| Quarterly Board Fee Schedule ($USD) | Amount |
|---|---|
| Retainer (all members) | $10,400 |
| Lead Independent Director | $3,100 |
| Committee Chair | $2,100 |
| Committee Member (non-chair) | $1,600 |
Notes:
- Directors are eligible under the 2016 Equity Incentive Plan, but no director stock options were granted as compensation in 2024 .
- Compensation for directors is set by the Board; employees receive no additional pay for board service .
Performance Compensation
| Metric | FY 2024 |
|---|---|
| Director stock options granted | None |
| RSUs/PSUs to directors | Not disclosed |
| Performance metrics tied to director compensation (TSR, revenue, ESG) | Not disclosed |
| Clawback policy (executive incentive/equity awards) | Adopted Nov 21, 2023; applies to executives; recovers incentive/equity awards upon restatement/material inaccuracies |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- Other public company boards: None disclosed for Helmig in the proxy .
- Non-profit directorship: Peter’s Place (Board & Finance Committee) .
- Potential interlocks/conflicts: General policy permits director lending relationships under Regulation O without affecting independence; aggregate loans to directors/executives/affiliates totaled ~$1.0 million as of Dec 31, 2024 and are made on market terms .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Finance and accounting: Multi-year CFO experience; partner at CPA firm; public accounting training; relevant for Audit Committee duties .
- Community and SME finance exposure: Advisory roles at SEEDCOPA; local community leadership .
- Governance: Active participation across independent committees (Audit, G&N, Risk) .
Equity Ownership
| Item | As of Mar 28, 2025 |
|---|---|
| Helmig beneficial ownership (shares) | 3,266 |
| Helmig beneficial ownership (% of class) | 0.03% |
| Shares outstanding | 11,285,278 |
| Shares pledged/hedged | Prohibited by policy (company-wide anti-hedging/pledging) |
Say‑on‑Pay and Shareholder Feedback
| Item | FY 2024 Vote Counts | FY 2025 Vote Counts |
|---|---|---|
| Say‑on‑Pay (NEO compensation) | For: 7,964,057; Against: 167,326; Abstain: 591,093 | For: 7,170,396; Against: 967,760; Abstain: 24,206 |
| Auditor Ratification (Crowe LLP) | For: 9,514,475; Against: 3,860; Abstain: 16,271 | For: 9,412,384; Against: 60; Abstain: — |
| Director Election Results (Helmig’s most recent election) | For: 8,262,800; Withheld: 459,676 (elected to term expiring 2027) | N/A in 2025 (continued in office) |
Governance Assessment
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Strengths:
- Independent director with deep finance/accounting background and Audit Committee service; Audit met 11 times in 2024, indicating active oversight .
- High engagement (≥90% attendance) and participation on governance and risk committees; Board met 12 times in 2024 .
- Anti-hedging/pledging prohibitions enhance alignment; clawback policy for executives strengthens accountability .
- Strong shareholder support in recent elections and generally supportive say‑on‑pay outcomes (raw counts shown) .
-
Watch items / potential red flags:
- Ownership alignment is modest (3,266 shares; 0.03% of outstanding) .
- No director equity grants in 2024; compensation is predominantly cash; absence of disclosed director stock ownership guidelines limits visibility into alignment requirements .
- Related‑party lending exists at the aggregate level—though on market terms and compliant with Regulation O; no Helmig‑specific loans disclosed .
- Audit Committee financial expert designation is held by Holland (not Helmig), which is fine but indicates Helmig is not the committee’s designated “financial expert” .
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Overall: Helmig’s independent status, audit/governance/risk committee work, and attendance support board effectiveness; alignment could be enhanced through disclosed ownership guidelines or equity components for directors, though policy‑level anti‑hedging/pledging is positive .