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William L. Ballhaus

Chairman of the Board, President, and CEO at MERCURY SYSTEMS
Board
Since August 15, 2023
Age
57 years
Education
Earned a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California, Davis; Master’s and Doctorate degrees in Aeronautics and Astronautics from Stanford University; and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the Anderson Graduate School of Management at UCLA.
Tenure
Joined the Board of Directors as a non-employee director in 06-2022, was appointed interim President and CEO on 06-24-2023, became President and CEO effective on 08-15-2023, and assumed the role of Chairman of the Board in October 2023.

Also at MERCURY SYSTEMS

CRWI
Charles R. Wells, IV
Executive Vice President and COO
DEF
David E. Farnsworth
Executive Vice President and CFO
SHK
Stuart H. Kupinsky
Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer, and Corporate Secretary

About

William L. Ballhaus is a seasoned executive with extensive leadership experience in the aerospace, defense, and technology industries. He has led multiple organizations through significant operational transformations and has built a strong track record in corporate governance and business strategy.

At Mercury Systems, he joined as a non-employee director in June 2022, then quickly moved through key leadership roles by being appointed interim President and CEO on June 24, 2023, and later becoming both President and CEO on August 15, 2023, before assuming the role of Chairman of the Board in October 2023.

Outside of his current role at Mercury Systems, his career has included leading roles as CEO and Chairman at Blackboard, Inc., and significant responsibilities at SRA International, Inc., DynCorp International, BAE Systems, Boeing, and Hughes. His wide-ranging experience underscores a professional journey marked by strategic vision and impactful leadership.

$MRCY Performance Under William L. Ballhaus

Past Roles

OrganizationRoleDate RangeDetails
Mercury Systems (MRCY)Interim President and CEOJune 24, 2023 - August 15, 2023 Held as interim before assuming the permanent role
Mercury Systems (MRCY)Non-Employee DirectorJune 2022 - Transitioned Served on the Board prior to assuming current executive roles
Blackboard, Inc.Chairman and CEO2016 - 2021 Led the company until its merger with Anthology
SRA International, Inc.CEO and President2011 - Creation of CSRA Inc. Oversaw the company until its merger with CSC’s U.S. public sector business
DynCorp InternationalCEO and President2008 - 2010 Led the aerospace and defense contractor
BAE Systems, Boeing, and HughesSenior Leadership RolesN/A Managed global government and commercial technology businesses

Fixed Compensation

Data from  FY 2024
Component NameAmountPayment ScheduleAdditional Details
Base Salary$950,000AnnualEstablished under the employment agreement effective retroactive to July 1, 2023.
Employer Contributions to 401(k) Plan$20,700As incurred during the fiscal yearComponent of All Other Compensation.
Personal Tax and Financial Planning Allowance$12,000As incurred during the fiscal yearComponent of All Other Compensation.

Performance Compensation

Data from  FY 2024

Annual Incentive Plan (AIP) Metrics

MetricWeightThresholdTargetMaximumPayout FactorAdditional Details
Adjusted EBITDA50%$157.3M $185.0M $212.8M 50%-150%Linear interpolation used for payouts; below threshold results in 0% payout.
Adjusted Free Cash Flow35%$61.6M $88.0M $114.4M 50%-150%Evaluated over the fiscal period with similar interpolation methods.
Revenue15%$900.0M $1,000.0M $1,150.0M 50%-150%Performance thresholds set to drive revenue growth.

Bonus Details

  • Base Salary: $950,000.
  • Target Bonus Percentage: 150% of base salary, resulting in a Target Bonus Amount of $1,425,000.
  • Payout Adjustment: Executives, including Mr. Ballhaus, received payouts at 40% of their target bonus for fiscal 2024 due to financial challenges despite improved second-half performance.
  • Evaluation Period: Fiscal 2024.

*This performance compensation structure leverages measurable financial metrics with set thresholds, targets, and maximums, using linear interpolation for payout calculations. All metrics and bonus components directly tie to company financial performance during the fiscal year. *