Erin Lantz
Meritage HomesAbout Erin Lantz
Erin Lantz (age 45) is an independent Class II director of Meritage Homes (MTH), appointed October 14, 2024, and standing for election at the 2025 Annual Meeting. She is Chief Revenue Officer at Ethos (fintech life insurance) since April 2020, and formerly VP/GM of Mortgages at Zillow Group (2010–2019); she holds a B.A. in PPE from the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from Harvard Business School . She was appointed to MTH’s Audit Committee effective November 21, 2024, replacing Deb Henretta .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ethos (fintech life insurance) | Chief Revenue Officer | Apr 2020–present | Revenue leadership for consumer-facing digital insurance; technology and go-to-market expertise |
| Zillow Group | Vice President & General Manager, Mortgages | Jul 2010–Oct 2019 | Led mortgage platform; digital strategy in real estate finance |
| Bank of America | Senior Vice President (Direct-to-Consumer purchase home loan business) | Not disclosed | Led DTC purchase home loan business; consumer lending operations |
External Roles
| Company | Type | Role | Tenure | Committees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blend Labs (NYSE: BLND) | Public | Director | Jan 2023–present | Chairs Compensation Committee; member Audit Committee |
| TrueCar (NASDAQ: TRUE) | Public | Director | Nov 2016–May 2024 | Board member |
| Washington Federal (NASDAQ: WAFD) | Public | Director | Sep 2016–Aug 2018 | Board member |
Board Governance
- Independence: Board determined all current directors except Executive Chairman Steven J. Hilton and CEO Phillippe Lord are independent; Ms. Lantz is independent .
- Committee assignments: Audit Committee member (effective Nov 21, 2024) .
- Attendance: The proxy states each director attended at least 75% of aggregate Board and applicable committee meetings in 2024; the Board held six meetings. All directors except Lantz and Williams (appointed in Oct 2024 and Jan 2025, respectively) attended the 2024 Annual Meeting .
- Governance processes: Audit Committee oversees financial reporting, internal controls, cybersecurity/data privacy, AI risks, and reviews/approves related party transactions involving directors/NEOs; all members are independent and financially literate .
- Board accountability: MTH is seeking stockholder approval to declassify the Board, phasing into annual elections by 2027, reflecting investor feedback and best practices .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Detail | 2024 Amount (Lantz) |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Board Retainer (cash) | $50,000 for non-employee directors (paid quarterly) | $12,500 cash earned (pro rata following Oct appointment) |
| Committee Member Retainer | $10,000 (Audit/Comp/NGS); Chair retainer $30,000 (Audit/Comp) and $25,000 for NGS (raised to $30,000 in Feb 2025) | Not separately disclosed for Lantz in 2024 detail; total cash shown above |
| Equity Awards (RSUs) | Annual RSUs; typical grant 3,000 RSUs; Lantz received 750 RSUs pro rata; vesting for Lantz on first anniversary of grant (directors appointed after 2019 have one-year vest) | Stock awards fair value $66,630 |
| Reimbursements | Reasonable travel/lodging reimbursements; various directors reimbursed in 2024; no specific amount disclosed for Lantz beyond $5,947 total listed by name set; Lantz reimbursed $5,947 | Included in reimbursements disclosure |
Total 2024 director compensation for Lantz: $79,130 (cash $12,500; stock awards $66,630) .
Performance Compensation
- No performance-based director compensation disclosed; non-employee director pay is primarily equity (time-based RSUs) with cash retainers; stock options are not part of the current program .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Potential Interlock/Adjacency | Observation |
|---|---|
| Ethos (insurance) vs. MTH financial services (mortgage/insurance) | MTH integrates mortgage, title, escrow, and insurance offerings; no related-party transactions disclosed with Ethos; Audit Committee pre-approves any director-related RPTs . |
| External board service limits | MTH limits independent directors to no more than three other public company boards; Lantz serves on one public board (Blend) currently—within policy . |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Domain expertise: Technology, finance/banking, sales and marketing; regulatory/governmental/legal matters highlighted in MTH’s director bio .
- Skills matrix highlights broader Board capabilities across technology/AI, financial, operations, and marketing; Lantz was selected for technology/financial acumen and leadership experience .
Equity Ownership
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Beneficial ownership (as of Mar 27, 2025) | No shares reported; less than 1% ownership |
| Unvested RSUs outstanding (12/31/2024) | 750 RSUs for Lantz |
| Director stock ownership guidelines | Directors: 5× annual board retainer; transitional rules restrict sales until compliance achieved; all officers/directors compliant or under transitional requirements as of 12/31/2024 |
| Hedging/Pledging | Prohibited for directors; none currently pledged |
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent status; Audit Committee membership enhances oversight of financial reporting, cybersecurity/data privacy/AI, and related-party approvals—key for investor confidence . Annual board declassification proposal demonstrates responsiveness to shareholder governance preferences .
- Alignment: Director pay is predominantly equity; RSUs vest within one year for newer directors, aiding near-term alignment; stock ownership guidelines with sale restrictions until compliance support long-term alignment .
- Engagement: Proxy reports ≥75% meeting attendance for all directors and notes her late-2024 appointment; absence from 2024 Annual Meeting reflects timing rather than disengagement .
- Potential watch items (not currently red flags): Minimal reported share ownership as of the record date (consistent with appointment timing and transitional compliance); ongoing executive role at Ethos may warrant monitoring for any future related-party transactions (none disclosed) .
No Section 16 filing delinquencies reported for officers and directors in 2024; supports compliance culture .