Laura Peterson
MICROVISIONAbout Laura Peterson
Laura Peterson, age 65, was appointed to the MVIS Board on July 22, 2025 and simultaneously named Chair of the Nominating & Governance Committee and a member of the Compensation Committee, succeeding retiring director Dr. Mark Spitzer . She previously served as Executive Vice Chair and earlier as CEO of Palladyne AI (NASDAQ: PDYN), and spent two decades at Boeing in senior roles across Commercial Airplanes, International, and Defense; she holds an MBA from Wharton and a BS in Industrial Engineering from Stanford .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Boeing Company (BCA, Boeing International, BDS) | Senior executive roles incl. VP China Business Development; Aircraft Sales; Strategy; Supplier Mgmt.; Government Relations/Homeland Security | 1994–2016 | Served on executive leadership teams for BCA, BCA Production & Supplier Management, BCA Strategy, and Boeing International |
| Palladyne AI (PDYN) | Executive Vice Chair; previously President & CEO (interim and permanent) | 2023–2025 | Led transformational restructuring and strategic pivot leveraging autonomous robotics AI/ML software platform |
| Air Transport Services Group (ATSG) | Independent Director | 2018–Apr 2025 | Guided ATSG through sale to private equity completed in April 2025 |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palladyne AI (NASDAQ: PDYN) | Board Director | Sep 2021–Feb 2025 | Board service preceded executive roles; exited Feb 2025 |
| Palladyne AI (NASDAQ: PDYN) | Executive Vice Chair | Feb 2024–Feb 2025 | Senior operating role post-restructuring |
| Palladyne AI (NASDAQ: PDYN) | President & CEO (interim May–Oct 2023; permanent Oct 2023–Feb 2024) | 2023–2024 | Led strategic pivot initiatives |
| ATSG (NASDAQ: ATSG) | Independent Director | Jun 2018–Apr 2025 | Steadied board governance leading into sale transaction |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments at MVIS: Chair, Nominating & Governance Committee; Member, Compensation Committee (effective July 22, 2025) .
- MVIS states principal committees (Audit, Compensation, Nominating & Governance) are composed of independent directors per Nasdaq and SEC standards . The Board defines independence and annually reviews director relationships; in its latest review, all directors and nominees except the CEO were determined independent .
- Board operations context: In 2024, the Board met seven times and each director attended at least 75% of Board and applicable committee meetings; annual meeting attendance is strongly encouraged (context predates Peterson’s appointment) .
- Compensation Committee utilizes independent advisor F.W. Cook; independence assessed, no conflicts; scope includes peer group, incentive design, and director compensation policy .
Fixed Compensation
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Base cash retainer (non-employee director) | $75,000 | Paid in equal quarterly installments |
| Nominating & Governance Committee Chair fee | $10,000 | Additional cash compensation for chair responsibilities |
| Compensation Committee Chair fee | $15,000 | Not applicable to Peterson; she is a member, not chair |
| Audit Committee Chair fee | $20,000 | Not applicable |
| Board Chair fee | $50,000 | Not applicable |
| Annual equity grant (RSUs) | ~$100,000 value | Share count based on 20-day average price before annual meeting; vests quarterly; pro rata for mid-year start |
| Expense reimbursement | Reasonable travel and out-of-pocket | Standard practice for directors |
For Peterson, the company specified her compensation follows the Director Compensation for 2024 framework in the April 28, 2025 proxy, with pro rata cash and equity due to a July 2025 start .
Performance Compensation
| Metric/Instrument | Details | Vesting/Performance Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Director RSUs | 72,021 RSUs granted July 22, 2025 | Time-based; vest in equal quarterly installments per policy; first vest/settlement of 18,006 shares on Sep 2, 2025 |
| Performance awards (plan capability) | Plan permits performance awards; non-employee director award cap $750,000 value per fiscal year ($1,000,000 initial year) | Performance objectives set at administrator’s discretion; no director-specific performance metrics disclosed |
MVIS director equity is time-based; performance RSUs are an executive program element (no director PRSUs disclosed) .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- Public boards: ATSG (2018–Apr 2025) and PDYN (Sep 2021–Feb 2025) .
- Potential interlocks: MVIS targets autonomous airborne and terrestrial sensor systems across industrial robotics and mobility; Peterson’s prior governance at an air cargo operator (ATSG) and executive role at an autonomy/robotics software firm (PDYN) suggest sector insight rather than direct conflicts. No related-person transactions involving directors over $120,000 since Jan 1, 2024 were reported .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Education: MBA, The Wharton School; BS Industrial Engineering, Stanford; Fellow, Stanford Distinguished Careers Institute .
- Sector expertise: Aerospace, autonomy/robotics, SaaS, transportation/logistics .
- Governance and operating credentials: Executive leadership teams at multiple Boeing divisions; led restructuring/pivot at PDYN; guided ATSG board through sale .
Equity Ownership
| Holding | Quantity | As-of Date | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Common stock | 18,006 shares (post-settlement) | Sep 2, 2025 | |
| RSUs outstanding (initial grant) | 72,021 units at grant | Jul 22, 2025 | |
| Ownership % of common | ~0.007% (18,006 / 244,784,976) | Based on 244,784,976 shares outstanding at Feb 28, 2025 |
- Hedging and pledging: Directors are prohibited from margin accounts and pledging MVIS stock (except to MVIS), and hedging is strongly discouraged; no hedging transactions were approved in the most recent fiscal year .
- Trading in options: Prohibited for directors, officers, employees .
Insider Trades (Form 4 – 2025)
| Transaction Date | Form | Type | Security | Shares | Price | Post-Transaction Ownership | SEC Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 22, 2025 | 3 | Initial statement | — | — | — | — | |
| Jul 22, 2025 | 4 | A – Award | Restricted Stock Units | 72,021 | $0.00 | 72,021 RSUs | |
| Sep 2, 2025 | 4 | M – Exempt (settlement) | Common Stock | 18,006 | $0.00 | 18,006 Common | |
| Sep 2, 2025 | 4 | M – Exempt (settlement) | Restricted Stock Units (disposed) | 18,006 | $0.00 | 0 RSUs for that tranche |
Governance Assessment
- Committee leadership and independence: Immediate appointment as Nominating & Governance Committee Chair and Compensation Committee member places Peterson at the core of board refresh and pay oversight; MVIS stipulates principal committees are composed of independent directors, indicating independence alignment .
- Compensation mix and alignment: Director pay is balanced between cash ($75k base; $10k N&G Chair) and equity (~$100k RSUs), with quarterly vesting that promotes ongoing engagement; no performance-contingent equity is used for directors (a common small-cap practice) .
- Ownership and trading posture: Initial holding is modest (~18k shares), with strict prohibitions on hedging, options trading, and pledging enhancing alignment optics despite small ownership .
- Conflicts and related-party exposure: Company reports no related-person transactions over $120,000 involving directors since Jan 1, 2024; her prior external roles are adjacent to MVIS’ autonomy and mobility markets but do not present disclosed conflicts .
- Board effectiveness context: Active committee reporting, annual charter reviews, and use of independent compensation consultant (F.W. Cook) support governance quality; attendance benchmarks exceeded by incumbent directors in 2024 (pre-appointment context) .
Red flags: None disclosed specific to Peterson. Broader capital strategy includes an authorized share increase proposal, which heightens dilution sensitivity for investors but is not tied to her compensation or role .
