Julie Courkamp
About Julie Courkamp
Julie A. Courkamp (age 45) is Director, Chief Operating Officer of First Western Financial, Inc. (FWFI) and President of First Western Trust Bank (FWTB). She joined FWFI in 2006 as Controller, became Director of Finance & Accounting in 2010, served as Treasurer and CFO from 2013 through September 2023, was appointed COO in February 2022, and promoted to President of FWTB in August 2023; she has served on FWFI’s Board since February 2021. She holds a B.S. in Accounting from the University of Colorado Boulder, and previously worked at PwC in Denver focused on SEC reporting and audits of public/private companies . Company performance in 2024 showed improved book value per share ($26.10 vs $25.33), net income ($8.5M vs $5.2M, +62.2%), diluted EPS ($0.87 vs $0.54), and sharply reduced non‑performing loans ($12.8M vs $50.8M), with the proxy citing sustained outperformance in TSR over the past five years .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Western Financial, Inc. | Controller | 2006–2010 | Established accounting controls and reporting foundation |
| First Western Financial, Inc. | Director of Finance & Accounting | 2010–2013 | Led finance function and reporting enhancements |
| First Western Financial, Inc. & First Western Trust Bank | Treasurer & Chief Financial Officer | 2013–Sep 2023 | Oversaw corporate finance, capital planning, and reporting for bank and holding company |
| First Western Financial, Inc. & First Western Trust Bank | Chief Operating Officer | Feb 2022–present | Leads operations across bank, mortgage, trust and investment businesses, plus finance, HR, legal/governance, risk, and compliance |
| First Western Trust Bank | President | Aug 2023–present | Drives bank strategy and execution; improved mortgage strategy/profitability |
| PwC (Denver) | Senior roles in audit/SEC reporting | Pre-2006 | SEC reporting research; supervised audits and quarterly reviews |
External Roles
- None disclosed for public company boards or other external directorships .
Fixed Compensation
| Metric | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Base Salary ($) | $350,000 | $368,375 |
| Target Bonus (% of base) | 40% (COO target) | 40% (COO target) |
| STI Target ($) | Not disclosed for 2023 | $148,400 |
| STI Paid ($) | $142,800 | $161,200 |
| STI Achievement (% of target) | Not disclosed | 109% |
| Other Compensation ($) | $10,790 | $11,990 |
Notes:
- 2024 individual payout opportunity ranges: Threshold 20%, Target 40%, Max 80% of base for COO .
- Perquisites: 401(k) match ($10,350), HSA match ($800), cell phone reimbursement ($840) in 2024 .
Performance Compensation
2024 Short-Term Incentive (STI) Structure and Outcomes
| Metric | Weighting (COO) | Target | Actual | Payout Impact | Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gross Revenues | 30% | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Included in 109% overall payout | Cash, annual |
| Operating EPS | 20% | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Included in 109% overall payout | Cash, annual |
| Operating PTPPNI | 20% | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Included in 109% overall payout | Cash, annual |
| Qualitative Factors | 30% | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Included in 109% overall payout | Cash, annual |
| Total STI | — | $148,400 | $161,200 | 109% | — |
STI clawback applies to incentive-based compensation upon specified restatements per policy .
Long-Term Equity Awards (Grant Mix and Mechanics)
| Element | 2024 Grant | Vesting | Performance Metric |
|---|---|---|---|
| RSUs (time-based) | 6,637 units | 20% per year over 5 years | N/A (time-based) |
| PSUs (performance-based target) | 6,637 units | 3-year performance + 2-year service (5 years total) | Average Operating EPS over performance period |
PSU Achievement History/Forecast:
| Performance Period Start | End | Vest Date | Achievement % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/1/2021 | 12/31/2023 | 12/31/2025 | 55% |
| 1/1/2022 | 12/31/2024 | 12/31/2026 | 0% |
| 1/1/2023 | 12/31/2025 | 12/31/2027 | 0% (estimated) |
| 1/1/2024 | 12/31/2026 | 12/31/2028 | 100% (estimated) |
Equity Ownership & Alignment
Beneficial Ownership (as of 4/11/2025 record date)
| Holder | Shares Held | Options Exercisable ≤60 days | RSUs Settling ≤60 days | Total Beneficial Ownership | % Outstanding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Julie A. Courkamp | 31,351 | 3,000 | 5,116 | 39,467 | <1% |
- Stock ownership guidelines: COO must hold 4× base salary in FWFI stock within 5 years; non-compliant executives limited to selling up to 50% of net shares from awards until compliant .
- Hedging/pledging: Directors/executives are prohibited from hedging or pledging FWFI securities (limited exceptions require pre-approval); short sales and derivatives also prohibited .
Outstanding Equity Awards (as of 12/31/2024)
| Grant Date | Time-Based RSUs Unvested (#) | PSUs Unearned Target (#) |
|---|---|---|
| 5/1/2020 | 1,001 | 7,506 |
| 11/18/2020 | 1,431 | 4,076 |
| 5/3/2021 | 1,558 | 2,144 |
| 5/2/2022 | 1,810 | — |
| 11/2/2022 | 227 | — |
| 5/1/2023 | 5,322 | 6,652 |
| 5/1/2024 | 6,637 | 6,637 |
Options:
- 3,000 options exercisable at $25.00 per share expiring 12/23/2025 .
Employment Terms
Employment Agreement
- Evergreen term: auto-renews in successive one-year terms unless notice given ≥90 days before renewal .
- Minimum base salary: ≥$300,000; eligible for annual incentive under the Cash Incentive Plan; participates in stock-based/long-term incentives per Compensation Committee .
- 2024 base salary: $368,375 .
Severance and Change-in-Control (CIC) Economics (Amended Apr 26, 2023)
| Trigger | Cash Severance | Equity | Benefits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Termination without “cause” or resignation for “good reason” before or >24 months post‑CIC | 1× “base amount” (base salary at termination + greater of target bonus at termination or average bonus over prior 3 years) | Prorated vesting; performance conditions based on performance as of termination | COBRA premiums up to 18 months |
| Double‑trigger CIC (termination within 24 months post‑CIC) | 2× “base amount” (Courkamp) | Full vesting of all outstanding equity; performance deemed at target | COBRA premiums per agreement |
Clawback: Company policy requires recovery of excess incentive-based compensation after certain restatements (Nasdaq 10D compliant) . 2025 Omnibus Incentive Plan embeds double‑trigger vesting on CIC, 1‑year minimum vesting for most awards, prohibits repricing, and has no tax gross‑ups on CIC vesting .
Board Governance
- Board service: Director since 2021 .
- Independence: Board determined Courkamp (and Wylie) are not independent; all other directors are independent under Nasdaq rules .
- Committee memberships: Audit Committee (Caponi, Latimer, Robinson), Compensation Committee (Caponi, Duncan, Hamill), Governance Committee (Latimer, Mitchell, Smith, Zimlich); Courkamp is not listed on any committee .
- Board leadership: Combined Chairman/CEO role (Wylie), Lead Independent Director (Zimlich) with defined responsibilities; active, independent committee chairs .
- Board meetings/attendance: Board met five times in 2024; each director attended ≥75% of Board and applicable committee meetings .
- Director compensation: Employee directors do not receive compensation for Board service; non‑employee directors receive cash retainers/meeting fees and RSUs (annual board retainer $45,000 including $25,000 RSUs) .
Director Compensation (Courkamp)
- As a management director, Courkamp does not receive separate director fees or RSUs for Board service .
Compensation Committee Analysis
- Composition: Caponi, Duncan, Hamill (chair) – all independent and non‑employee directors .
- Consultant: Alvarez & Marsal engaged in 2024 for peer group, benchmarking, plan design; committee assessed no conflicts; peer group (15 banks) disclosed .
- Say‑on‑Pay feedback: 2024 advisory vote ~67% approval; Committee enhanced disclosures, clarified STI metrics/weightings, disclosed PSU performance history/expectations, peer group, and benchmarking approach .
Performance & Track Record
- 2024 company metrics improved: net income $8.5M (+62.2% YoY), diluted EPS $0.87 (+61%), book value/share $26.10 (vs $25.33), tangible book value/share $22.83 (vs $22.01), non‑performing loans reduced to $12.8M (from $50.8M) .
- Individual contributions noted for 2024 awards: Courkamp drove firm-wide efficiency initiatives, technology and data reporting enhancements, improved mortgage strategy/profitability, and investment decision-making/process rigor .
Equity Ownership & Alignment Commentary
- Ownership: 39,467 shares beneficially (direct/derivative), <1% outstanding; includes 3,000 vested options and 5,116 RSUs settling within 60 days .
- Alignment levers: 50/50 RSU/PSU LTI mix; 5‑year vesting cadence; Operating EPS PSU metric; stock ownership guideline at 4× salary; hedging/pledging prohibited; clawback in place .
Vesting Schedules & Insider Selling Pressure
- Upcoming RSU vest tranches: Each grant vests 20% annually over 5 years (e.g., 2024 RSUs: 6,637 over 2025–2029) .
- PSU outcomes affect supply: 2022 PSU cycle (ending 12/31/2024) did not vest (0% achievement), limiting near‑term PSU share delivery; 2021 cycle expected at 55%, 2023 at 0%, 2024 at 100% (estimates) .
- Policy mitigants: Ownership guidelines restrict net share sales if below target; hedging/pledging prohibitions reduce forced sales risk .
Employment & Contracts (Retention Risk)
- Evergreen terms and market‑aligned severance provide stability; outside CIC, cash severance is 1× base amount; double‑trigger CIC elevates to 2× and accelerates equity at target, supporting retention through transaction uncertainty .
- Non‑compete specifics for Courkamp not disclosed; Wylie’s non‑compete extended to two years (context) .
Compensation Structure Analysis
- Cash vs equity mix: 2024 total comp $713,359 with stock awards $224,994 and STI $108,000, highlighting equity as a substantial portion of pay .
- RSU vs PSU: Balanced 50/50 mix; shift to PSUs in 2024 to reinforce pay‑for‑performance; PSU outcomes variable (0–150%) based on Operating EPS .
- STI design: Clear metric weightings (Revenues, Operating EPS, PTPPNI, Qualitative); disclosed target/achievement for NEOs; clawback applies .
Related Party Transactions & Red Flags
- Director independence: Courkamp is not independent (dual management/director role); mitigated by Lead Independent Director and independent committees .
- Say‑on‑Pay: 67% approval in 2024 indicates mixed shareholder support; Committee responded with program/disclosure changes .
- Repricing/gross‑ups: Plan prohibits repricing and tax gross‑ups on CIC vesting; one‑year minimum vesting added (best‑practice features) .
Compensation Peer Group (Benchmarking)
Peer banks used for 2024 benchmarking included Alerus Financial, Blue Ridge Bankshares, Capital Bancorp, Coastal Financial, CapStar Financial, First Business Financial Services, Financial Institutions, Greene County Bancorp, First Foundation, Mid Penn Bancorp, National Bank Holdings, Peapack‑Gladstone Financial, Univest Financial, Washington Trust Bancorp, West Bancorporation .
Say‑on‑Pay & Shareholder Feedback
- 2024 advisory vote ~67% in favor; shareholder outreach covered holders representing ~39% of outstanding shares; feedback led to enhanced STI/PSU disclosure and peer group transparency .
Expertise & Qualifications
- BS Accounting (University of Colorado Boulder); extensive finance and operational leadership across bank/trust/investment/mortgage; PwC audit/SEC reporting background . Executive responsibilities span operations, finance, HR, legal/governance, risk, and compliance .
Board Service History and Committee Roles
- Board service: Director since 2021; not independent; no committee memberships listed; Board met 5 times in 2024 with ≥75% attendance per director; Lead Independent Director: Joseph C. Zimlich; Combined Chairman/CEO structure affirmed by Board with governance counterbalances .
Investment Implications
- Alignment: Strong due to stock ownership guidelines (4× salary), clawback, 50/50 RSU/PSU mix, and no hedging/pledging—supports shareholder alignment and discourages short‑termism .
- Retention: Evergreen contract and market‑aligned severance (1× base amount outside CIC; 2× with double‑trigger CIC and equity acceleration) reduce turnover risk, especially around strategic events .
- Performance sensitivity: PSU reliance on Operating EPS creates leverage to execution; recent PSU cycle (2022) at 0% underscores performance discipline; future PSU outcomes mixed (55% for 2021 cycle; 0% est. for 2023; 100% est. for 2024) .
- Governance watch‑items: Non‑independent director status and combined Chair/CEO necessitate continued reliance on lead independent director and committee independence; 2024 say‑on‑pay at 67% signals investor scrutiny of pay/performance linkage despite enhanced disclosure .
- Trading signals: Five‑year vesting cadence and ownership policy constraints suggest measured selling pressure from RSU deliveries; absence of PSU vesting in 2024 (0%) limits incremental supply; pledging/hedging prohibitions reduce forced selling risk .