Alan Howe
About Alan Howe
Alan B. Howe (age 63) is an independent director of NextNav Inc., serving since October 2021 after previously serving on the board of Spartacus Acquisition Corp. from October 2020 until the October 2021 business combination closing. He is a co-founder and Managing Partner of Broadband Initiatives, LLC (since 2001), and has held senior roles at Covad Communications (VP Strategic & Wireless Business Development, 2005–2008) and Teletrac, Inc. (CFO and VP Corporate Development, 1995–2011). Howe holds a BS in Business Administration and Marketing from the University of Illinois and an MBA in Finance from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business; he is recognized for extensive capital markets, M&A, and public company governance experience and is designated an audit committee financial expert by the Board.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broadband Initiatives, LLC | Co-founder & Managing Partner | 2001–present | Telecom consulting; corporate finance and governance expertise |
| Covad Communications, Inc. | VP Strategic & Wireless Business Development | May 2005–Oct 2008 | Corporate development in broadband telecom |
| Teletrac, Inc. | CFO & VP Corporate Development | Apr 1995–Apr 2011 | Finance leadership; mobile data/location solutions |
| Sprint Corporation | Executive roles (various) | Not disclosed | Operating and corporate roles in telecom |
| Manufacturers Hanover Trust Company | Executive roles (various) | Not disclosed | Corporate finance roles |
| Spartacus Acquisition Corp. (Nasdaq: TMTS) | Director | Oct 2020–Oct 2021 | Pre-merger SPAC oversight (NextNav business combination) |
| Multiple public company boards (historical) | Director | Various | Boards included SONM, RESN, DAIO, DTRM, UBN, CALL, WYY, PRSS, OESX (over 20 boards) |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Babcock & Wilcox (NYSE: BW) | Director | Current | Serves on Audit Committee |
| San Diego Rescue Mission | Director | Current | Non-profit governance |
Board Governance
- Independence: The Board determined all nominees other than the CEO are independent; Howe meets Nasdaq director independence and audit committee independence requirements.
- Committee assignments (NextNav): Audit Committee (Member); Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee (Member).
- Financial expertise: Board designated Howe as an “audit committee financial expert” under Item 407(d)(5).
- Lead Independent Director: Served as Lead Independent Director since May 2024; Board elected John B. Muleta to assume the role effective May 2025.
- Attendance and engagement: In 2024, each director attended at least 75% of Board and applicable committee meetings; Howe attended the 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. Board held 6 meetings; Audit 4; Compensation 2; Nominating 5.
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Board Annual Retainer (non-employee) | $45,000 | Effective May 16, 2024 through next election; prorated if partial year |
| Committee Member Retainer (per committee) | $5,000 | Paid to each committee member; prorated |
| Committee Chair Retainers | Audit Chair $20,000; Compensation Chair $10,000; Nominating Chair $10,000 | In lieu of member retainer |
| Lead Independent Director Retainer | $100,000 | Additional retainer for Lead Independent Director |
| Alan B. Howe – Cash Fees Earned (2024) | $77,500 | Actual cash fees paid; directors first quarter in restricted shares, remainder in cash |
| Alan B. Howe – Stock Awards (2024 grant-date fair value) | $1,179,020 | Aggregate grant-date value of director equity awards in 2024 |
| Alan B. Howe – Total Director Compensation (2024) | $1,256,520 | Sum of cash fees and stock awards |
Performance Compensation
- Directors do not receive performance-based bonuses; equity is time-based restricted stock (no revenue/EBITDA/TSR metrics).
| Equity Award | Grant Date | Shares | Grant-Date Fair Value | Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Director Restricted Shares | May 17, 2024 | 17,740 | $143,694 | Vests May 1, 2025 (time-based) |
| Lead Independent Director Restricted Shares | May 17, 2024 | 125,000 | $1,012,500 | 20% vests each May 1 over 5 years (time-based) |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Exchange/Ticker | Role | Committee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Babcock & Wilcox | NYSE: BW | Director | Audit Committee member |
| San Diego Rescue Mission | N/A | Director | N/A (non-profit) |
- No related-party interlocks or transactions disclosed involving Howe at NextNav. Related party transactions in 2025 involved Fortress and a Subin-affiliated entity; Howe is not named.
Expertise & Qualifications
- Capital markets, M&A, and corporate governance experience across large corporates, start-ups, small caps, and turnarounds; broad exposure to complex business situations.
- Audit Committee financial expert designation; financial literacy and sophistication per Nasdaq/SEC standards.
- Education: BS, University of Illinois; MBA (Finance), Indiana University Kelley School of Business.
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Shares Beneficially Owned | % of Outstanding | Composition Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alan B. Howe | 215,957 | <1% | 173,217 common shares; 42,740 restricted shares scheduled to vest within 60 days of Record Date (likely May 1, 2025 tranche includes 25,000 LID grant + 17,740 annual grant) |
- Anti-hedging and anti-pledging: Company policy prohibits hedging and pledging of securities by directors, officers, employees, and related persons.
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent status; audit committee financial expert; active committee service (Audit and Nominating); prior Lead Independent Director role enhances board oversight; solid attendance. These factors support board effectiveness and investor confidence.
- Alignment: Material equity grants (annual and LID-specific) are time-based, fostering ownership and long-term alignment; beneficial ownership disclosed; anti-hedging/pledging policy reinforces alignment.
- Compensation optics: 2024 stock awards of $1.179M for Howe are notably higher than standard director annual grants due to the 125,000-share LID grant; while time-based, investors should monitor for pay-to-responsibility balance versus workload/impact.
- Conflicts/related party exposure: No related-party transactions disclosed involving Howe; Audit Committee oversees related party approvals and risk management.
- Signals to monitor: Transition of Lead Independent Director role to John B. Muleta effective May 2025 may shift board dynamics; continued audit/nominating contributions by Howe remain key to oversight quality.