H. Wyman Howard
About H. Wyman Howard
Rear Admiral (Ret.) H. Wyman Howard III, age 56, was appointed as an independent director of NextNav Inc., effective May 1, 2025, with his initial term running until the 2025 Annual Meeting . He retired from the U.S. Navy in September 2022 after 32 years, including command of Naval Special Warfare (2020–2022), service as Director of Operations at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (2016), and multiple Joint Special Operations task force commands, with teams earning five Presidential Unit Citations and other unit awards . Howard holds a B.S. from the U.S. Naval Academy, an MBA from the TRIUM program (LSE/HEC Paris/NYU Stern), an M.S. in National Security & Resource Strategy (space focus) from the Eisenhower School, and an MIT CSAIL Professional Certificate in AI & Business Strategy . His leadership experience spans strategic, operational, and tactical levels, with roles equivalent to COO and CEO responsibilities .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Navy | Commander, Naval Special Warfare Command | 2020–2022 | Led NSW; roles equivalent to CEO; recognized for designing irregular deterrence capabilities |
| National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency | Director of Operations | 2016 | Joint/interagency/intelligence leadership; operational oversight |
| U.S. Navy / Joint Special Operations | Commander, Special Operations Joint Task Forces | Multiple tours; incl. first deployments post-9/11 (2001) | Units received five Presidential Unit Citations, a Navy Unit Commendation, four Joint Meritorious Unit Awards |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bridger Aerospace Group Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: BAER) | Director | Current (as disclosed) | Not disclosed |
| Invitation Homes Inc. (NYSE: INVH) | Director | Current (as disclosed) | Not disclosed |
Board Governance
- Independence: The Board determined all nominees except the CEO are independent under Nasdaq rules; this includes Admiral Howard .
- Committee assignments: “Not Applicable” at the time of appointment; no committee assignment disclosed prior to the 2025 Annual Meeting .
- Board leadership: CEO serves as Chair; Lead Independent Director transitioned to John B. Muleta effective May 2025 .
- Attendance: In 2024, the Board held 6 meetings; Audit 4; Compensation 2; Nominating 5. All directors in 2024 attended at least 75% of applicable Board/committee meetings; Howard was not on the Board in 2024 .
- Indemnification: Company will enter into standard indemnity agreements with Howard and Selby upon appointment .
- Policies: Anti-hedging and anti-pledging policy applies to directors; hedging/pledging of company securities prohibited .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Board member cash retainer | $45,000 | Non-employee directors; prorated for partial year |
| Committee membership retainer (per committee) | $5,000 | Cash; prorated |
| Committee chair retainers | Audit Chair: $20,000; Compensation Chair: $10,000; Nominating Chair: $10,000 | In lieu of member fee; prorated |
| Lead Independent Director | $100,000 | Additional cash retainer |
| Meeting fees | None | Travel reimbursed |
| Effective period | May 16, 2024–Annual Meeting 2025 | Structure in effect until next slate elected |
Performance Compensation
| Equity Component | Grant Value | Shares / Price | Vesting | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual equity grant for non-employee directors (2024 cycle) | $150,000 | 17,740 restricted shares; $8.455 per share (20-day avg) | Vest on May 1, 2025, subject to service | Program terms disclosed for 2024 directors; not yet disclosed for 2025 cycle |
| Lead Independent Director supplemental equity (Alan Howe) | $1,012,500 | 125,000 restricted shares | 20% annually each May 1 over five years | Illustrative of board equity structure; not specific to Howard |
- Performance metrics: None disclosed for director equity; awards are time-based service vesting (no revenue/EBITDA/TSR metrics for directors) .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Sector | Relationship to NN | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bridger Aerospace (BAER) | Aerospace / Aerial firefighting | No NN related-party transactions disclosed at appointment | 8-K states no Item 404(a) transactions for Howard |
| Invitation Homes (INVH) | Real estate / SFR | No NN related-party transactions disclosed at appointment | 8-K states no Item 404(a) transactions for Howard |
- Referral: Howard was recommended to the NN Board by director John B. Muleta .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Strategic leadership of complex, high-stakes organizations (NSW Commander; NGA Operations) .
- Space sector strategy focus (Eisenhower School MS) and AI/business strategy certification (MIT CSAIL) .
- Extensive joint/interagency experience and risk management oversight; roles equivalent to COO/CEO .
- Recognized contributions to irregular deterrence capabilities .
Equity Ownership
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Beneficial ownership | Not disclosed for Howard in the Record Date table (March 25, 2025); table lists directors/nominees but does not enumerate Howard’s holdings . |
| Anti-hedging/pledging | Directors prohibited from hedging or pledging NN stock . |
Governance Assessment
- Independence and clean related-party profile: Howard is independent and had no related-party transactions at appointment, supporting investor confidence .
- High-value domain expertise: Defense, geospatial, space, and AI credentials align with NN’s PNT mission and risk oversight needs .
- Compensation alignment: Director pay combines modest cash retainers with equity grants, with anti-hedging/pledging constraints—positive alignment signals; program terms disclosed for 2024 cycle, with 2025 cycle to be determined post-Annual Meeting .
- Engagement to monitor: No committee assignment initially; assess committee placement and 2025–2026 attendance/participation in next proxy cycle .
- RED FLAGS: None disclosed regarding pledging, hedging, related-party transactions, or low attendance; continue monitoring future disclosures for any conflicts or pay anomalies .