Laura Durr
NETGEARAbout Laura J. Durr
Independent director since 2020; age 64. Chair of the Audit Committee and member of the Cybersecurity Committee; designated by the Board as an “audit committee financial expert.” Former EVP & CFO of Polycom; prior finance leadership at Lucent, International Network Services, and six years at Price Waterhouse; B.S. in Accounting from San Jose State University; former CPA.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polycom, Inc. | EVP & Chief Financial Officer | May 2014 – July 2018 | Senior financial leadership through acquisition by Plantronics (now Poly) |
| Polycom, Inc. | SVP – Worldwide Finance; Chief Accounting Officer; Worldwide Controller | 2004 – 2014 | Global finance oversight |
| Lucent Technologies | Executive roles in finance/administration | Not disclosed | Telecom finance leadership |
| International Network Services | Executive roles in finance/administration | Not disclosed | Infrastructure services finance leadership |
| Price Waterhouse LLP | Auditor | Six years | Public accounting experience |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Public/Private | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xperi Inc. | Director | Public | Current public board service |
| Owlet, Inc. | Director | Public | Current public board service |
Board Governance
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Independence | Independent director; Board states all directors other than CEO are independent under Nasdaq and SEC rules |
| Committee Assignments | Audit (Chair), Cybersecurity (Member) |
| Financial Expert | Board determined Ms. Durr is an “audit committee financial expert” |
| Board Meetings (2024) | Board held 11 meetings; all directors attended ≥95% of Board/committee meetings; all directors attended the 2024 Annual Meeting |
| Committee Meetings (2024) | Audit 11; Cybersecurity 4 |
| Lead Independent Director / Chair | Independent Chairman (Thomas H. Waechter) in 2024; independent leadership structure; independent directors meet regularly without management |
| Years on Board | Director since 2020 |
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Board Cash Retainer | $50,000 | Standard for non-employee directors |
| Audit Committee Member | $15,000 | Annual cash retainer |
| Audit Committee Chair (additional) | $20,000 | Annual cash retainer |
| Cybersecurity Committee Member | $10,000 | Annual cash retainer |
| Ms. Durr – Cash Fees (FY2024) | $95,000 | Sum consistent with her roles (Board + Audit Member + Audit Chair + Cybersecurity Member) |
Performance Compensation
| Award | Grant Date | Units/Value | Vesting/Terms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual RSU grant | May 30, 2024 | 14,619 RSUs; grant-date fair value $199,988 | Vests entirely at the 2025 Annual Meeting |
| Director equity framework | — | Annual RSU valued at $200,000 / closing price at Annual Meeting (rounded down) | Annual grants; one-year vest at following Annual Meeting |
No director stock options or performance-based equity reported for directors in 2024; all directors had no options outstanding as of 12/31/2024.
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Other public company boards | Xperi Inc.; Owlet, Inc. |
| Compensation & Talent Committee interlocks | None; no interlocks or insider participation disclosed |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Financial leadership as public-company CFO (Polycom) and multi-decade finance roles; former CPA; B.S. in Accounting (San Jose State) .
- Board-designated audit committee financial expert; deep operational, cybersecurity, and strategic experience relevant to NTGR’s technology profile .
Equity Ownership
| Measure | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Beneficially owned shares | 32,454 | As of March 31, 2025 |
| RSUs outstanding (unvested) | 14,619 | As of December 31, 2024 |
| Total beneficial ownership (shares + underlying equity awards per table) | 47,073 | As of March 31, 2025 |
| Director stock ownership guideline | $250,000 minimum (5× $50,000 cash retainer) | All directors in compliance as of 12/31/2024 |
| Hedging/pledging policy | Prohibited for directors/officers; derivatives also prohibited |
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent Audit Chair; designated audit financial expert; high attendance; active Audit (11 meetings) and Cybersecurity oversight; clear director ownership guideline with reported compliance; prohibition on hedging/pledging; no related-party transactions disclosed for 2024. These factors support investor confidence in board oversight and alignment.
- Context: 2024 say‑on‑pay support was ~71% (lower than historical average), with company attributing impact to unique CEO transition; board cites ongoing engagement and transparency—relevant for overall governance environment though not specific to Durr’s pay.
RED FLAGS
- None disclosed specific to Ms. Durr: no related-party transactions; no director option repricing; no hedging/pledging; strong attendance. Continue monitoring aggregate board workload given multiple public boards, though attendance and committee activity were strong in 2024.