Doug Besch
About Doug Besch
Doug Besch, 43, is OptimizeRx’s Chief Product & Technology Officer (CPTO), effective January 1, 2025; he joined the company in May 2021, previously serving as SVP Product Strategy & Innovation (May 2021) and Chief Product Officer (October 2022). He holds a PharmD and MBA from Creighton University and previously co‑founded Rx Savings Solutions; he also served in product and market access roles at Clarivate/DRG and practiced as a Walgreens pharmacist (2007–2013) . Company performance metrics tied to executive pay in 2024 were revenue and Adjusted EBITDA; OptimizeRx delivered $92.13M revenue and $11.76M Adjusted EBITDA (for bonus calculations) in 2024, while cumulative TSR from a $100 initial investment as of 12/31/2021 stood at $7.82 by 12/31/2024 .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| OptimizeRx | CPTO; previously Chief Product Officer; SVP Product Strategy & Innovation | CPTO effective Jan 1, 2025; CPO Oct 2022; SVP May 2021 | Leads product/platform optimization and now data/partnerships to expand omnichannel network |
| Clarivate (Decision Resources Group) | VP, Payor and Market Access Solutions | Jan 2018 – May 2021 | Led payor/market access solutions across data/analytics to support life sciences commercialization |
| Rx Savings Solutions | Co‑founder & Chief Product Officer | Jan 2012 – Jun 2017 | Built clinical technology/transparency platform to reduce prescription drug costs |
| Walgreens Boots Alliance | Pharmacist (and earlier roles) | 2007 – 2013 | Frontline pharmacy operations experience; informs payer/patient workflows |
External Roles
None disclosed in company filings for public company directorships or external board roles for Mr. Besch .
Fixed Compensation
- Base salary, target bonus, and cash pay details for Mr. Besch are not individually disclosed in the 2025 DEF 14A; the company’s executive bonus plan uses revenue and Adjusted EBITDA metrics (50%/50% weighting) and paid out at 58.9% of target for participants for 2024 based on certified results .
Performance Compensation
Annual cash incentive design and 2024 outcomes (company plan-level; disclosure not itemized for Mr. Besch):
| Element | 2024 Design/Metric | Weighting | Target | Actual/Outcome | Payout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Incentive (Cash) | Revenue | 50% | Set above guidance (numeric target not disclosed) | $92,127,044 | 58.9% of target for participants (certified) |
| Annual Incentive (Cash) | Adjusted EBITDA (ex‑SBC, plus committee adjustments) | 50% | Set above guidance (numeric target not disclosed) | $11,760,615 (for bonus calc) | 58.9% of target for participants (certified) |
- Vesting/timing: Annual performance bonuses are certified pre‑March 15 each year under the 2022 Cash Bonus Plan; the Compensation Committee may apply defined adjustments and discretion within plan parameters .
- Governance: A clawback policy applies to incentive compensation following an accounting restatement; recovery methods include cash and equity award recoupment at the Committee’s discretion .
Equity Ownership & Alignment
- Stock ownership/retention: OptimizeRx requires executive officers to hold stock equal to 2x base salary (CEO 3x) within five years; until achieved, executives must retain 50% of net shares on vest; shares from options and performance-based RSUs do not count toward compliance .
- Hedging/pledging: The Insider Trading Policy prohibits short sales, hedging, margin accounts, options trading, and pledging of company stock by officers and directors .
- 10b5‑1 preclearance and trading windows: Executives are encouraged to use 10b5‑1 plans and must pre‑clear trades; blackout periods generally apply .
- Section 16 compliance: One late Form 4 covering one transaction was reported for Mr. Besch in 2024; the company otherwise states it believes required Section 16 reports were filed timely for covered insiders as noted .
Equity awards to Mr. Besch (disclosed in Forms 4):
| Grant date | Award type | Amount/Terms | Exercise price | Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 08/21/2025 | RSUs | 15,625 units [StockTïtan Form 4 link] | — | 3 equal annual installments beginning 08/21/2026 |
| 08/21/2025 | Stock Options | 35,156 options [StockTïtan Form 4 link] | $16.14 | 3 equal annual installments beginning 08/21/2026 |
| 12/19/2023 (filed as “For: Dec 19”) | RSUs | Number not disclosed in excerpt | — | 3 equal annual installments beginning 12/19/2024 (first anniversary) |
| 10/03/2022 (filed as “For: Oct 03”) | RSUs | Number not disclosed in excerpt | — | 3 equal annual installments beginning 10/03/2023 (first anniversary) |
| 04/24/2024 (Form 4) | RSUs | Grant reported (count not captured in excerpt) | — | Time‑based per award agreement |
| 02/20/2025 (Form 4) | — | Beneficial ownership update (transaction details in filing) | — | — |
| 10/07/2025 (Form 4) | — | Subsequent equity transaction reported | — | — |
- Vesting calendars and potential selling pressure: Based on time‑based schedules, recurring vest dates likely occur near 10/03 annually (for 2022 grant), 12/19 annually (for 2023 grant), and starting 08/21/2026 annually (for 2025 grants), which may create tax‑related selling windows; note that pledging/hedging is prohibited by policy .
Employment Terms
- Individual employment letter or severance terms for Mr. Besch are not disclosed in the 2025 proxy or cited 8‑Ks. OptimizeRx maintains an Executive Severance Plan; 2024 coverage and terms were detailed for named executive officers (CEO/COO/CFO at the time), including salary and bonus multiples and change‑in‑control enhancements, but Mr. Besch was not a named executive officer in 2024 and no filing confirms his participant status .
- Company governance includes: clawback policy for restatements ; prohibitions on hedging/pledging ; executive stock ownership guidelines .
Performance & Track Record
- Strategic scope: As CPTO, Besch oversees product and technology strategy execution, platform enhancements, and now leads data and partnership efforts to expand the company’s proprietary omnichannel network across HCP and DTC audiences .
- Company operating metrics (2024): Revenue $92.13M and Adjusted EBITDA for bonus calculations $11.76M, which informed the company-wide incentive payout calibration at 58.9% of target for participants .
- Investor outcomes context: Pay‑versus‑performance shows the value of a $100 investment as of 12/31/2021 fell to $7.82 by 12/31/2024, underscoring significant share price compression over this period .
Compensation Committee & Governance Context
- Compensation Committee: James Lang (Chair), Lynn O’Connor Vos, Patrick Spangler, Gregory Wasson; responsibilities include executive pay setting, incentive plans, equity plans, severance/change‑in‑control benefits, ownership guidelines, and clawback oversight .
- Consultant: Pearl Meyer supported peer group and benchmarking updates; the 2024 peer set valuation was reduced to reflect lower company market cap .
- Say‑on‑Pay: 2024 vote registered 64.8% support, which management acknowledged as low and pledged ongoing engagement and program evaluation .
Investment Implications
- Alignment: Time‑based RSUs and option grants, stock ownership guidelines (2x salary for executives), prohibitions on hedging/pledging, and a clawback policy support alignment with long‑term shareholders while mitigating risk behaviors .
- Retention and overhang: Multiple unvested tranches (Oct/Dec anniversary grants; Aug 2025 grants) create a retention glidepath for Besch and predictable vesting cadence; option strike at $16.14 sets a clear performance hurdle for realizable option value .
- Near‑term selling pressure: Annual RSU vest dates (around 10/03, 12/19) and future 08/21/2026 vests may spur periodic liquidity events for tax or diversification; note policy constraints and pre‑clearance procedures .
- Pay‑for‑performance linkages: Annual cash incentives tied equally to revenue and Adjusted EBITDA offer transparency on operating priorities; 2024 payout at 58.9% signals discipline amid mixed outcomes, aligning cash pay with execution .
- Governance watch‑items: Company‑level say‑on‑pay support of 64.8% and one late Form 4 for Besch are minor caution flags, warranting ongoing monitoring of program changes and insider transaction hygiene .