Edward J. Robbins
About Edward J. Robbins
Edward J. Robbins (age 62) has served as an independent director of Ohio Valley Banc Corp. and The Ohio Valley Bank Company since February 2017. He is President and CEO of Ohio Valley Veneer, Inc. (founded 1990), operating multiple hardwood sawmills in Ohio and Kentucky, and launched Ohio Valley Stave, Inc. in 2015 to supply staves to Speyside Bourbon Cooperage. The Board highlights his on-the-ground perspective from Pike County’s business community as additive to OVBC’s community-first mission .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio Valley Veneer, Inc. | President & CEO | Since 1990 | Operates sawmills in Piketon and Peebles, OH; Greenup, KY |
| Ohio Valley Stave, Inc. | Founder/Operator | Since Fall 2015 | Produces barrel staves for Speyside Bourbon Cooperage (Jackson, OH) |
| Ohio Valley Banc Corp. | Director | Since Feb 2017 | Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee (member) |
| The Ohio Valley Bank Company | Director | Since Feb 2017 | Trust Committee (member) |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio Valley Veneer, Inc. | President & CEO | Private company | Timbering and hardwood cutting across multiple mills |
| Ohio Valley Stave, Inc. | Founder/Operator | Private company | Stave production for bourbon cooperage supply chain |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: OVBC Nominating & Corporate Governance (member); Bank Trust Committee (member). No chair roles disclosed for Robbins .
- Independence: Board determined all directors except Messrs. Miller and Wiseman are independent under Nasdaq Rule 5605(a)(2), which includes Robbins .
- Attendance and engagement: Board held 18 meetings in 2024; each incumbent director attended at least 75% of aggregate Board and committee meetings during their service, and all directors/nominees attended the May 15, 2024 annual meeting. Independent directors meet in executive session as appropriate .
- Lead Independent Director: David W. Thomas continues as LID; independent directors meet in executive session under his leadership .
Fixed Compensation
Director compensation is paid for service at the Bank (not the holding company) and includes monthly fees and an annual retainer; non-employee directors received $750/month and a $22,000 annual retainer in 2024 (employees of a subsidiary receive $350/month). Executive Committee service at the Bank is separately compensated, but Robbins is not listed as an Executive Committee member .
| Component (2024) | Amount ($) |
|---|---|
| Fees Earned or Paid in Cash | $31,000 |
| Change in Pension Value/Deferred Comp Earnings | $12,137 |
| All Other Compensation | $144 |
| Total | $43,281 |
Additional director programs applicable to all directors:
- Director Retirement Plan: benefit generally equals 50% of average fees, payable for up to 240 months at/after age 70; actuarial changes accounted annually .
- Director Deferred Fee Plan: voluntary deferral, distribution after the annual meeting following age 70 at a designated rate (4.99% in 2024) .
- Director Life Insurance: death benefit equals 2× annual director fees, reduced at ages 65/70; terminates upon retirement .
Performance Compensation
- No director equity grants, options, or performance-based awards are disclosed for 2024; the director compensation table shows only cash fees, actuarial changes to the director retirement plan, and minor other comp for Robbins .
- Company-wide note: OVBC has no equity-based compensation plans other than the ESOP (which applies to employees, not independent directors) .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Role | Public/Private | Potential Interlock/Conflict |
|---|---|---|---|
| None disclosed | — | — | No other public company directorships disclosed . |
Related-party exposure:
- OVBC discloses ordinary-course banking transactions and specific related-party items for certain directors (legal retainer to Brent A. Saunders; promissory notes with Brent R. Eastman and David W. Thomas/family), but no related-party transactions are disclosed for Robbins. All disclosed loans met market terms and posed no abnormal risk; Audit Committee ratified the disclosed transactions .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Operating executive with 30+ years in timber, manufacturing, and supply chain, providing regional business insight and customer perspective from Pike County markets .
- Governance contribution: Member of Nominating & Corporate Governance, influencing director selection and board composition .
Equity Ownership
| Metric | Amount |
|---|---|
| Beneficial Ownership (shares) | 5,911 |
| Ownership (% of shares outstanding) | 0.13% (based on 4,711,001 shares outstanding) |
| Shares Pledged as Collateral | None disclosed for Robbins (pledging footnotes reference other holders) |
| Options/Unvested Equity | Company has never granted options; no director equity awards disclosed |
Ownership policies:
- Stock Ownership & Retention Policy requires at least 2,500 shares for directors whose tenure begins after September 21, 2021; Robbins joined in 2017, so he is not subject to this policy .
- Insider Trading Policy: prohibits margin purchases, short sales, and buying/selling puts or calls; hedging generally permitted only with pre-approval and subject to policy controls .
Governance Assessment
- Independence and role: Robbins is an independent director with committee service on Nominating & Corporate Governance (company) and Trust (bank), suggesting involvement in board composition and fiduciary oversight. Attendance and engagement standards were met in 2024 across board and committees .
- Alignment: Robbins directly owns 5,911 shares (0.13%); no pledging disclosed—positive for alignment. He is not subject to the 2021 director ownership guideline due to tenure start date .
- Compensation: Modest, cash-based director pay with actuarial accruals under the Director Retirement Plan; no equity or performance awards—limits pay-for-performance signals but reduces potential for equity-related misalignment .
- Conflicts/red flags: No related-party transactions disclosed for Robbins; company-wide related-party items were limited, market-rate, and Audit Committee-ratified. Insider trading controls prohibit margin/short/options; hedging restricted—reducing alignment risks. No Section 16(a) filing delinquencies reported for directors in 2024 .
- Shareholder sentiment: Say-on-pay support was 79% in May 2024 and again approved in May 2025 (3,129,303 votes for), indicating generally stable governance support environment; not specific to Robbins but relevant board-wide .
RED FLAGS: None disclosed for Robbins regarding attendance, pledging, related-party transactions, or hedging/Section 16 compliance .