Douglas L. Col
About Douglas L. Col
Douglas L. Col (age 60) is an independent director of Proficient Auto Logistics, Inc. (PAL). He served as Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer of Saia, Inc. from January 2020 until May 2024, and previously held senior finance and investment roles across transportation-focused banking and buy-side equities. He holds an MBA from Vanderbilt University (Owen Graduate School of Management) and a Bachelor of Civil Engineering from Georgia Tech, and has served on the PAL Board since the company’s 2024 IPO, with independence affirmed by the Board .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saia, Inc. | EVP & CFO | Jan 2020 – May 2024 | Led finance for national LTL network |
| Saia, Inc. | VP & Treasurer | 2014 – 2020 | Corporate treasury and capital markets |
| Cowen & Company | Director, Transportation IB | 2012 – 2013 | Advised on transportation transactions |
| Wellspring Management | Equity Analyst (Industrial/Transportation) | 2006 – 2011 | Sector coverage and analysis |
| Red Rock Partners | Fund Manager | 2004 – 2006 | Portfolio management |
| Morgan Keegan & Co. | Managing Director, Transportation Equities | ~1994 – ~2004 (10 years) | Research/coverage in transportation equities |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings Inc. (NYSE: KNX) | Director | Current | Diversified freight transportation company |
Board Governance
- Independence: The Board determined Col is independent under Nasdaq and SEC standards .
- Leadership structure: CEO also serves as Board Chair (Richard D. O’Dell); James B. Gattoni is Lead Independent Director .
- Committee assignments (2024–present): Compensation Committee (member), Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee (member). Audit Committee chaired by John F. Schraudenbach; Col is not on Audit .
- Committee activity: Post-IPO 2024 meetings—Audit 7; Compensation 3; Nominating & Corporate Governance 5 .
- Attendance: All directors attended at least 75% of Board and committee meetings in 2024 .
- Policies: Clawback policy in place; hedging and pledging of company stock prohibited; director stock ownership guidelines require 2x annual compensation within 5 years .
| Committee | Role | Chair | Meetings Held (2024) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Audit | N/A | John F. Schraudenbach | 7 |
| Compensation | Member | James B. Gattoni | 3 |
| Nominating & Corporate Governance | Member | Charles A. Alutto | 5 |
Fixed Compensation
| Year | Cash Retainer ($) | Committee Chair Fees ($) | Lead Independent Fee ($) | Equity (RSUs) – Grant Value ($) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 37,500 | 0 (not a chair) | 0 (not lead) | 75,000 | Program: $50,000 annual cash retainer; $75,000 annual equity award; lead +$20k; Audit chair +$15k; Comp/NomGov chair +$10k |
Performance Compensation
- Director equity is time-based RSUs with annual grants vesting at the next annual meeting; no director-specific performance metrics disclosed .
- Company’s 2024 Long-Term Incentive Plan permits performance awards with metrics (plan-level), though none are disclosed for Col.
| 2024 Plan Performance Metrics (examples) | Category |
|---|---|
| Revenue/sales growth; EBITDA; EBIT; EPS; TSR; ROE/ROA; margin (gross/operating); cash flow; market share; working capital; capex; debt levels; stock price; individual performance goals | Plan-enabled metrics (plan-level; not specific to Col) |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- Current public company board: Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings Inc. .
- Compensation Committee interlocks: None disclosed; no insider participation .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Deep transportation sector finance and operations experience spanning corporate CFO/Treasurer roles, investment banking, and buy-side equities .
- Formal education in engineering and business (BCE, MBA), supporting quantitative oversight and strategic planning .
Equity Ownership
| As of | Shares Held | RSUs Vesting Within 60 Days | Total Beneficial Ownership | Ownership % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 31, 2025 | 29,125 | 5,000 | 34,125 | <1% |
- Ownership guidelines: Minimum 2x annual director compensation within five years; directors restricted from selling compensation shares prior to meeting threshold .
- Hedging/pledging: Prohibited by insider trading policy .
Insider Trades (Form 4)
| Filing Date | Transaction Date | Type | Security | Quantity | Price ($) | Post-Transaction Holdings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-05-14 | 2025-05-13 | M-Exempt (conversion) | Common Stock | 5,000 | 0.00 | 34,125 |
| 2025-05-14 | 2025-05-13 | A (award) | RSUs | 9,135 | 0.00 | 9,135 |
| 2025-05-14 | 2025-05-13 | M-Exempt | RSUs | 5,000 | 0.00 | 0 |
Governance Assessment
- Alignment positives: Independent status; service on key governance and compensation committees; robust policies (clawback; hedging/pledging prohibitions; stock ownership requirements) that promote investor alignment .
- Compensation structure: Balanced mix of cash retainer and annual RSUs; no meeting fees disclosed; chair and lead premiums are reasonable and transparent . 2024 actual: $37,500 cash; $75,000 RSUs; 5,000 RSUs outstanding with time-based vesting .
- Attendance: Meets threshold (≥75%) indicating engagement post-IPO .
- Potential conflicts: No related-party transactions disclosed for Col; related party items center on founder/affiliate entities (e.g., Skiadas, Beggs) tied to 2024 combinations, not Col .
- Signals: RSU conversion on vest date and new RSU grant in May 2025 consistent with program cadence, supporting ongoing alignment without hedging/pledging risks .
RED FLAGS: None identified specific to Col in related-party transactions, hedging/pledging, attendance, or compensation anomalies based on disclosed materials .