Ira Hunt III
About Ira A. Hunt III
Independent director at ePlus inc. (PLUS) since 2014; age 69. Former Chief Technology Officer of the CIA (retired 2013), founder/CEO of Hunt Technology LLC focused on strategic IT, cyber/data security, AI/big data, and cloud computing; prior roles include Managing Director & Cyber Lead at Accenture Federal Services (2016–2020) and Chief Architect at Bridgewater Associates. Education: BS and MS in Civil/Structural Engineering from Vanderbilt University; the Board cites his deep technology, cybersecurity, big data analytics, cloud, and IT architecture expertise .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central Intelligence Agency | Chief Technology Officer | Retired 2013 (28-year intelligence career) | Led technology strategy and architecture for intelligence operations |
| Accenture Federal Services | Managing Director & Cyber Lead | Jul 2016 – Oct 2020 | Cyber leadership for federal clients |
| Bridgewater Associates | Chief Architect | Not disclosed | Enterprise architecture for leading hedge fund |
| Hunt Technology LLC | President & CEO | Founder; current | Strategic IT, cyber/data security, AI/big data, cloud computing |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mission Link | Board of Directors | Non-profit board member |
| VAST Data Federal | Board of Directors | Next-gen solid-state storage company; board member |
| Intel | Public Sector Advisory Board | Advisor on public sector technology |
| Enlightenment Capital | Advisor | Advisory capacity |
| Other public company boards | None | The proxy lists “Other Public Company Directorships: None” |
Board Governance
- Independence: The Board affirmatively determined Hunt is independent under Nasdaq listing standards .
- Committee assignments (FY2025 configuration): Compensation Committee member; Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee member . Committee refresh noted in FY2025; chairs rotated after a director resignation .
- Committee activity: Compensation Committee held 5 meetings; Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee held 5 meetings in FY2025 .
- Board attendance: Board held 7 meetings in FY2025; each director attended at least 75% of Board and applicable committee meetings; all directors then in service attended the 2024 Annual Meeting .
- Board leadership: Chair and CEO roles separated; regular executive sessions of independent directors; Maureen F. Morrison is Board Chair .
Fixed Compensation
| Element | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer | $86,250 | Paid in four quarterly installments |
| Committee chair fees | N/A for Hunt | Chair cash adders: Audit $15,000; Compensation $12,500; Nominating & Corporate Governance $10,000 (paid quarterly) |
Director-specific FY2025 compensation:
| Name | Fees Earned or Paid in Cash | Stock Awards (Grant-Date Fair Value) | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ira A. Hunt, III | $86,250 | $104,929 | $191,179 |
Program notes:
- Annual restricted stock award increased from $86,250 to $105,000 effective Oct 2024 to align with peers; shares determined by dividing $105,000 by the closing price the day prior to grant (rounded down) .
- Directors may elect stock in lieu of cash; such stock is not subject to vesting/forfeiture .
- Stock ownership guidelines: non-employee directors expected to reach 3x annual cash retainer within 4 years; all met or are within phase-in period .
Performance Compensation
Director equity awards (time-based restricted stock; no options or PSUs granted to directors per program disclosure):
| Grant/Transaction | Shares | Vesting/Terms | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Restricted Stock Award 2025 (Form 4 recorded) – 10/01/2025 | 1,478 | Director equity under 2024 Director LTIP; time-based vesting per program; stock awards value reflects contemporaneous price | |
| Annual Restricted Stock Award 2024 – 10/01/2024 | 1,067 | Granted 10/01/2024; vests on the earlier of 10/01/2025 or the next annual stockholder meeting after 10/01/2024; share count derived from program formula ($105,000 / $98.34) and Form 4 | |
| Annual Restricted Stock Award 2023 – 09/25/2023 | 1,353 | Granted under director LTIP; time-based |
Unvested restricted shares outstanding as of 03/31/2025 (director cohort):
| Director | Unvested Restricted Shares |
|---|---|
| Ira A. Hunt, III | 1,744 |
Policies supporting pay-for-performance integrity (company-wide):
- Clawbacks: Dodd-Frank and SOX-compliant recoupment policy; performance awards subject to recovery; stand-alone Recoupment Policy aligned with Nasdaq listing standards .
- Hedging/pledging: Prohibited for insiders; margin/pledging only with pre-approval; all insider trades require pre-approval .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Category | Detail |
|---|---|
| Current public company boards | None (explicitly disclosed) |
| Private/non-profit boards | Mission Link (non-profit), VAST Data Federal; advisory roles at Intel Public Sector Advisory Board and Enlightenment Capital |
| Interlocks/conflicts | Compensation Committee interlocks: none disclosed; no related person transactions involving Hunt in FY2025; only disclosed related-party item concerns CEO’s family employment, approved per policy |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Cybersecurity, data-centric security, big data analytics, AI, cloud computing, strategic IT planning, and IT architecture; former CIA CTO and senior private sector architecture and cyber leadership roles .
- Independence; contributes to Compensation and Nominating & Corporate Governance oversight .
- No public-company directorships; external advisory roles provide technology market insight .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Aggregate Beneficial Shares | % of Outstanding | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ira A. Hunt, III | 26,328 | <1% | Includes 1,744 unvested restricted shares (vested voting rights); record date 07/22/2025; total shares outstanding 26,625,574 |
Recent insider transactions (Form 4):
| Date (Transaction) | Type | Shares Transacted | Post-Transaction Ownership | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10/01/2025 | Award (A) | 1,478 | 27,806 | |
| 10/01/2024 | Award (A) | 1,067 | 26,328 | |
| 09/25/2023 | Award (A) | 1,353 | 25,261 |
Stock ownership guidelines (directors): 3x annual cash retainer within four years; Board reports all directors met or are within phase-in . Insider policy prohibits hedging/short sales and pledging (except limited pre-approved cases) .
Governance Assessment
- Committee effectiveness: Hunt serves on Compensation and Nominating & Corporate Governance—both fully independent committees; Compensation Committee met 5 times and oversees pay philosophy, incentive risk, succession planning, clawbacks, and consultant oversight; Nominating oversees board performance, director comp, and related person transactions .
- Independence and attendance: Independent under Nasdaq; at least 75% attendance in FY2025; Board held 7 meetings; independent executive sessions and separated Chair/CEO enhance oversight .
- Shareholder support signals:
- Director election (Annual Meeting 09/16/2025) votes for Hunt: For 22,386,307; Against 980,652; Abstain 8,446; Broker non-vote 1,048,860 .
- Say-on-pay (2025 Annual Meeting) results: For 20,889,682; Against 2,422,490; Abstain 63,233; broker non-votes 1,048,860; prior year approval ~93.2% .
- Director compensation and alignment: Cash retainer $86,250; equity grant $105,000 with one-year vesting cadence and voting rights on unvested shares; directors may elect stock in lieu of cash to increase skin-in-the-game; ownership guideline compliance reported .
- Conflicts and red flags: No disclosed related-party transactions involving Hunt; hedging/pledging restricted; timely Section 16 filings reported across the company with minor administrative exceptions affecting NEOs only; no poison pill .
- Consultant independence: Pay Governance LLC engaged; Compensation Committee concluded no conflicts; used for peer benchmarking and incentive design .
Board Governance (Election Results – Director-Specific)
| Nominee | For | Against | Abstain | Broker Non-Vote |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ira A. Hunt, III | 22,386,307 | 980,652 | 8,446 | 1,048,860 |
Fixed Compensation (Program and Individual – FY2025)
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual Cash Retainer | $86,250 |
| Chair Fee – Audit | $15,000 (if chair) |
| Chair Fee – Compensation | $12,500 (if chair) |
| Chair Fee – Nominating & Corporate Governance | $10,000 (if chair) |
| Ira Hunt – Cash in FY2025 | $86,250 |
Performance Compensation (Director Equity – FY2025)
| Grant Component | Detail |
|---|---|
| Annual Restricted Stock Award value | $105,000 program level; FY2025 grant fair value recorded for Hunt: $104,929 |
| Grant Date | 10/01/2024 for FY2025 award |
| Vesting | Earlier of 10/01/2025 or next annual meeting after 10/01/2024 |
| Unvested Restricted Shares (as of 03/31/2025) | 1,744 (Hunt) |
| FY2025 Form 4 award (shares) | 1,478 shares awarded 10/01/2025 |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Type | Entity | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Public company | None | — |
| Private/non-profit/advisory | Mission Link | Board member |
| Private company | VAST Data Federal | Board member |
| Advisory | Intel Public Sector Advisory Board | Advisor |
| Advisory | Enlightenment Capital | Advisor |
Expertise & Qualifications
| Area | Evidence |
|---|---|
| Cybersecurity and data-centric security | Biography emphasizes cyber/data security experience |
| AI and big data analytics | Stated focus areas |
| Cloud computing and IT architecture | Stated focus areas + architecture leadership |
| Government and federal technology | CIA CTO; Accenture Federal Services cyber lead |
| Board-level oversight | Service on Compensation and Nominating committees |
Equity Ownership
| Date (Record) | Beneficial Ownership | % of Shares Outstanding | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 07/22/2025 | 26,328 | <1% | Includes 1,744 unvested restricted shares; total shares outstanding 26,625,574 |
| 10/01/2025 (post-award) | 27,806 | — | Per Form 4 after 1,478-share award |
Governance Assessment
- Strengths:
- Independence and committee engagement in compensation governance and director nomination/related-party oversight .
- Strong shareholder support for director election and say-on-pay; transparent pay-for-performance structures and clawback policy .
- Clear insider trading/hedging/pledging restrictions; director equity and ownership guidelines align incentives .
- Watch items:
- Director compensation equity grant increased in Oct 2024; monitor alignment and market benchmarking over time .
- External advisory/board roles in technology/security sectors (e.g., VAST Data Federal, Intel advisory) warrant ongoing review for any transaction-based conflicts, though none are disclosed for FY2025 and related-person oversight sits with Nominating & Corporate Governance .
- Red flags: None disclosed regarding Hunt—no related-party transactions, hedging/pledging prohibited, and robust recoupment policy in place .