Kevin Murphy
POOLAbout Kevin M. Murphy
Kevin M. Murphy, 55, is an independent director of Pool Corporation, appointed June 3, 2024. He is President and CEO of Ferguson Enterprises Inc./Ferguson plc (NYSE: FERG) since 2019, with prior roles as CEO, U.S. (2017–2019) and COO, U.S. (2007–2017), and he began at Ferguson in 1999 after it acquired his family’s business, Midwest Pipe and Supply. He holds a B.S. in Business and Marketing from Miami University. At POOL, he serves on the Compensation Committee and the Board has determined he is independent under Nasdaq rules .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ferguson plc / Ferguson Enterprises Inc. | Group CEO (President & CEO) | 2019–present | Led transformation, growth, profitability; digital/e-commerce focus noted by POOL Chair in appointment release |
| Ferguson (U.S. business) | CEO, U.S. | 2017–2019 | Senior leadership of large North American distributor |
| Ferguson (U.S. business) | COO, U.S. | 2007–2017 | Strategic development and operational performance improvement |
| Ferguson | Operations Manager (joined via acquisition of family business) | 1999– | Entry following acquisition of Midwest Pipe & Supply |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ferguson plc (NYSE: FERG) | Director | Since 2017 | Public company directorship disclosed; committee details not provided |
Board Governance
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Independence | Board determined Murphy is independent under Nasdaq rules |
| Committee assignments | Compensation Committee member (not Chair) |
| Chair/lead roles | None (Board Chair: John E. Stokely; Lead Independent Director since 2003; Chair since 2017) |
| Director since | 2024 (appointed June 3, 2024) |
| Attendance | Each director attended ≥75% of total Board and committee meetings in 2024 |
| Executive sessions | Independent directors meet in executive session at each Board and committee meeting |
| Compensation Committee interlocks | None – no POOL executive officer served on another company’s board/comp committee where a POOL director/officer served, and 2024 Comp Committee members (incl. Murphy) were not POOL officers/employees |
| Committee meeting cadence | 2024 meetings: Audit (8), Compensation (6), Nominating & Governance (5), Strategic Planning (3) |
Fixed Compensation (Director)
| Compensation Element | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer (non-employee director) | $85,000 | Standard program |
| Committee member fees | $10,500 (Audit); $10,500 (Compensation); $7,500 (Nominating & Governance); $7,500 (Strategic Planning) | Standard program |
| Committee chair retainers | $25,000 (Audit); $20,000 (Compensation); $15,000 (Nominating & Governance); $15,000 (Strategic Planning) | Standard program |
| Additional Chair of the Board retainer | $135,000 | Standard program |
| 2024 actual – Kevin Murphy | $47,750 | Pro-rated cash retainer for partial-year service; no equity award in 2024 |
Performance Compensation (Director Equity)
| Element | Structure | Vesting/Terms |
|---|---|---|
| Annual director equity grant | $125,000 value; director can elect 824 options (at grant-date closing price) or 348 RS | Granted at annual meeting; options/RS generally vest no earlier than 1 year; 10-year option term; 2024 directors mostly elected RS; Murphy did not receive 2024 equity due to June appointment |
Note: Director equity is time-based; no performance metrics are applied to director grants .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Role | Interlock/Conflict Indicator |
|---|---|---|
| Ferguson plc (NYSE: FERG) | Director | No POOL compensation committee interlocks disclosed in 2024; Board affirms no related-party transactions requiring approval in 2024 |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Distribution sector operator with deep strategic and operational experience; areas of expertise include M&A, strategic planning, operations, risk management, and distribution .
- Board matrix flags Murphy for senior executive management, strategic planning, risk management, M&A, operational and distribution expertise within POOL’s board skills map .
Equity Ownership
| Metric | Value | As-of Date |
|---|---|---|
| Beneficial ownership (shares) | — (none reported) | March 12, 2025 |
| Shares acquirable within 60 days | — | March 12, 2025 |
| % of shares outstanding | <1% | March 12, 2025 |
| Director stock awards outstanding | None for Murphy as of year-end 2024 | December 31, 2024 |
| Hedging/pledging policy | Hedging and pledging of POOL stock prohibited by Insider Trading Policy | |
| Stock ownership guidelines | Directors (other than CEO): 3x annual cash retainer within 3 years of appointment; Board reports all directors presently in compliance with guidelines (compliance includes time-to-comply framework) |
Governance Assessment
- Positive indicators
- Independent director with directly relevant distribution/operator expertise; serves on Compensation Committee overseeing pay design and alignment .
- No related-party transactions disclosed and no compensation committee interlocks; strong anti-hedging/pledging policy reduces alignment risks .
- Board-wide attendance at or above 75% in 2024; independent directors meet in executive session at each Board/committee meeting .
- Say-on-pay support was 93.8% at the 2024 annual meeting, backing compensation oversight during the year Murphy joined the committee .
- Watch items
- As a June 2024 appointee, Murphy had no POOL equity as of year-end 2024 and did not receive a 2024 equity grant; however, director grants are made at the annual meeting and ownership guidelines require 3x retainer within three years, which should build alignment over time .
- New to the Board (director since 2024), so continued monitoring of engagement and ownership progression is warranted .
RED FLAGS
- None disclosed: no related-party transactions, no hedging/pledging, no equity repricing, and strong attendance practices .
Compensation Committee Analysis (context for his committee service)
- 2024 Compensation Committee members included Gervasi (Chair), Oler, Whalen, Murphy (Sledd retired May 2024); all independent .
- Committee retains independent consultant (Meridian) and uses peer benchmarking; program includes clawback policy compliant with SEC/Nasdaq and prohibits option repricing; strong say-on-pay outcomes (93.8% in 2024) .
Related-Party & Conflicts Check
- 8-K appointment disclosure states no Item 404(a) related-party transactions and no arrangements/understandings for his election; proxy reports no related transactions in 2024 .