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Sean Kiewiet

Chief Strategy Officer at Priority Technology HoldingsPriority Technology Holdings
Executive

About Sean Kiewiet

Sean Kiewiet is Chief Strategy Officer (since 2022) and a co‑founder of Priority Technology Holdings, after serving as Chief Technology Officer from August 2005 to December 2021 and earlier as Director of Technology for Cornerstone Payment Systems; he previously worked in software development and architecture for Hypercom and Syntellect . He is 52 years old as of the 2025 proxy . As context for his CSO tenure beginning in 2022, Priority’s Pay‑Versus‑Performance disclosures show the value of a $100 investment in PRTH stock at $167 for 2024 vs $51 for 2023 and $75 for 2022, with net income of $24,015k in 2024, $(1,311)k in 2023, and $(2,150)k in 2022 . Kiewiet held 711,853 shares (<1%) as of April 16, 2025, down from 1,361,853 shares (1.8%) in 2024 and 1,530,707 shares (2.0%) in 2023 .

Past Roles

OrganizationRoleYearsStrategic Impact
Priority Technology HoldingsChief Strategy Officer2022–present Drives high‑performing teams to target underserved tech areas; strategic product and platform direction
Priority Technology HoldingsChief Technology OfficerAug 2005–Dec 2021 Led technology architecture and development foundational to Priority’s commerce engine
Cornerstone Payment SystemsDirector of TechnologyNot disclosed Pre‑Priority leadership; contributed to co‑founding Priority
Hypercom; SyntellectSoftware development & architectureNot disclosed Technical foundation in payments and software systems

External Roles

No external board roles or public company directorships are disclosed for Kiewiet in recent proxies .

Fixed Compensation

  • Not disclosed: Kiewiet is not listed as a Named Executive Officer (NEO) in the 2023–2025 proxies; the Summary Compensation Table covers CEO Thomas Priore, CFO Tim O’Leary, and COO Ranjana Ram .

Performance Compensation

  • Not disclosed: No individual bonus targets, equity award descriptions (RSUs/PSUs/options), performance metrics, or vesting schedules are provided for Kiewiet; the proxy’s compensation narrative focuses on NEOs .

Equity Ownership & Alignment

  • Kiewiet’s beneficial ownership and year‑over‑year evolution:
MetricFY 2023FY 2024FY 2025
Shares beneficially owned1,530,707 1,361,853 711,853
% of shares outstanding2.0% (on 76,393,191 shares) 1.8% (on 75,792,939 shares) <1% (on 79,753,476 shares)

  • Insider trading plan and selling pressure:

    • Adopted a Rule 10b5‑1 trading plan on June 16, 2023 to sell up to 620,000 shares through December 31, 2024, consistent with the observed reduction in holdings .

  • Hedging/pledging and ownership controls:

    • Company highlights anti‑hedging and anti‑pledging policies, stock ownership requirements, net share retention ratio, and net hold requirements within its executive compensation risk controls .
    • The Insider Trading Policy requires pre‑clearance for any margin purchases or pledging of company securities and sets strict window periods and blackout rules .
    • The 2024 proxy also states covered persons (including executive officers and directors) are prohibited from purchasing on margin or pledging company securities as collateral, underscoring a conservative stance on pledging risk .

  • Compliance note:

    • The company reported one late Form 4 for Kiewiet (since corrected), alongside late filings for other insiders, in the 2025 proxy’s Section 16 disclosure .

Employment Terms

  • Contract/severance: No individual employment agreement, severance multiple, or change‑in‑control terms are disclosed for Kiewiet in recent filings; relevant employment/severance specifics in 2025 8‑Ks pertain to transaction employees generally, not Kiewiet specifically .
  • Clawback: A formal Recoupment Policy was adopted March 1, 2023 (listed as Exhibit 97.1 to the 2024 Form 10‑K), supporting pay‑for‑performance and misconduct recovery .
  • Trading governance: Pre‑clearance required for insider trades; window period restrictions; blackout capability by legal; Rule 10b5‑1 plans must be established when not in possession of MNPI .

Investment Implications

  • Alignment: Kiewiet remains a meaningful shareholder with 711,853 shares as of April 2025, but his stake has declined materially since 2023–2024, consistent with a pre‑planned 10b5‑1 program (620,000 shares through 2024). This reduces potential insider selling overhang going forward but indicates monetization of founder equity during 2023–2024 .
  • Pledging risk: Company policies emphasize anti‑hedging/anti‑pledging and strict pre‑clearance, reducing collateral‑driven sell pressure and governance risk around pledged shares .
  • Retention/compensation transparency: Because Kiewiet is not an NEO, detailed pay and incentive metrics are not disclosed; investors may need to infer alignment primarily through ownership and policy framework rather than quantified pay‑for‑performance mechanics .
  • Company performance context: During Kiewiet’s CSO tenure window, PRTH’s pay‑versus‑performance data show stock value improvements in 2024 (TSR $100→$167) alongside net income turning positive ($24,015k), supporting a credible backdrop for strategic execution, although these are company‑level outcomes not attributable to one officer .