James Field
About James M. Field
James M. Field (age 62) is Vice Chair of the Board of Directors of QCR Holdings (QCRH) and a director of Quad City Bank & Trust; he has served on QCRH’s board since 2019 and is classified as an independent director under Nasdaq rules . A retired President and Chief Financial Officer of Deere & Company, Field spent 27 years at John Deere across CFO and multiple division president roles, is a Certified Public Accountant, and completed executive education at Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business; he is a graduate of Western Michigan University . In 2024, all incumbent directors (including Field) attended at least 75% of board and committee meetings (the board met four times), and all directors attended the annual meeting; the board maintains an independent Chair and holds regular executive sessions of independent directors .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure / Notes | Committees / Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deere & Company | President (multiple divisions); Chief Financial Officer; Principal Accounting Officer | 27 years at John Deere; roles included President of Worldwide Construction & Forestry and Power Systems; President of Agricultural & Turf; President of Commercial & Consumer Equipment; prior accounting/treasury/business development roles | Deep public-company finance and operating experience; CFO credentials support audit oversight |
| Deloitte & Touche | Various assignments prior to joining Deere | Early career | Foundational public accounting experience (CPA) |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure / Notes | Committees / Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quad City Bank & Trust | Director | Current | Subsidiary bank board oversight (credit/market context) |
| John Deere Classic | Executive Committee (prior service) | Prior | Community and governance leadership |
| St. Ambrose University | Board of Trustees (prior service) | Prior | Non-profit governance |
| Hand in Hand (non-profit) | Director (prior service) | Prior | Community engagement |
| Current public company boards (other than QCRH) | None | The proxy notes only Mr. Besong holds another public directorship; no other continuing directors (including Field) have served as an Exchange Act registrant director in past 5 years | Reduces interlock/conflict risk |
Board Governance
- Independence and leadership: Field is independent under Nasdaq rules and serves as Vice Chair of the Board; QCRH separates Chair and CEO, with an independent Chair (Marie Z. Ziegler) .
- Committee assignments (as of 12/31/2024):
- Audit Committee: Chair; also designated an “Audit Committee Financial Expert” by the board .
- Compensation Committee: Member .
- Executive Committee: Vice Chair .
- Attendance and engagement: All incumbent directors attended ≥75% of board and committee meetings in 2024; the board met four times; all directors attended the annual meeting; independent directors met in executive session four times in 2024 .
- Risk oversight: Primary risk oversight resides with the Risk Oversight Committee (all independent); Audit and Compensation Committees oversee financial reporting and compensation risk respectively; Field’s Audit Chair role positions him centrally in financial control oversight .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | 2024 Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Director Cash Fees (QCRH + affiliates) | $69,800 | Fees earned in 2024 per Director Compensation Table; Field also serves on a subsidiary board (Quad City Bank & Trust), which can add to total fees . |
| Cash Retainer Framework | 2024 quarterly QCRH retainer $10,150; 2025 $10,625 | Additional quarterly retainers: Board Vice Chair $625; Audit Committee Chair $1,500; Audit Committee Financial Expert $625; Compensation Committee Member $625; subsidiary board retainers $2,250 quarterly (plus certain committee retainers) . |
| Deferral Election | Elected to defer 100% of cash fees | All directors other than Batten, Griesemer, Sorensen, Ziegler deferred 100%; thus Field deferred all cash fees into stock under the Deferred Income Plan . |
Performance Compensation
| Equity Grant | Grant Date | Value | Vesting / Structure |
|---|---|---|---|
| QCRH Director Stock Grant | Mar 1, 2024 | $24,000 | Restricted stock; grant-date fair value based on $56.79; vested immediately . |
| Subsidiary Director Stock Grant (Quad City Bank & Trust) | Mar 1, 2024 | $4,000 | Restricted stock; vested immediately . |
| Total 2024 Stock Awards | — | $28,000 | Reflects both grants; reported in Director Compensation Table . |
Note: Director equity grants are time-based and immediately vested; no performance metrics are attached to director equity awards .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Current public company boards | None (only Mr. Besong holds another public directorship; no other nominees/continuing directors, including Field, served as a public company director in the past 5 years) . |
| Private/non-profit boards | Quad City Bank & Trust (director); prior roles at John Deere Classic Executive Committee, St. Ambrose University Board of Trustees, Hand in Hand . |
| Interlocks/Conflicts | No compensation committee interlocks; 2024 Compensation Committee comprised solely of independent directors including Field; no Item 404 related-party relationships for committee members . |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Financial expertise: Former public-company CFO (Deere & Company); designated Audit Committee Financial Expert by the board .
- Education and credentials: CPA; Western Michigan University graduate; Executive Education at Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business .
- Domain experience: Extensive finance, accounting, and multi-division operating leadership; enhances oversight of financial reporting, internal controls, and capital allocation .
Equity Ownership
| Metric | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Beneficial ownership (3/27/2025) | 13,717 shares | Includes 5,307 shares held in a trust with shared voting/investment power . |
| Ownership guidelines (directors) | 5x annual cash retainer; 2025 guideline equals 2,945 shares | Non-employee directors must reach guideline within 5 years of first election; company states each director currently complies . |
| Hedging/Pledging | Hedging prohibited; pledging prohibited without prior approval; no known violations by officers/directors | Anti-hedging and anti-pledging policies disclosed; no pledging in violation reported . |
Governance Assessment
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Strengths
- Independent Vice Chair with deep public-company CFO background; serves as Audit Chair and designated financial expert—supports robust financial oversight and investor confidence .
- Active committee workload (Audit Chair; Compensation member; Executive Committee Vice Chair) indicates high engagement; board and committee attendance thresholds met; independent sessions held regularly .
- Director compensation design mixes cash retainers with equity; Field deferred 100% of cash into company stock, enhancing ownership alignment; all directors comply with ownership guidelines .
- Shareholder alignment and feedback: Say-on-pay support ~96% in 2024 indicates broad investor approval of compensation governance environment .
- Strong conduct policies: insider trading, anti-hedging/pledging, and Nasdaq-compliant clawback policy in place .
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Potential Risks / Monitoring Points
- Ordinary-course banking relationships exist with directors and related parties, but are on market terms under formal policies and regulatory constraints (Reg O, Fed Sections 23A/23B); no specific related-party transactions involving Field are flagged .
- As Audit Chair and AC Financial Expert, Field’s continuity is critical; succession planning for audit leadership should be maintained (no issue disclosed) .
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Red Flags
- None disclosed related to attendance shortfalls, hedging/pledging, option repricing, or adverse related-party transactions. No director compensation anomalies identified; director equity grants are modest and time-based .