Tony J. Blevins
About Tony J. Blevins
Tony J. Blevins, age 58, was appointed as an independent director of Quantum Corporation (QMCO) in August 2025. He previously served as Apple’s Vice President of Procurement from 2000 until September 2022 and held senior supply chain and engineering roles at IBM. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering from North Carolina State University. The Board has determined all current members other than the CEO to be independent under Nasdaq rules, which includes Mr. Blevins.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple Inc. | Vice President of Procurement | 2000 – Sep 2022 | Led global procurement; deep supply chain leadership experience |
| IBM | Senior roles in supply chain and engineering | Not disclosed | Technical and operational experience |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| None disclosed | — | — | No other public company boards disclosed for Mr. Blevins |
Board Governance
- Independence: Board determined all current members other than CEO Hugues Meyrath are independent; independent directors meet in executive session at least quarterly.
- Attendance baseline: Board met 34 times in Fiscal 2025; expectation is at least 75% attendance, though Mr. Blevins joined after Fiscal 2025, so his attendance for that period is not applicable.
- Leadership/structure: Roles of Chair and CEO are separated; independent committee chairs (Audit, Leadership & Compensation, Corporate Governance & Nominating, Special Committee) with written charters.
- Committee assignments for Blevins: Not specified in the proxy; listed as “Independent Board Member” without committee designations.
- Governance guardrails: Majority voting policy in uncontested director elections; director term limit of ten years; Corporate Governance & Nominating Committee reviews conflicts and Board effectiveness.
- Anti-hedging: Directors are prohibited from short sales, margin purchases, hedging/monetization transactions, and derivatives trading.
Fixed Compensation
| Compensation Element | Annual Value | Frequency | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Director Cash Retainer | $50,000 | Quarterly installments | Standard non-employee director retainer |
| Committee Chair (Audit/LCC/CGN/Special) | $25,000 / $17,500 / $15,000 / $30,000 | Quarterly | Per-committee chair fees |
| Committee Member (Audit/LCC/CGN/Special) | $12,500 / $10,000 / $7,500 / $12,500 | Quarterly | Per-committee membership fees |
| New Director Equity Grant | 12,000 shares | Pro-rated | 100% vesting at next annual meeting |
| Director Refresh Equity Grant | 12,000 shares | Annual | 100% vesting at earlier of next annual meeting or one year |
| Change-of-Control Agreement | — | — | Automatic accelerated vesting of director equity if service ends within 12 months following a change of control (death/disability excluded) |
| Deferred Compensation Plan | — | — | Directors may defer cash fees into deemed investment funds (no QMCO stock); no directors elected to participate in FY25 |
Notes:
- Fiscal 2024 refresh equity grants were delayed; FY25 included fully vested RSUs for FY24 and unvested RSUs for FY25 (program-level disclosure; individual FY25 director compensation table excludes Blevins because he joined after FY25 year-end).
Performance Compensation
Directors do not have performance-based pay; annual equity grants are time-based and vest at the next annual meeting or within one year, and director equity may accelerate upon change of control per director agreements.
| Performance Metric | Target | Measurement Period | Vesting/Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| None (Director compensation) | — | — | Equity vests time-based; acceleration on change of control per agreements |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Person | Other Public Boards | Role | Potential Interlocks/Related Party Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tony J. Blevins | None disclosed | — | No related-party transactions disclosed involving Mr. Blevins |
Context: Quantum’s Special Committee reviewed and approved debt/capital transactions with Dialectic (affiliated with director John A. Fichthorn); Fichthorn recused; Audit Committee also reviewed and approved the related-party transaction, and the Board approved with Fichthorn abstaining. No mention of Blevins involvement or conflict.
Expertise & Qualifications
- Supply chain leadership: Two decades leading procurement at Apple; prior IBM engineering/supply chain roles.
- Education: BS in Industrial Engineering, North Carolina State University.
- Governance fit: Board candidate evaluation emphasizes independence, integrity, diversity of perspectives, absence of conflicts, willingness to devote time, and tech familiarity—all consistent with Blevins’ profile.
- Anti-hedging alignment: Insider trading policy prohibits hedging/shorts; supports alignment with shareholder interests.
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Shares Beneficially Owned | % of Class | As-of Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tony J. Blevins | 0 | <1% (“*”) | Oct 20, 2025 |
Stock ownership guidelines:
- Directors must hold 5x annual retainer; measured within five years. Based on a $50,000 retainer, guideline equates to $250,000 in QMCO common stock; compliance is assessed annually.
Section 16 compliance:
- Company states all directors/officers complied with Section 16 filing requirements in FY25, except a late Form 3 by Fichthorn; no exception noted for Blevins.
Governance Assessment
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Strengths:
- Independence: Blevins is independent under Nasdaq rules; Board has strong independent leadership, separated Chair/CEO roles, and independent committee chairs.
- Relevant expertise: Deep procurement/supply chain experience adds operational risk oversight capability amid restructuring and product transitions.
- Alignment policies: Strict anti-hedging policy; robust director stock ownership guidelines (5x retainer); majority voting policy for directors.
- RPT controls: Special Committee and Audit Committee reviewed/approved Dialectic-related transactions; conflicted director recused; Blevins not implicated.
-
Watch items / RED FLAGS:
- Ownership alignment: Blevins reported no beneficial ownership as of Oct 20, 2025; initial alignment will rely on time-based director equity grants and future accumulation toward the 5x guideline.
- Financial control environment: Company underwent restatements in FY24–FY25 (revenue recognition, SSP, warrants); Audit Committee oversaw remediation—ongoing control rigor is critical; Blevins’ committee participation is not disclosed.
- Capital structure concentration: Dialectic may reach >50% beneficial ownership upon conversion/exercise under certain scenarios; dilution/change-of-control risk elevated though Board sought shareholder approval and structured reviews.
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Overall view:
- Blevins’ procurement background supports board effectiveness in vendor management and cost control during restructuring. Absence of disclosed conflicts and independent status bolster investor confidence. Monitoring equity accumulation toward the director guideline, committee assignments, and control remediation progress will be key to assessing ongoing governance quality.
