Gary Wicker
About Gary R. Wicker
Independent trustee nominee for QQQ’s proposed board; year of birth 1961; served as trustee with Invesco ETF Trusts since 2013. Former Senior Vice President of Global Finance and CFO at RBC Ministries (2013–2024), EVP/CFO at Zondervan Publishing (2007–2012), and senior finance roles at Thomson Corporation; previously Senior Manager at Price Waterhouse; designated an SEC “audit committee financial expert.” Oversees 218 portfolios across the Invesco ETF fund complex; background in finance and operations in publishing and information services, with current non-profit finance leadership roles.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| RBC Ministries | SVP Global Finance & CFO | 2013–2024 | Led finance; audit committee financial expertise recognized by ETF Board |
| Zondervan Publishing (HarperCollins/NewsCorp) | EVP & CFO | 2007–2012 | Corporate finance leadership |
| The Thomson Corporation (divisions) | SVP & Group Controller; SVP & CFO; CFO; VP Finance & Controller; Assistant Controller | 1997–2006 | Finance operations across divisions |
| Price Waterhouse | Senior Manager, Audit & Business Advisory Services | 1994–1996 | Audit/accounting expertise |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Michigan Youth for Christ | Board & Finance Committee Member; Finance Committee Chair | 2010–Present; Chair since 2024 | Finance oversight leadership |
| Our Daily Bread Ministries Canada | Board Member & Treasurer | 2015–2024 | Financial stewardship |
Board Governance
- Committee memberships: Audit Committee (members: Kole—Chair, Wicker, Wilson, Pace) and Nominating & Governance Committee (members: Bagge—Chair, Barre, Herget, Kole, Lim, Pace, Wicker, Wilson). Both committees composed entirely of Independent Trustees. Wicker is designated an SEC “audit committee financial expert.”
- Independence: Wicker is an Independent Trustee nominee. The ETF Board has nine trustee nominees, including eight Independent Trustees and one Interested Trustee (Hartigan).
- Attendance and engagement: Each Trustee Nominee attended at least 75% of board and applicable committee meetings in the most recently completed fiscal year for each Invesco ETF Trust; board typically meets five times per year.
- Meeting cadence (reference trusts): See Appendix B below for meeting counts by trust. QQQ’s proposed board is anticipated to adopt a substantially similar structure and joint meeting approach post-conversion.
- Leadership roles: Independent Chair—Donald H. Wilson; Vice Chair—Ronn R. Bagge; committee chairs: Audit—Marc M. Kole; Investment Oversight—Yung Bong Lim; Nominating & Governance—Ronn R. Bagge.
- Conversion governance note: Wicker is listed among Successor Trustees replacing The Bank of New York Mellon as trustee in the Amended & Restated Indenture related to QQQ’s conversion.
Board and Committee Meeting Counts (Reference Trusts)
| Trust | Fiscal Year Ended | Board Mtgs | Audit Cttee | Nominating & Governance Cttee | Investment Oversight Cttee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trust I | 4/30/2025 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 4 |
| Trust II | 8/31/2024 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 |
| Trust II | 10/31/2024 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 |
| India Trust | 10/31/2024 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 |
| Active Trust | 10/31/2024 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 |
| Commodity Trust | 10/31/2024 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 |
| Self-Index Trust | 8/31/2024 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 |
Fixed Compensation
- Structure: Independent Trustees are paid a complex-wide amount determined by the ETF Board; fees are allocated half pro rata and half by average net assets across funds; for QQQ post-conversion, compensation will be paid by Invesco out of its unitary advisory fee (no direct Trust expense). No pension or retirement benefits accrue; Interested Trustees receive no compensation.
| Compensation Metric | FY 8/31/2024 | FY 10/31/2024 | FY 4/30/2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Compensation from Invesco Fund Complex ($) | 363,333 | 366,667 | 376,667 |
| Trust I ($) | — | — | 158,845 |
| Trust II ($) | 110,158 | 27,380 | — |
| Self-Index Trust ($) | 51,197 | — | — |
| Active Trust ($) | — | 13,829 | — |
| India Trust ($) | — | 1,059 | — |
| Commodity Trust ($) | — | 6,349 | — |
Notes: Compensation includes any deferred amounts; several trustees deferred part/all of compensation, but no deferral is stated for Wicker in the tables provided.
Performance Compensation
- Equity awards, options, PSUs/RSUs, performance-linked pay: Not disclosed for Independent Trustees; compensation is cash-based at the complex level and not tied to revenue, EBITDA, TSR, or ESG metrics; no pension/SERP accruals.
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- Public company boards: None disclosed for Wicker in the past five years.
- Non-profit/academic roles: West Michigan Youth for Christ (Board/Finance; Finance Chair since 2024); Our Daily Bread Ministries Canada (Board/Treasurer 2015–2024).
- Interlocks/conflicts: No shared directorships with QQQ’s adviser disclosed; no related-party transactions disclosed for Wicker.
Expertise & Qualifications
- Designated SEC “audit committee financial expert,” supporting audit quality and financial reporting oversight.
- Deep CFO and controllership experience across publishing and information services; audit and advisory background enhances internal control and financial governance capabilities.
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Dollar Range in QQQ | Aggregate Dollar Range in Invesco Fund Complex | Ownership as % of QQQ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gary R. Wicker | None | Over $100,000 | <1% (group of nominees and officers collectively <1%) |
5%+ shareholders (as of Aug 8, 2025): Schwab 23.56%; National Financial Services 17.92%; Morgan Stanley & Co. 7.67%.
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent status; dual committee roles (Audit; Nominating & Governance); SEC “audit committee financial expert” designation; ≥75% attendance; extensive CFO and audit background; no material legal proceedings. These support board effectiveness in financial oversight and trustee selection/process governance.
- Alignment: No QQQ share ownership; however, aggregate holdings across the Invesco complex are “Over $100,000,” indicating some alignment with fund complex outcomes. Compensation is paid by adviser and not from Trust assets due to unitary fee.
- Potential conflicts/red flags: None disclosed—no related-party transactions, no hedging/pledging noted, no pension accruals, and no legal proceedings material to ability/integrity in past ten years.
- Structural note: As Successor Trustee in the conversion, Wicker is part of the governance change replacing BNY Mellon as trustee, increasing board oversight flexibility (with certain shareholder approval thresholds changing). Investors should monitor implementation details and committee practices post-conversion.
Legal proceedings: None material for any Trustee Nominee; no adverse party or interest to the Trust.