Christopher Lin
About Christopher Lin
Christopher Lin, age 83, is an independent director of RBB Bancorp, serving since 2010. He sits on the Audit, Directors Loan (DLC), and Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) Committees and is not a committee chair. Lin’s background is in real estate development and prior bank directorship; he is President and Chairman of Forte Resources, Inc., Sonnycal Development Company, and Linkage Financial Group Inc., and previously served as a director of General Bank (1981–2003). He holds a B.S. from Cheng Kung University, an M.S. from National Tsing Hua University, and a Ph.D. from Duquesne University .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Bank | Director | 1981–2003 | Prior bank director experience |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Focus/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forte Resources, Inc. | President & Chairman | Not disclosed | Senior and affordable housing management and development |
| Sonnycal Development Company | President & Chairman | Not disclosed | Market-rate residential houses and industrial warehouses |
| Linkage Financial Group Inc. | President & Chairman | Not disclosed | Real estate development in China |
Board Governance
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Independence | Board determined Lin is independent under Nasdaq and SEC rules |
| Director Since | 2010 |
| Committee Memberships | Audit; Directors Loan; Community Reinvestment Act |
| Chair Roles | None |
| Attendance | All directors attended at least 75% of Board and respective committee meetings in 2024, and the 2024 annual meeting |
| Executive Sessions | Independent directors hold executive sessions at least twice a year; chaired by an independent director (currently Christina Kao) |
| Committee | Role | 2024 Meetings |
|---|---|---|
| Audit | Member | 20 |
| Directors Loan (DLC) | Member | 23 |
| Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) | Member | 4 |
- The Audit Committee oversees related-party transactions and internal control; financial experts designated are Scott Polakoff and Frank Wong (not Lin) .
- Audit Committee, IT Committee, and Board frameworks provide oversight for cybersecurity risk and controls .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount/Detail |
|---|---|
| Annual Cash Retainer | $60,000 per 12‑month service period (June–May) |
| Annual RSU Retainer | 1,400 time-based RSUs; 50% vest at grant, 50% after one year |
| Committee Chair RSUs | +200 RSUs for most chairs; +100 RSUs for CRA Chair; Corporate Secretary +100 RSUs; all immediately vest |
| Board Meeting Fee | $1,500 per meeting for non-employee directors; Chair $2,500 |
| Committee Meeting Fee | $300 per meeting; Committee Chairs receive +$200 per meeting |
| Telephonic Attendance (mandatory in-person) | Reduced to $750 per Board meeting; Chair $1,250; $200 per committee meeting |
| Meeting Fee Cap | One meeting fee per committee per month |
| 2024 Compensation (Lin) | Fees earned/paid in cash: $108,600; Stock awards: $29,904; All other compensation: $1,067; Total: $139,571 |
| “All Other Compensation” (definition) | BOLI benefits and cash dividends on vested equity awards |
Performance Compensation
| Equity Award | Grant/Status | Vesting/Terms |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Director RSUs | 1,400 RSUs per service period | 50% immediate; 50% one year |
| Unvested RSUs (as of 12/31/24) | 700 RSUs | Vest on May 15, 2025 |
| Stock Options | 20,000 vested options held by Lin | Vested and exercisable; strike/expiry not disclosed in proxy tables for directors |
- Directors could elect to receive a portion of the cash retainer as fully vested RSUs in 2024 (Equity Award Election); footnote lists elections for several directors, not Lin .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Category | Detail |
|---|---|
| Current Public Company Boards | None disclosed for Lin; proxy states only Geraldine Pannu serves as a director of a company subject to Exchange Act reporting (Processa Pharmaceuticals) |
| Prior Public Boards | General Bank director (bank) 1981–2003 |
| Compensation Committee Interlocks | CNG Committee members listed exclude Lin; committee members had no interlocks or insider participation |
Expertise & Qualifications
| Area | Detail |
|---|---|
| Education | B.S. (Cheng Kung University); M.S. (National Tsing Hua University); Ph.D. (Duquesne University) |
| Industry Experience | Real estate development (affordable housing; residential; industrial; China) |
| Banking Governance | Prior director at General Bank (1981–2003); current Audit, DLC, CRA committee member at RBB |
Equity Ownership
| Ownership Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Shares Owned Directly | 38,126 |
| Equity Awards Exercisable/Vesting ≤60 days | 20,700 (20,000 vested options + 700 RSUs vesting) |
| Total Beneficial Ownership | 58,826 |
| % of Shares Outstanding | <1% (asterisk indicates one percent or less) |
| Ownership Guidelines (Directors) | Requirement changed to 10,000 shares starting May 2025; previously 3x annualized monthly cash retainer |
| Guideline Compliance | Lin has met the share ownership requirement |
| Anti-Hedging/Pledging | Prohibited by Insider Trading Policy |
Governance Assessment
- Independence and engagement: Lin is designated independent, serves on three key committees (Audit, DLC, CRA), and the Board reports ≥75% meeting attendance for all directors in 2024, including annual meeting attendance—supportive of active oversight .
- Ownership alignment: Lin holds 58,826 shares beneficially and has met the director ownership guideline; hedging/pledging is prohibited, reducing alignment risks .
- Compensation structure: Director pay is modest retainer + meeting fees with time-based RSUs; no performance-based equity for directors, minimizing pay-risk and reducing incentive for undue risk-taking; Lin’s 2024 total director compensation was $139,571 .
- Potential conflicts and oversight: Lin’s leadership across multiple real estate entities (including development in China) warrants continued monitoring for related-party exposure; the Audit Committee explicitly oversees related-party transactions and internal controls, and the proxy outlines robust governance policies (code of ethics, insider trading, whistleblower) .
- Board refreshment consideration: Long tenure (since 2010) and age 83 may prompt investor focus on succession and refreshment; however, independence status and committee assignments indicate ongoing governance engagement .