Robert Moore Jr.
About Robert B. Moore, Jr.
Independent Class II Director at Rocky Brands, Inc. since 2017; age 74 with 45+ years in footwear and apparel spanning CEO and president roles across global leather and footwear businesses. Current external role: Executive Director and board member of Bhartiya International Ltd., a listed Indian public company; prior CEO of Bhartiya (2013–2017). Education not stated in the proxy biography.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bhartiya International Ltd. | Chief Executive Officer | Apr 2013 – Mar 2017 | Led listed manufacturer serving global brands; industry relationships |
| Shanghai Richina Leather Co., Ltd. | President & CEO | Mar 2009 – Feb 2013 | Led leather producer for footwear/handbag/auto seats |
| Prime Tanning Company, Inc. | President & CEO | Not disclosed | Senior leadership in leather manufacturing |
| Sperry Topsider, Inc. | President | Not disclosed | Brand leadership in footwear |
| Bostonian Shoe Company | President | Not disclosed | Brand leadership in footwear |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bhartiya International Ltd. (BIL/NSE) | Executive Director; Board Member | Current | Listed in Mumbai/NSE; customers include Coach, Ralph Lauren, Levi’s, etc. |
Board Governance
- Committees: Compensation Committee member; Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee Chair; not on Audit.
- Independence: Board determined Moore is independent under NASDAQ Rule 5605(a)(2).
- Attendance: Board met 4 times in 2024; each director attended ≥75% of Board and committee meetings; all directors attended the 2024 annual meeting except William L. Jordan (Moore attended).
- Board structure: Classified board (two classes); Lead Independent Director in place (G. Courtney Haning) with defined executive session responsibilities.
Fixed Compensation
| Component (FY2024) | Amount ($) | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Board retainer – cash | 48,000 | Paid quarterly in cash |
| Committee Chair retainer – cash | 12,000 | Nominating & Corporate Governance Chair |
| Equity – quarterly share grants | 71,943 | Shares valued at $18,000 issued on first day of each quarter; fully vested at issuance (rounded down to whole shares) |
| Total Director Compensation (FY2024) | 131,943 | Fees earned + stock awards |
Performance Compensation
| Performance-linked elements in director pay | Status |
|---|---|
| Equity or cash tied to explicit performance metrics (e.g., TSR, EBITDA) | None disclosed for directors; structure is fixed retainer plus fully vested share grants |
Note: Company prohibits hedging and pledging of Company securities by directors and employees, reinforcing alignment.
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Industry | Relationship to RCKY | Interlock/Transactions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bhartiya International Ltd. | Leather/apparel manufacturing | External board role | No related-party transactions with Moore disclosed by RCKY |
Expertise & Qualifications
- 45+ years across footwear/apparel, leather manufacturing, and global supply chains; senior P&L leadership as President/CEO across multiple brands and manufacturers.
- Governance roles: Chair of Nominating & Corporate Governance; member of Compensation Committee.
- Financial literacy and board experience implied through committee service; formal “audit committee financial expert” designation applies to Winbigler, not Moore.
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Common Stock | Stock Options (Exercisable within 60 days) | Total Beneficial Ownership | Ownership % of Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robert B. Moore, Jr. | 26,390 | 3,000 | 29,390 | <1% |
| Pledging/Hedging | Prohibited by Company policy |
Governance Assessment
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Strengths:
- Independent director with deep sector experience; serves as Nominating Chair and Compensation member—positions central to board composition and pay governance.
- Attendance and engagement meet Company thresholds; presence at annual meeting supports active oversight.
- Director pay structure balanced between cash and equity; fully vested share grants provide ongoing ownership without performance gaming.
- No related-party transactions involving Moore disclosed; Compensation Committee interlocks: none.
- Company-wide clawback policy (amended Oct 2023; Nasdaq compliant) and anti-hedging/pledging policy reinforce governance hygiene.
-
Watch items:
- External board at Bhartiya International (supplier-side industry) could create perceived industry interlocks; RCKY disclosed no transactions with Moore-related entities, mitigating direct conflict signal. Continue monitoring supplier lists and RPT disclosures.
- Classified board structure can entrench directors and reduce annual accountability; mitigated by presence of Lead Independent Director and active committees.
-
Broader sentiment:
- 2024 Say-on-Pay approval ~96% indicates shareholder support for compensation frameworks overseen by the Compensation Committee (Moore is a member).
No Section 16(a) delinquency reported for Moore in 2024; late filings noted for certain officers only.