Jens F. Ruppert
RICHARDSON ELECTRONICSAbout Jens F. Ruppert
Executive Vice President and General Manager, Canvys at Richardson Electronics (since July 2015; age 52), with prior leadership roles across medical display and operating room equipment businesses in Europe and the U.S. . Company performance context during FY 2025: revenue rose 6.3% to $208.9M with gross margin at 31.0%, though the company reported a net loss of $1.143M; a $100 TSR investment stood at $241 versus a peer group $139 . FY 2024 revenue was $196.5M with net income of $61k and a $100 TSR value of $295 .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Envinet GmbH (Germany) | Managing Director | Pre-2015 | Led a high-tech company; relevant for engineering/manufacturing execution in industrial/medical markets |
| NDS Surgical Imaging (U.S.) | VP & GM (also multiple management roles) | 2006–2013 (VP/GM 2010–2013) | Grew medical display/OR equipment lines; direct relevance to Canvys custom display solutions |
| Heraeus-Med (Maquet/Getinge) | Management roles | Prior to 2006 | Deep operating room/medical equipment exposure; supplier/customer alignment |
| Gebrueder Martin (KLS Martin Group) | Management roles | Prior to 2006 | Surgical equipment market expertise; product lifecycle and certification familiarity |
External Roles
No current public company directorships or external roles disclosed .
Fixed Compensation
| Metric | FY 2021 | FY 2022 | FY 2023 | FY 2024 | FY 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Base Salary ($) | 294,012 | 292,603 | 280,639 | 302,464 | 314,435 |
| Perquisites ($) | 18,700 (car lease) | 20,522 (car lease) | 16,936 (car lease) | 16,431 (car lease) | 16,711 (car lease) |
| Total Cash ($) | 405,055 | 445,047 | 427,769 | 370,562 | 450,175 |
Performance Compensation
Annual Cash Incentive – FY 2025
| Metric | Weighting | Target Eligible ($) | Achievement (%) | Earned ($) | Vesting/Payment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating Income | Not disclosed (applied) | 39,034 | 75.0 | 29,276 | Cash (annual) |
| Canvys Operating Income | Not disclosed (applied) | 117,101 | 77.5 | 90,753 | Cash (annual) |
| Total Non-Equity Incentive ($) | — | — | — | 120,029 | Cash (annual) |
Annual Cash Incentive – FY 2024
| Metric | Weighting | Target Eligible ($) | Achievement (%) | Earned ($) | Vesting/Payment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating Income | Not disclosed (applied) | 37,576 | 25.0 | 9,394 | Cash (annual) |
| Canvys Operating Income | Not disclosed (applied) | 112,729 | 37.5 | 42,273 | Cash (annual) |
| Total Non-Equity Incentive ($) | — | — | — | 51,667 | Cash (annual) |
Long-Term Incentives
| Grant Date | Type | Shares/Options | Exercise/Base Price ($) | Grant-Date Fair Value ($) | Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7/22/2024 | Stock Options | 10,000 | 11.89 | 49,500 | 20% annually over 5 years |
| 7/17/2023 | Stock Options | 10,000 | 15.51 | 63,300 | 20% annually over 5 years |
| 7/18/2022 | Stock Options | 10,000 | 15.60 | — | 20% annually over 5 years |
| Prior grants | Restricted Stock (historical) | 10,000 (7/19/2021) | Base at grant; 3 tranches | 76,600 (FY22) | 3 equal annual installments |
Upcoming vesting cadence from current option grants (subject to service): 2,000 options per fiscal year across FY 2026–FY 2030 for the 7/22/2024 grant; 2,000 per year across FY 2025–FY 2029 for the 7/17/2023 grant; 2,000 per year across FY 2026–FY 2029 for the 7/18/2022 grant .
Equity Ownership & Alignment
| Metric | FY 2024 | FY 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Beneficial Ownership (shares) | 58,500 (incl. 21,000 options exercisable within 60 days; 37,500 restricted stock awards) | 68,500 (incl. 29,000 options exercisable within 60 days; 39,500 restricted stock awards) |
| Ownership % of Common | ~0.47% (58,500 / 12,324,245) | ~0.55% (68,500 / 12,432,959) |
| Options – Exercisable (by grant) | 6,000 @ $9.10 (8/20/28), 1,000 @ $5.61 (7/22/29), 3,000 @ $4.26 (7/21/30), 2,000 @ $7.66 (7/19/31), 2,000 @ $15.60 (7/18/32), 2,000 @ $15.51 (7/17/33) | 6,000 @ $9.10 (8/20/28), 2,000 @ $5.61 (7/22/29), 4,000/1,000 @ $4.26 (7/21/30), 3,000/2,000 @ $7.66 (7/19/31), 4,000/6,000 @ $15.60 (7/18/32), 2,000/8,000 @ $15.51 (7/17/33), 10,000 unexercisable @ $11.89 (7/22/34) |
| Restricted Stock Unvested | 3,334 (market value $37,307 as of 5/31/2024) | None outstanding at FY-end |
| Hedging/Pledging | Hedging prohibited; no pledging disclosed |
Note: Option awards vest 20% annually over five years and restricted stock vests in three equal annual installments .
Employment Terms
- Agreement dated August 1, 2015; role: EVP & GM, Canvys; initial base €200,000; target bonus up to 50% of base .
- Term: indefinite; termination by either party without notice (in writing). If terminated by the Company for reasons other than misconduct: severance equal to six times monthly base salary at termination .
- Potential payments table (as of FY 2025): Termination without Cause by Company $162,395 . FY 2024 comparable figure: $156,332 .
- Clawback policy in place for executive incentives (fraud/illegal conduct; material restatement) .
- Hedging prohibited . No executive-specific stock ownership guidelines disclosed.
Investment Implications
- Pay-for-performance alignment: Annual incentives tied directly to operating income and Canvys segment profitability; FY 2025 payout ($120k) reflects strong Canvys operating income execution vs targets while corporate revenue/cash metrics are not applied to Ruppert, reducing misalignment risk with segment focus .
- Retention and selling pressure: No RSUs outstanding at FY-end reduces near-term forced selling risk; options vesting 2,000/year across multiple grants through FY 2030 create periodic incremental liquidity—with hedging prohibited and no pledging disclosed—suggesting moderate ongoing alignment without leverage risk .
- Severance economics: Indefinite-term contract with a relatively modest severance (six months’ base equivalent) limits change-of-control windfall risk; no special CoC triggers disclosed for Ruppert .
- Governance and clawbacks: Formal clawback and insider trading policies, plus prohibited hedging, enhance alignment and reduce headline risk; no related party transactions in FY 2025 .
- Company context: FY 2025 revenue growth (+6.3%) and improved gross margin (31.0%) support segment investment, but net loss and Healthcare asset sale (loss recorded) indicate execution challenges; Canvys growth and profitability underpin Ruppert’s cash incentive outcomes .
Appendix – Supplemental Tables
Summary Compensation (Multi-Year)
| Component ($) | FY 2021 | FY 2022 | FY 2023 | FY 2024 | FY 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salary | 294,012 | 292,603 | 280,639 | 302,464 | 314,435 |
| Restricted Stock Awards | 42,600 | 76,600 | — | — | — |
| Option Awards | 2,450 | 7,500 | 54,400 | 63,300 | 49,500 |
| Non-Equity Incentive | 111,043 | 152,444 | 147,130 | 51,667 | 120,029 |
| All Other Compensation | 18,700 | 20,522 | 16,936 | 16,431 | 16,711 |
| Total | 468,805 | 549,669 | 499,105 | 433,862 | 500,675 |
Outstanding Equity Awards (FY 2025)
| Type | Exercisable (#) | Unexercisable (#) | Exercise Price ($) | Expiration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Options | 6,000 | — | 9.10 | 8/20/2028 |
| Options | 2,000 | — | 5.61 | 7/22/2029 |
| Options | 4,000 | 1,000 | 4.26 | 7/21/2030 |
| Options | 3,000 | 2,000 | 7.66 | 7/19/2031 |
| Options | 4,000 | 6,000 | 15.60 | 7/18/2032 |
| Options | 2,000 | 8,000 | 15.51 | 7/17/2033 |
| Options | — | 10,000 | 11.89 | 7/22/2034 |
| Restricted Stock | — | — | — | — (none outstanding) |
Company Performance Context (PvP)
| Metric | FY 2021 | FY 2022 | FY 2023 | FY 2024 | FY 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue ($000s) | 176,937 | 224,620 | 262,658 | 196,460 | 208,909 |
| Net Income ($000s) | 1,655 | 17,927 | 22,333 | 61 | (1,143) |
| $100 TSR Value | 213 | 356 | 449 | 295 | 241 |
| Peer Group $100 TSR | 178 | 134 | 119 | 119 | 139 |
Governance & Policies
- Clawback policy filed as Exhibit 97.1 to FY 2025 10-K; insider trading policy filed as Exhibit 19.1 .
- Hedging prohibited; no related party transactions FY 2025 .
- No legal proceedings disclosed in FY 2025 10-K .
Say-on-Pay & Committee
- Say-on-pay approved (advisory) at 2024 meeting; annual frequency adopted; FY 2025 program unchanged due to prior approval .
- Compensation Committee did not retain consultants; relied on public data; determined market had not changed significantly (FY 2024/2025) .
Notes
- Ruppert’s role and tenure: EVP & GM, Canvys since July 2015 .
- Ownership counts include options exercisable within 60 days and restricted stock awards, per proxy methodology .
- Option awards generally vest 20% annually over five years; restricted stock vests in three equal annual installments .
Investment Implications
- Segment-linked incentives and clawback mechanisms lower pay inflation risk and enhance pay-for-performance alignment.
- Upcoming option vesting provides periodic alignment and limited selling pressure risk given absence of RSU overhang and prohibited hedging; no pledging disclosed.
- Modest severance terms and absence of explicit CoC accelerations for Ruppert reduce parachute risk; focus remains on segment execution and profitability.
All data above is sourced from Richardson Electronics’ 2025 and 2024 DEF 14A and the FY 2025 10-K .