Connie Engel
RENASANTAbout Connie L. Engel
Connie L. Engel (age 72) has served as an independent director of Renasant Corporation since 2018, bringing deep commercial real estate development experience from prior roles at Childress Klein and her current principal role at Strada Senior Living Development and Brokerage in Atlanta, GA . She also holds multiple civic and governance positions in Georgia, and the board has determined she meets NYSE independence standards; all directors attended at least 75% of board and committee meetings in 2024 as the board met 14 times with six executive sessions of independent directors .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strada Senior Living Development and Brokerage (Atlanta) | Principal | Not disclosed | Senior living and brokerage leadership; informs CRE lending oversight |
| Childress Klein, Inc. (Atlanta Office Division) | Partner; development, management, leasing | Over 25 years (noted historically) | CRE expertise; prior audit committee experience at Brand Group Holdings pre-acquisition |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kennesaw State University Foundation | Chairwoman and Trustee | Since 2005 | Long-standing philanthropic governance |
| Cumberland Community Improvement District | Vice Chair | Not disclosed | Regional infrastructure and economic development governance |
| Cobb Marietta Convention & Exhibit Hall Authority | Board Member | Not disclosed | Local venue and tourism governance |
| National Association of Corporate Directors (Atlanta Chapter) | Board Member; former Chair; leads Nominating & Governance | Not disclosed | Corporate governance leadership |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Audit Committee member; also listed as member of the Credit Review, Technology, and Trust Committees (Bank committees) .
- Independence: Board determined Engel is an “independent director” under NYSE rules; only Chapman, McGraw, and Waycaster are non-independent .
- Attendance and engagement: Board held 14 meetings in 2024; all directors attended at least 75% of board and committee meetings; independent directors met in six executive sessions (lead director Creekmore presiding) .
- Stock ownership guidelines: Directors must hold stock equal to 5× annual cash retainer within five years; as of Jan 1, 2025, all directors except Ms. Flenorl met the $350,000 value threshold; pledged shares do not count toward compliance .
Fixed Compensation
| Component (2024) | Amount | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Annual cash fees | $88,667 | Base director retainer $70,000; additional retainers for certain chair roles and Bank Credit Review Committee members ($12,000); plus advisory board fees if applicable |
| Equity (time-based RS) | $70,704 | Awarded 2,356 shares on Apr 23, 2024; vests at the 2025 Annual Meeting; dividends paid in cash during vesting period |
| All other compensation | $13,991 | Includes dividends on RS and imputed income for elected medical benefits (director medical/dental plan; Engel’s imputed amount $11,895) |
| Total (2024) | $173,362 | Sum of cash, equity grant-date fair value, and other items |
Notes:
- No meeting fees; compensation set near median of peer group per Meridian Compensation Advisors .
- Directors do not receive options; equity is restricted stock; no tax gross-ups beyond imputed benefit income practice .
Performance Compensation
- No performance-linked director compensation disclosed; annual director equity grants are time-based restricted stock with one-year vesting aligning ongoing service and shareholder value .
| Metric | Plan | Weight | Target/Payout Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Not applicable (non-employee director) | N/A | N/A | Directors receive time-based RS; no performance metrics tied to director grants |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company/Organization | Type | Role | Interlocks/Conflicts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public company boards | Public | None disclosed | No public company directorships disclosed for Engel |
| Regional/civic boards (CID; Convention Authority; NACD) | Civic/Non-profit | Roles listed above | No RNST competitor/supplier/customer interlocks disclosed; ordinary-course banking relationships for directors handled under Regulation O with board oversight |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Commercial real estate development and brokerage expertise supports oversight of CRE lending in key markets (notably Atlanta) .
- Prior audit committee experience (Brand Group Holdings) enhances financial reporting and control oversight; current Audit Committee member at RNST .
- Governance leadership through NACD Atlanta and civic boards signals robust engagement with best practices and stakeholder perspectives .
Equity Ownership
| Item | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Total beneficial ownership (Mar 6, 2025) | 11,705 shares; <1% of outstanding | Includes 2,356 time-based RS that vest at 2025 Annual Meeting; voting and dividend rights prior to vesting |
| Ownership guideline status | In compliance | Directors with ≥5 years must hold stock worth ≥$350,000; all directors except Ms. Flenorl met as of Jan 1, 2025 |
| Hedging/pledging | Hedging prohibited; pledged shares excluded from guideline compliance | Company-wide hedging policy; pledging permitted but excluded for guideline calculation |
| Shares pledged | Not disclosed for Engel | No specific pledge disclosure for Engel in ownership table/notes |
Insider Trades (Form 4)
| Filing Date | Transaction Date | Type | Shares | Post-Transaction Holdings | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-04-23 | 2025-04-22 | Award (A) – Common Stock | 2,582 | 14,287 | https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/715072/000071507225000160/0000715072-25-000160-index.htm |
| 2024-04-24 | 2024-04-23 | Award (A) – Common Stock | 2,356 | 11,281 | https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/715072/000071507224000108/0000715072-24-000108-index.htm |
Source: Insider-trades skill (Form 4). Awards reflect annual director restricted stock grants (grant-date shares; zero price) [Insider-trades output above].
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent director with high attendance and multi-committee service, including Audit; strong CRE domain expertise aligned with RNST’s loan book; compliance with stock ownership guidelines enhances alignment; hedging prohibited and related-party transactions overseen under robust policies .
- Compensation alignment: Cash retainer plus uniform time-based equity grants; no meeting fees or special payments; structure set near peer median via independent consultant; signals standardized, low-conflict governance compensation .
- Potential conflicts: Sector overlap (CRE) could present perceived conflicts if transactions involve entities with Engel’s interests; the proxy discloses ordinary-course director-related relationships reviewed and approved under Regulation O and related-party oversight; no specific related-party transactions involving Engel are disclosed (positive) .
- RED FLAGS: None disclosed for Engel regarding legal proceedings, hedging/pledging, or related-party transactions; board-wide say-on-pay support at 96.7% suggests positive shareholder sentiment toward governance and incentives .