Robert Houser
About Robert Houser
Robert (“Rob”) S. Houser is Chief Financial Officer of Repay Holdings Corporation (RPAY), appointed effective September 8, 2025. He oversees financial planning, corporate development, accounting, and investor relations; he previously held senior finance roles at Conduent, Fiserv, Integra Lifesciences, Bristol‑Myers Squibb, Merck, Firmenich, and began his career at KPMG. He holds an MBA and B.B.A. in Accounting from Rider University, and currently leads investor communications including earnings calls and conferences as RPAY’s CFO .
Recent operating context under his tenure: Q3 2025 revenue was $77.7M, Adjusted EBITDA $31.2M, Free Cash Flow $20.8M, and FCF conversion 67% .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conduent (CNDT) | Group CFO – Public Sector; Advisor; formerly Global Head of Strategy & Corporate Development | — | Led finance and strategy functions for a large services portfolio; advised CEO on transformation priorities |
| Fiserv (FI) | Senior Vice President; General Manager; Divisional CFO | 7 years | Operated P&L leadership and divisional CFO roles across payments businesses |
| Integra Lifesciences (IART) | Global Head of FP&A and Investor Relations | — | Built enterprise planning and capital markets communication processes |
| Bristol‑Myers Squibb (BMY) | Finance/strategy roles | — | Supported finance functions in pharma operations |
| Merck (MRK) | Finance/strategy roles | — | Contributed to corporate finance initiatives |
| Firmenich | Finance/strategy roles | — | Held various accounting/strategy positions |
| KPMG | Auditor | — | External audit foundation, early career |
External Roles
No public company board directorships disclosed; current activities include serving as RPAY’s CFO and hosting earnings calls and investor engagements .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Detail | Amount/Units | Timing/Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employment Agreement | RPAY filed an executive employment agreement with Robert S. Houser (dated Aug 7, 2025) | Exhibit reference only | Incorporated by reference in Q3 2025 Form 10‑Q (Exhibit 10.2) |
| Inducement Restricted Stock (outside plan) | Stand‑alone NASDAQ 5635(c)(4) inducement grant | 118,243 shares | Grants on Sep 8, 2025; vests in four equal annual installments starting Sep 8, 2026 |
| Inducement Grant Fair Value (per share) | Grant‑date fair value used by RPAY | $5.92 | As of Sep 8, 2025 |
| S‑8 Registration Metrics | Fee table pricing reference for registration | $5.57 per share (fee calc); Max aggregate $658,614 | As filed Sep 26, 2025 |
Note: Base salary and target bonus for Mr. Houser are not disclosed in recent filings; RPAY’s latest proxy includes NEO structures for 2024 but does not include Mr. Houser (appointed in 2025) .
Performance Compensation
RPAY’s disclosed executive incentive design (latest proxy) emphasizes pay-for-performance with annual cash bonuses and 3‑year PSUs.
| Metric | Weighting | Threshold | Target | Maximum | Actual (FY 2024) | Payout % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adjusted EBITDA (AIP – corporate) | 75% | $123.4M | $141.9M | $156.0M | $140.8M | 97% |
| Individual goals (AIP) | 25% | 50% achievement | 100% | 200% | NEO‑specific achievements | 95–100% examples per NEO |
| Consumer Payments Gross Profit (BU leaders) | 40% (for BU leader) | $176.4M | $202.7M | $223.0M | $193.1M | 82% |
| PSUs – Adjusted EBITDA (3‑year) | 50% of PSU grant | 75% discount → 50% earn; target 100%; 75% premium → 200% | See policy | See policy | Determined over 2024–2026 | Earnout in early 2027 |
| PSUs – TSR vs Russell 2000 (3‑year) | 50% of PSU grant | 25th percentile → 50% earn | 50th percentile → 100% | 75th percentile → 200% | Determined over 2024–2026 | Earnout in early 2027 |
Additional context: RPAY’s 2022 PSU cycle paid at ~57% of target based on TSR percentile (28.55%) for the 3‑year period ended Dec 31, 2024 .
Equity Ownership & Alignment
| Item | Status |
|---|---|
| Stock ownership guidelines | Executives: 3x base salary; CEO: 5x; directors: 5x cash retainer (5‑year compliance window). As of latest annual review, executives and directors were in compliance . |
| Anti‑hedging/anti‑pledging policy | Prohibits short sales, derivatives on company stock; discourages margin accounts and pledges, with pre‑clearance required; executives may trade only during designated windows; all are in compliance . |
| Clawback policy | Adopted Aug 2, 2023; effective Oct 2, 2023; covers 3 prior fiscal years for accounting restatements and excess incentive compensation; plan documents also include clawback provisions for EVPs and above . |
| Houser current equity | 118,243 inducement restricted shares (vesting over 4 years; outside the plan) . |
Employment Terms
| Provision | Detail |
|---|---|
| Employment Agreement | RPAY lists an Employment Agreement dated Aug 7, 2025 with Robert S. Houser in the Q3 2025 Form 10‑Q exhibit index (incorporated by reference to an Aug 11, 2025 Form 8‑K) . |
| Company standard executive protections (per 2025 proxy) | For NEOs: severance equals base salary + target bonus paid over a “Severance Period” (18 months; 30 months if within 24 months following or in anticipation of a change in control); double‑trigger treatment with accelerated vesting mechanics for time‑based equity and specified treatments for PSUs and performance options; non‑compete and non‑solicit covenants for 24 months post‑separation . |
RPAY disclosed CFO transition earlier in 2025: Timothy J. Murphy resigned effective May 15, 2025 (personal reasons) with Thomas Sullivan named Interim CFO; Rob Houser was appointed CFO effective Sept 8, 2025 .
Investment Implications
- Alignment: Houser’s inducement grant is time‑based equity vesting over four years, a retention lever that aligns with shareholder value creation and discourages short‑term focus; RPAY’s executive policies prohibit pledging/hedging and enforce ownership guidelines, supporting alignment .
- Pay-for-performance linkage: RPAY’s incentives center on Adjusted EBITDA and relative TSR PSUs, with recent PSU outcomes reflecting stock performance rigor; cash AIP targets are set above prior-year actuals and paid near target when operational goals are met .
- Transition risk and signal: The 2025 CFO succession from Murphy to Houser adds execution focus on repositioning and investor communications; Houser is actively leading earnings calls and conference engagements as RPAY refines its outlook and capital allocation (Q3 retirements of convertibles, buybacks, FCF conversion) .
- Monitoring: Track future disclosures of Houser’s base salary/bonus targets and any additional equity awards (e.g., PSUs) alongside RPAY’s performance trajectory (Adjusted EBITDA, normalized gross profit growth) to assess pay-for-performance and potential insider selling pressure around scheduled vest dates .