Ann Kono
About Ann Kono
Independent director at Sabra Health Care REIT (SBRA) since December 2020; age 49. She is CEO of Leda Advisory Group (founded 2019) and previously served 11 years at Ares Management as Chief Information and Risk Officer overseeing operational, investment and enterprise risks. She is designated by SBRA’s board as an “audit committee financial expert,” and currently serves on SBRA’s Audit and Compensation Committees. In 2024, she was elected to the board of Cathay General Bancorp (NASDAQ: CATY). Education disclosed: MBA in Finance; reported as MBA (USC) and BS in Finance (Boston University).
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ares Management Corporation | Chief Information and Risk Officer; previously CTO and Head of Operations | ~11 years | Oversaw operational, investment, and enterprise risks; led digital transformation and scale-up initiatives |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leda Advisory Group | Founder & CEO | Jan 2019–Present | Advises asset managers on growth/scale |
| Cathay General Bancorp (NASDAQ: CATY) | Director | Elected May 13, 2024–Present | Director; committees not disclosed in sources cited |
| Siepe, LLC (private) | Independent Director | July 2022–Present | Credit/data analytics enterprise software board member |
| Stable Road Acquisition Company (public SPAC) | Director | 2019–2021 | Board service prior to de‑SPAC |
Board Governance
- Current SBRA committee assignments (2025): Audit; Compensation. Not a committee chair. The Board designated Kono as an “audit committee financial expert.”
- Independence: Board affirmatively determined Kono is independent under Nasdaq rules.
- Attendance/engagement: Board held 4 meetings in 2024; committees met Audit (4), Compensation (2), Corporate Responsibility & Governance (2). Each director attended at least 75% of aggregate Board/committee meetings; independent directors meet regularly in executive session.
- Shareholder voice signals: Say‑on‑pay support remained strong (2024: 94.6% of votes cast “For”; 2025 Annual Meeting advisory vote tallies below).
| 2025 Annual Meeting Vote Results | For | Against | Abstain | Broker Non‑Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ann Kono – Director Election | 195,387,002 | 269,406 | 166,898 | 18,401,197 |
| Advisory Vote on NEO Compensation | 187,601,132 | 7,853,769 | 368,405 | 18,401,197 |
Fixed Compensation (Director)
| Component | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Cash fees (retainer + meeting fees) | $83,403 | $87,500 |
| Equity (RSUs) – grant date fair value | $134,991 | $134,995 |
| Total | $218,394 | $222,495 |
- Director fee policy: Annual cash retainer $80,000; $1,500 per committee meeting (reduced to $750 for short telephonic/attend-not-in-person). Additional retainers for chairs/Lead Independent Director: Audit Chair $25,000; Compensation Chair $15,000 (rising to $20,000 effective June 12, 2025); CR&G Chair $15,000 (rising to $20,000 effective June 12, 2025); Lead Independent Director $30,000.
- Stock ownership guideline: 5x annual Board cash retainer; directors must retain 50% of net after-tax shares until compliant. All directors are currently in compliance.
- Anti‑hedging/pledging: Directors prohibited from hedging (short sales, options, swaps/collars) and from pledging/margin accounts.
Performance Compensation (Director Equity Program)
| Grant Year | Grant Date | Annual RSU Units | Grant Date Fair Value | Vesting/Payment Terms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Jun 14, 2023 | 11,382 | $134,991 | Vests monthly over 1 year; shares not distributable until earliest of 5th anniversary, change of control, or Board separation; dividend equivalents reinvested; acceleration upon change in control/death/disability |
| 2024 | Jun 13, 2024 | 9,480 | $134,995 | Same terms; annual equity award value increases to $150,000 effective June 12, 2025 |
SBRA’s director equity is time‑based (not performance‑based), aligning directors to long‑term TSR via holding/deferral and dividend equivalents.
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- Current public board: Cathay General Bancorp (bank holding company). No SBRA‑disclosed related‑party transactions linked to Kono, and Audit Committee oversees any related‑person dealings under a written policy.
- Private board: Siepe, LLC (since July 2022).
- No disclosed interlocks with SBRA tenants/suppliers/competitors; none reported in related‑party section.
Expertise & Qualifications
- Finance and risk: 25+ years in finance; former Chief Information and Risk Officer at Ares; designated SBRA “audit committee financial expert.”
- Technology/digital operations: Prior CTO/Head of Operations at Ares; focus on operational scale and digital transformation.
- Governance: Service on SBRA Audit and Compensation Committees; experience on public and private boards.
- Education: MBA in Finance; (reported) MBA from USC; BS in Finance from Boston University.
Equity Ownership
| As‑Of Date | Beneficial Ownership (Shares) | Components |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 31, 2024 | 33,930 | 31,904 vested RSUs deferred + 2,026 RSUs vesting within 60 days; “<1%” of outstanding shares |
| Mar 31, 2025 | 46,684 | 45,020 vested RSUs deferred + 1,664 RSUs vesting within 60 days; “<1%” of outstanding shares |
- Ownership alignment: Non‑employee director ownership guideline = 5x annual cash retainer; SBRA states all directors are compliant. Hedging and pledging are prohibited.
Insider Transactions (Form 4 snapshots)
| Transaction Date | Type | Shares Acquired | Post‑Txn Ownership | Source (SEC) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 14, 2023 | Annual RSU award | 11,382 | 32,732 | |
| Jun 13, 2024 | Annual RSU award | 9,480 | 45,143 | |
| Nov 29, 2024 | Dividend equivalent RSUs | 737 | 46,673 | |
| Jun 12, 2025 | Annual RSU award | 8,178 | 56,509 | |
| Aug 29, 2025 | Dividend equivalent RSUs | 887 | 57,396 |
Pattern: No reported open‑market buys/sells; holdings increase via annual awards and monthly dividend‑equivalent accruals, consistent with SBRA’s director equity program. [/tmp/insider_trades_20251120_030329.json via insider-trades skill]
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent, audit/comp committee service with “audit committee financial expert” designation; strong shareholder support on say‑on‑pay (94.6% in 2024; robust “For” tallies in 2025); director ownership guideline compliance; anti‑hedging/pledging policies; no related‑party transactions involving Kono disclosed.
- Workload/overboarding: SBRA policy caps directors at ≤3 other public boards (and audit members at ≤2 other public audit committees); Kono’s additional public board (CATY) appears within policy; no exceptions granted.
- Red flags: None observed—no Section 16 filing issues flagged for Kono in 2024 reporting; no hedging/pledging; no related‑party or option repricing disclosures.
Bottom line: Kono brings deep risk/technology/finance expertise, enhances audit oversight quality, and exhibits alignment via long‑dated, deferred equity and ownership requirements—factors supportive of investor confidence in SBRA’s board effectiveness.