Suzanne Rowland
SEALED AIR CORP/DEAbout Suzanne B. Rowland
Independent director of SEE since 2020; age 63. Former operating executive in specialty chemicals and industrials with >20 years at Rohm and Haas, senior leadership roles at Tyco International, and Group Vice President, Industrial Specialties at Ashland Global. Education: B.S. Chemical Engineering (University of Pennsylvania) and M.S. Business Studies (London Business School). Earned the Sustainability and Climate Risk (SCR) Certificate in 2023, reflecting ongoing ESG-focused professional development . The Board has determined she is independent under NYSE and SEE’s categorical standards .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ashland Global Holdings | Group Vice President, Industrial Specialties | Not disclosed | Led industrial specialties; brings ops and sustainability expertise |
| Tyco International | VP & GM, Fire Products; VP, Business Excellence, Flow Control | Not disclosed | Lean/operations leadership across safety and flow control |
| Rohm and Haas | VP, Procurement & Logistics; VP & Global Business Director, Adhesives | >20 years | Strategic sourcing, global business leadership |
External Roles
| Company | Role | Status | Committees/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| James Hardie Industries plc | Director | Current | Audit; Compensation |
| Kenan Advantage, Inc. (private) | Director | Recently elected | Private company board |
| SPX Flow, Inc. | Director | 2018–Apr 2022 | Chair, Compensation & HCM; member, Audit; Nominating, Governance & Sustainability |
| L.B. Foster Company | Director | 2008–Dec 2022 | Chair, Nominating & Governance |
Board Governance
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Independence | Independent director (Board determined; majority independent board) |
| SEE Committees | Audit; Nominating & Corporate Governance (N&CG) |
| Committee Chair Roles | None (2024 chairs: Audit—Berryman; N&CG—Keizer; P&C—Ahmad) |
| 2024 Meetings/Attendance | Board held 5 meetings; each current director attended ≥90% of aggregate Board and committee meetings; all directors attended the 2024 Annual Meeting |
| Executive Sessions | Regular executive sessions of independent directors per guidelines |
| Hedging/Pledging | Prohibited for directors (no hedging or pledging of SEE stock) |
Fixed Compensation (Director)
| Component (2024) | Amount |
|---|---|
| Fees Earned or Paid in Cash (actual) | $148,000 |
| Policy: Annual cash retainer (Other Board Members) | $110,000 |
| Policy: Committee member fees — Audit | $10,000 |
| Policy: Committee member fees — N&CG | $7,500 |
| Director education fees received (actual) | $16,000 (paid at $2,000/day) |
Notes:
- SEE pays at least 50% of the annual retainer in equity; committee fees are cash. Directors may defer retainers under the Deferred Compensation Plan .
- Restrictions prohibit sale/transfer of retainer shares while serving on the Board (limited exceptions); restrictions lapse upon certain change-in-control events .
Performance Compensation (Director)
| Component (2024) | Detail |
|---|---|
| Stock Awards (grant-date fair value) | $160,034 (stock portion of annual retainer; fully vested shares or stock units if deferred) |
| Performance Conditions | None for director equity; awards represent retainer equity, not performance-based |
Compensation mix (2024 actual): ~$148,000 cash vs. ~$160,034 equity (~48% equity / ~52% cash), signaling balanced cash/equity alignment per SEE’s director pay design .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Aspect | Findings |
|---|---|
| Current public boards | James Hardie Industries plc (Audit; Compensation) |
| Potential interlocks | No compensation committee interlocks or insider participation disclosed for SEE’s committees in 2024 |
| Related-party transactions | None disclosed involving Rowland; only related-party item in 2024 was SEE’s office lease to Vanguard ($2.3M) |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Deep industrials/chemicals operating background; sustainability/lean principles; strategic sourcing; M&A; corporate governance .
- Education: B.S. Chemical Engineering (UPenn), M.S. Business Studies (LBS); SCR certificate (2023) .
Equity Ownership
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Direct shares owned | 0 (does not include deferred stock units) |
| Stock units under Director Deferred Plan | 17,921 units (non-voting; dividend equivalents accrue) |
| Ownership as % of outstanding | <1% (aggregate threshold; “*” denotes <1% per table) |
| Director ownership guidelines | 5x annual cash retainer; $550,000 for directors (Chair: $895,000) |
| Compliance status (3/31/2025) | Not yet met; within initial five-year compliance period |
| Hedging/pledging policy | Prohibited for directors |
Governance Assessment
-
Strengths
- Independent director with audit and N&CG roles; board-wide ≥90% attendance underlines engagement .
- Evident commitment to governance education (received $16,000 in education fees), bolstering board effectiveness .
- No related-party transactions involving Rowland; SEE discloses a formal related-person policy and only notes a Vanguard lease; hedging/pledging prohibited, supporting alignment .
- Balanced director pay structure with meaningful equity component; transparent fee schedule and use of independent advisor (Pearl Meyer) for director comp .
-
Watchpoints
- Ownership guideline not yet met as of March 31, 2025, though within initial five-year window per policy; monitor progress toward $550,000 guideline value .
- Multi-board commitments appear manageable (one current public board); continue to assess time commitments if additional roles are added .
-
RED FLAGS
- None identified specific to Rowland (no attendance shortfalls, no related-party exposure, no hedging/pledging, no committee interlocks) .