Christopher J. Mettler
About Christopher J. Mettler
Independent director at ServisFirst Bancshares, Inc. since October 21, 2019 (age 49 as of the 2025 record date). Founder and President of Sovereign Co. (full‑time since April 26, 2019), previously founded CompareCards and SnapCap (both acquired by LendingTree), and served as President of Iron Horse Holdings LLC before transitioning to LendingTree employment through April 26, 2019. His profile emphasizes fintech, marketing attribution, and AI, with prior service on SFBS’s Charleston advisory board .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iron Horse Holdings LLC | President | Jan 1, 2014 – Nov 16, 2016 | Built CompareCards sold to LendingTree |
| LendingTree (Nasdaq: TREE) | Employee (salaried) | Nov 2016 – Apr 26, 2019 | Post‑acquisition integration after CompareCards sale |
| ServisFirst Charleston Advisory Board | Advisory board member | Prior to 2019 (date not specified) | Local market advisory experience |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sovereign Co. | Founder & President | Apr 26, 2019 – present | Marketing attribution and AI technology focus |
Board Governance
- Committee memberships: Compensation Committee (member); Corporate Governance & Nominations Committee (member). Not a chair; current chairs are Hatton C.V. Smith (Compensation) and Irma L. Tuder (Audit); J. Richard Cashio chairs Corporate Governance & Nominations .
- Independence: Board determined Mettler is independent under NYSE standards .
- Attendance: Board held 8 meetings in 2024; each director attended at least 75% of Board and committee meetings during their service period .
- Committee engagement: Compensation Committee met 4 times in 2024 (authority to retain independent consultants; Aon retained; no consultant conflicts). Corporate Governance & Nominations met 2 times in 2024; Audit met 4 times in 2024 .
- Governance practices: Clawback policy per SEC Rule 10D‑1; prohibitions on hedging and pledging (pledging allowed only with approval). No formal stock ownership guidelines due to already high ownership multiples among directors .
Fixed Compensation
| Metric | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Retainer (Director) ($) | $50,000 | $50,000 |
| Committee Fees (published schedule) | Audit Member $8,000; Audit Chair $15,000; Comp Member $6,000; Comp Chair $10,000; CGNC Member $4,000; CGNC Chair $9,000 | Audit Member $8,000; Audit Chair $15,000; Comp Member $6,000; Comp Chair $10,000; CGNC Member $4,000; CGNC Chair $9,000 |
| Fees Earned or Paid in Cash ($) – Mettler | $68,000 | $62,000 |
| Stock Awards ($) – Mettler | $50,012 | $59,976 |
| Total Director Compensation ($) – Mettler | $118,012 | $121,976 |
Performance Compensation
| Equity Award Detail | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Time‑based RSU grant | 964 shares at $51.88; grant date Apr 17, 2023; one‑year vest | 921 shares at $65.12; grant date May 20, 2024; one‑year vest |
- Directors receive time‑based restricted stock; no director‑specific performance metrics disclosed. For context on Compensation Committee oversight, 2024 NEO annual incentive metrics and weights were EPS (50%), loan growth (30%), deposit growth (20%) with thresholds/targets/maximums; actuals: EPS $4.16 (below threshold $4.20), loan growth 8.1% (threshold 8%), deposit growth 2.0% (below threshold 7%); credit quality modifier at 0.34% NPAs/Assets resulted in no reduction .
| 2024 NEO Annual Incentive Metrics | Weight | Threshold | Target | Maximum | 2024 Actual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EPS ($) | 50% | 4.20 | 4.34 | 4.40 | 4.16 |
| Loan Growth (%) | 30% | 8 | 10 | 12 | 8.1 |
| Deposit Growth (%) | 20% | 7 | 9 | 11 | 2.0 |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Role | Committee Roles | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| None disclosed | — | — | No other public company directorships disclosed for Mettler |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Fintech and marketing attribution; AI technology leadership via Sovereign Co. .
- Entrepreneurial exits to LendingTree; operational experience as President at Iron Horse Holdings .
- Regional banking advisory experience (Charleston advisory board), aligning market perspective with SFBS’s commercial banking footprint .
Equity Ownership
| Ownership Metric | As of Mar 27, 2024 | As of Mar 26, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Beneficial Ownership (shares) | 23,154 | 17,436 |
| Ownership % of outstanding | <1% | <1% |
| Options | Option granted Oct 21, 2019 to purchase 25,000 shares at $33.90, 100% vests after five years | Not referenced in 2025 table |
| Pledged Shares | None disclosed for Mettler (pledges disclosed for other directors) |
Insider Trades (Form 4)
| Filing Date | Transaction Date | Type | Shares | Price | Post‑Txn Ownership | SEC Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025‑05‑21 | 2025‑05‑19 | Award (A) | 784 | $0.00 | 18,220 | https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1430723/000143072325000015/0001430723-25-000015-index.htm |
| 2025‑02‑14 | 2025‑02‑13 | Sale (S) | 18,000 | $88.68 | 17,436 | https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1430723/000143072325000004/0001430723-25-000004-index.htm |
Governance Assessment
- Board effectiveness: Independent director engaged on compensation and nominations; committees operate with independent membership and utilize external consultants (Aon), with four Compensation meetings in 2024 and robust clawback policy .
- Alignment: Director compensation is modest, with equity grants (time‑based RSUs) supporting alignment; Mettler’s 2024 split ($62k cash, $59,976 equity) indicates balanced mix .
- Independence and conflicts: No related‑party disclosures tied to Mettler; company’s related‑party loans are administered under policy and totaled ~$42.4 million aggregate to directors/executives (2.6% of total equity) as of Dec 31, 2024, with no past‑due or unfavorable features disclosed .
- Attendance: Met minimum standard (≥75%) in 2024; board maintains executive sessions led by Lead Independent Director .
- Say‑on‑pay signals: Strong shareholder support (approx. 97.3% approval in 2024 meeting; 2025 proxy references continued strong outcomes) reflecting confidence in compensation oversight, relevant to Mettler’s committee role .
RED FLAGS
- None disclosed specific to Mettler: No pledging, no related‑party transactions, and no hedging per policy . Note: One sizable open‑market sale (18,000 shares) in Feb 2025; absent further pattern, interpreted as personal liquidity rather than persistent insider selling [Form 4 URLs above].