Jeffry Hecklinski
About Jeffry Hecklinski
Jeffry Hecklinski (age 51) serves as President of Signing Day Sports, Inc. and has been a director since April 2024; he previously served as General Manager from March 2023 to April 2024 and holds a bachelor’s degree in Communications from Western Illinois University . His background spans college athletics with extensive coaching and recruiting experience across multiple programs, which the Board cites as qualifications for his director role . Total shareholder return or other firm-level performance metrics tied to his tenure were not disclosed in the proxy or related filings .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic impact / qualifications |
|---|---|---|---|
| Signing Day Sports, Inc. | President | Apr 2024–present | Executive leadership; Board cites extensive coaching/recruiting experience as qualification for Board service |
| Signing Day Sports, Inc. | General Manager | Mar 2023–Apr 2024 | Management role prior to promotion to President |
| San Diego State University | Assistant Football Coach | Jan 2022–Oct 2022 | Coaching and recruiting college student-athletes |
| University of Kansas | Assistant Football Coach | Dec 2018–Dec 2019 | Coaching and recruiting college student-athletes |
| Indiana State University | Assistant Football Coach | Dec 2016–Dec 2018 | Coaching and recruiting college student-athletes |
| University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | Assistant Football Coach | 2016 | Coaching and recruiting college student-athletes |
| Colorado State University Pueblo | Assistant Football Coach | 2015 | Coaching and recruiting college student-athletes |
| University of Michigan | Assistant Football Coach | 2011–2014 | Coaching and recruiting college student-athletes |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Not disclosed | — | — | No public company directorships or external board roles disclosed for Mr. Hecklinski in the proxy . |
Fixed Compensation
| Year | Base salary ($) | Benefits ($) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 200,000 | 12,877 | At‑will employment; President role confirmed |
Performance Compensation
| Item | Metric | Target | Actual/Payout | Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Discretionary cash bonus (approved 4/17/2025) | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | $95,000 cash | Cash; no vesting disclosed |
| RS grant (3/12/2024) | Time‑based | n/a | 2,505 shares granted | 625 vested at grant; remaining in ~8 equal quarterly installments over two years |
| RS grant (6/13/2024) | Time‑based | n/a | 2,084 shares granted | Vests in ~4 equal installments on 9/13/2024, 12/13/2024, 3/13/2025, 6/13/2025 |
| Stock grant (10/16/2024) | Not specified | n/a | 7,286 shares of common stock granted | Vesting terms not specified in proxy |
Equity Ownership & Alignment
| As of date | Direct shares | Options exercisable | Options unexercisable | Ownership % | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Record date (9/18/2025) | 9,262 | 624 | — | 0.3% | Beneficial ownership totals 9,886 incl. options exercisable within 60 days |
| 12/31/2024 outstanding awards | — | 482 at $148.80 | 352 at $148.80 | — | Options vest monthly; expiration 3/14/2033 |
| 12/31/2024 unvested RS | 1,174 (MV $3,088) | — | — | — | Vests on 3/12/2025, 6/12/2025, 9/12/2025, 12/12/2025, 3/12/2026 |
| 12/31/2024 unvested RS | 1,042 (MV $2,740) | — | — | — | Vests on 3/13/2025 and 6/13/2025 |
- Hedging/pledging: Company prohibits hedging and pledging without advance approval; no pledge arrangements disclosed for Hecklinski .
- Alignment observation: As of 12/31/2024 the option strike ($148.80) far exceeded market price ($2.63), implying zero intrinsic value at that date .
Employment Terms
| Term | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Role/title | President; director | |
| Employment start in current role | April 9, 2024 | |
| Base salary | $200,000 | |
| Employment at‑will | Yes | |
| Severance (Change‑of‑Control) | 0.5× base salary, payable over 6 monthly installments; may require a release | |
| Non‑compete | During term via Confidential Information & Inventions Assignment Agreement | |
| Non‑solicit | During term and for one year after employment | |
| Clawback policy | Adopted Nov 2, 2023 in compliance with NYSE American rules (restatement‑based recovery) | |
| Hedging/pledging policy | Prohibited hedging; pledging/margin requires pre‑approval | |
| Benefits | Medical, dental, life insurance per Company plans |
Board Governance
- Board service history: Director since April 2024 .
- Independence: Not independent under NYSE American rules (executive director) .
- Committee roles: Audit, Compensation, and Nominating committees are comprised of independent directors; chairs are Borish (Audit), Mason (Compensation), Economou (Nominating) . No committee memberships disclosed for Hecklinski .
- Board attendance: Each incumbent director attended at least 75% of Board and committee meetings in 2024 .
- Dual-role implications: Company combines CEO and Chairman roles (Daniel Nelson) and justifies on experience/clarity of leadership; this concentrates power and places greater importance on independent committee oversight .
Director Compensation
- Employee directors generally do not receive additional director compensation; proxy disclosures detail compensation for non‑employee directors only, with no separate director fees disclosed for Hecklinski .
Compensation Structure Analysis
- 2024 pay mix: Base salary $200,000 and stock awards $143,082; no option awards in 2024; benefits $12,877; total $355,959 . Equity awards in 2024 were predominantly time‑based RS grants rather than performance share units .
- Discretionary bonuses: On April 17, 2025, the Compensation Committee approved a discretionary cash bonus of $95,000 for Hecklinski without disclosed performance metrics .
- Compensation consultant: The Compensation Committee did not retain an independent compensation consultant in FY 2024 .
- Equity plan expansion: Proposed amendment to increase share reserve to 1,000,000 shares, signaling ongoing reliance on equity compensation and potential dilution .
Risk Indicators & Red Flags
- Hedging/pledging prohibited; reduces misalignment risk .
- Discretionary cash bonuses approved in 2025 without disclosed metrics; monitor pay‑for‑performance alignment .
- Options are far out‑of‑the‑money at 12/31/2024, reducing immediate option‑driven selling risk .
- Related-party transactions exist at company level (primarily involving the CEO); none specifically attributed to Hecklinski in the proxy’s related party section .
Equity Ownership & Upcoming Vesting Calendar (monitoring)
- 2025 vest dates from outstanding awards: 3/12/2025, 3/13/2025, 6/12/2025, 6/13/2025, 9/12/2025, 12/12/2025; tranche sizes per outstanding awards table as of 12/31/2024 .
- Beneficial ownership at the 2025 record date: 9,886 shares (including 624 options exercisable within 60 days), ~0.3% of common stock outstanding .
Say‑on‑Pay & Shareholder Feedback
- No say‑on‑pay vote results were disclosed in the 2025 proxy; annual meeting proposals focused on director elections, auditor ratification, equity plan amendment, and a share issuance approval .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Education: Bachelor’s in Communications, Western Illinois University .
- Industry expertise: Extensive coaching and recruiting experience cited by the Board as qualifications for director service .
Investment Implications
- Alignment: Time‑based RSUs with scheduled vesting through 2026 align tenure with equity accumulation; monitor vesting dates for potential incremental supply and any Form 4 activity around those dates .
- Pay‑for‑performance: Lack of disclosed performance metrics for 2024/2025 awards (including a sizable 2025 discretionary bonus) raises questions on incentive rigor; watch for evolution toward performance‑conditioned equity (PSUs) .
- Dilution: The proposed expansion of the equity plan to 1,000,000 shares increases the capacity for future grants and potential dilution; this can be a trading overhang if grants are sizable .
- Governance: Executive director status (not independent) and combined CEO/Chair structure heighten reliance on independent committees; sustained independent oversight is critical to compensation and risk management .