Christopher Melton
About Christopher Melton
Christopher Marc Melton (age 53) is an independent director of Safety Shot, Inc., serving on the board since August 2019 . He chairs the Audit Committee and is designated the audit committee financial expert, with deep experience in institutional finance and equity research .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kingdon Capital Management | Portfolio Manager; ran >$1B media/telecom/Japan book; opened Japan office and set up research firm | 2000–2008 | Institutional portfolio leadership; international research build-out |
| JPMorgan Investment Management | Vice President; equity research analyst | 1997–2000 | Co-managed >$1B REIT funds; analytical leadership |
| RREEF Funds | Senior Real Estate Equity Analyst | 1995–1997 | Sell-side coverage; sector expertise |
| Callegro Investments | Principal and co-founder | Current | Specialist land investor; board service across public/private firms |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure / Committee |
|---|---|---|
| SG Blocks, Inc. | Director; Audit Committee Chairman | Since Nov 2011 (Nasdaq-listed) |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Audit (Chair: Melton), Compensation (member), Nominating & Corporate Governance (member) .
- Independence: Board determined Melton meets Nasdaq and SEC independence standards .
- Audit committee financial expert: Melton designated; committee oversees auditor selection, independence, scope/results, risk assessment, and related-party review .
- Board elections: Directors elected annually; each holds office until successor is elected or earlier departure .
- Policies in place: Clawback policy adopted Dec 1, 2023 (recoups incentive comp on restatement); Insider Trading Policy with blackout periods, preclearance, and hedging/pledging prohibitions for insiders .
- Governance environment signals: Nasdaq staff cited past violations of Listing Rules 5635(a)/(b), 5640, 5250 notification/compliance; company amended transactions and regained compliance (matter closed) . Series C preferred has rights to elect 50% of directors while outstanding, indicating concentrated governance power risk .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Director cash retainer (2024) | $25,000 | Paid to each director, including Melton |
| Historical independent director agreement | $1,000 per quarter | Agreement dated July 29, 2019 (superseded by later practice); options also granted annually |
| Annual option grant (per agreement) | 33,000 options/year at $0.25 strike, 3-year term | Issued on each anniversary of election per 2019 agreement |
Performance Compensation
| Metric | Structure | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Performance-based metrics tied to director pay | Not disclosed/not applicable | Director compensation presented as fixed retainer and scheduled option grants; no performance-linked metrics disclosed |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- SG Blocks, Inc. (Nasdaq): Director and Audit Committee Chair since November 2011; this provides strong audit oversight experience but no disclosed transactional interlocks with Safety Shot .
- Family relationships: None disclosed among directors/officers, reducing conflict risk .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Designated audit committee financial expert; capable of reading/understanding fundamental financial statements per SEC/Nasdaq requirements .
- Extensive buy-side and sell-side research and portfolio management background across REITs, media/telecom, and Japanese markets .
Equity Ownership
| As-of Date | Shares Owned | Options/RSUs | Total Beneficial Ownership | % of Shares Outstanding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 25, 2025 | — | 141,000 options (exercisable within 60 days) | 141,000 | 0.16% |
| Sept 25, 2025 (record date for special meeting) | 600,000 | 81,000 options | 681,000 | 0.4% |
Notes:
- Beneficial ownership at March 25, 2025 explicitly “includes 141,000 shares issuable upon exercise of options,” implying options constitute his beneficial stake at that date .
- Ownership percentages reflect differing outstanding share counts at each record date .
Governance Assessment
-
Strengths:
- Independent director with deep audit and capital markets experience; audit chair and designated financial expert supporting board oversight of financial reporting and controls .
- Codified Clawback and Insider Trading policies; board committees staffed with independent directors (Melton, Pascucci, Long) .
-
Watch items / red flags for investor confidence:
- Concentrated governance rights: Series C preferred holders can elect 50% of directors while outstanding, structurally weakening minority shareholder influence and potentially constraining audit chair independence amid strategic shifts (BONK-linked transactions) .
- Recent Nasdaq compliance letter cited past violations (shareholder approval and voting rights), later cured; nonetheless indicates control-risk and disclosure-process weaknesses that the audit chair must continue to oversee .
- Strategic board refresh and digital asset pivot (BONK-aligned majority) raises questions on board balance and risk governance, increasing the importance of independent audit oversight .
Overall, Melton’s audit leadership and independence are positive for board effectiveness; however, the preferred-share voting structure and recent listing-rule issues elevate governance risk, warranting close monitoring of committee rigor, disclosure controls, and transaction approval processes .