Markita Russell
About Markita Russell
Markita L. Russell is Chief Financial Officer of Safety Shot, Inc. (appointed July 30, 2025) with 30+ years in finance and accounting, previously serving as the company’s Controller since August 2021 . She holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and began her career at PepsiCo; a notable track record includes scaling a marine industry company’s revenue from $7 million in 2012 to $56.8 million by 2020 . As CFO, her compensation features a $250,000 base salary, a performance-based annual bonus tied to company sales goals, and fully vested option and RSU grants with a six‑month sale hold, aligning incentives to execution and revenue outcomes . Company-level TSR, revenue growth, and EBITDA growth under her tenure are not disclosed.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Safety Shot, Inc. | Chief Financial Officer | Jul 30, 2025 – Present | Executive finance leadership during strategic shift and integrations |
| Safety Shot, Inc. | Controller | Aug 2021 – Jul 2025 | Provided strategic financial oversight during growth initiatives |
| Marine industry company | Account management (finance) | 2012 – 2020 | Oversaw revenue growth from $7M to $56.8M |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| PepsiCo | Early career in beverage industry | Not disclosed | Foundational sector experience relevant to consumer products |
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount / Term | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Base Salary | $250,000 annually | Set in employment agreement effective June 30, 2025 |
| Target Bonus % | Not disclosed | Annual bonus evaluated based on performance and company sales goals |
| Actual Bonus Paid | Not disclosed | No payouts disclosed to date |
Performance Compensation
Annual Cash Bonus
| Metric | Weighting | Target | Actual | Payout | Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Performance and company sales goals | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Annual cycle; terms to be agreed with direct supervisor |
Option Awards
| Grant Date | Options (#) | Strike Price | Vesting Schedule | Exercisability | Expiration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Effective 6/30/2025 (agreement dated 10/3/2025) | 200,000 | $0.49 per share | Fully vested upon Effective Date (6/30/2025) | Fully exercisable | Not disclosed |
RSU Awards
| Grant Date | RSUs (#) | Vesting Schedule | Sale Restrictions | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Within 10 days of 10/3/2025 | 350,000 retention RSUs | Immediate vest | Six-month hold beginning 6/30/2025 on any sales | Retention‑oriented structure; immediate vest with post‑vest sale hold |
Equity Ownership & Alignment
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Total beneficial ownership | 325,000 shares counted as beneficial (options exercisable within 60 days) |
| Ownership % of shares outstanding | 0.2% based on 171,441,724 shares outstanding |
| Direct common shares | 0 (beneficial total comprises options within 60 days) |
| Options – exercisable vs. unexercisable | 325,000 options counted as beneficial (exercisable within 60 days) |
| Newly granted options (comp agreement) | 200,000 options at $0.49, fully vested as of 6/30/2025 |
| RSUs | 350,000 retention RSUs, immediate vest; six-month hold from 6/30/2025 |
| Shares pledged as collateral | Not disclosed |
| Stock ownership guidelines | Not disclosed |
| Compliance with guidelines | Not disclosed |
Note on counts: The employment agreement describes a 200,000 option grant and 350,000 RSUs , while proxy beneficial ownership tables list 325,000 options counted as beneficial (exercisable within 60 days), implying additional legacy/options activity not detailed in the 8‑K summary .
Employment Terms
| Term | Detail |
|---|---|
| Appointment | Board appointed Russell CFO effective July 30, 2025; replaces Danielle De Rosa (resigned July 25, 2025) |
| Employment agreement | Dated October 3, 2025; retroactively effective June 30, 2025; filed as Exhibit 10.1 |
| Base salary | $250,000 |
| Annual bonus | Evaluated on performance and company sales goals; terms to be agreed with supervisor |
| Equity | 200,000 fully vested options at $0.49; 350,000 retention RSUs, immediate vest, six‑month sale hold starting 6/30/2025 |
| Severance / change‑of‑control | Not disclosed in 8‑K summary; refer to Employment Agreement Exhibit 10.1 |
| Clawbacks / tax gross‑ups | Not disclosed |
| Non‑compete / non‑solicit | Not disclosed |
| NDA / confidentiality | Typical non‑disclosure obligations included |
Investment Implications
- Immediate vesting of options and RSUs indicates strong near-term retention intent; however, the six‑month sale hold beginning June 30, 2025 can result in potential insider selling pressure after the hold period lapses if liquidity needs or diversification goals arise .
- Ownership is modest at ~0.2% of outstanding shares via options counted as beneficial, suggesting limited “skin‑in‑the‑game” alignment compared to peers with higher direct ownership; that said, performance‑linked bonus tied to sales and equity grants at a defined strike price help align incentives with revenue execution and share price performance .
- The $250,000 base salary and bonus framework centered on sales goals point to an operational focus on top‑line outcomes, which is consistent with her prior revenue‑scaling track record (2012–2020 marine industry growth from $7M to $56.8M) .
- Governance and dilution context: the 2024 Equity Incentive Plan was amended in June 2025 to add up to 22,000,000 shares, increasing capacity for future grants; investors should monitor subsequent equity issuance cadence and insider forms for selling activity following the RSU hold period .
Source documents for verification: CFO appointment 8‑K (July 31, 2025) and press release ; Employment Agreement 8‑K (Oct 8, 2025) ; DEF 14A beneficial ownership and outstanding shares (Oct 6, 2025) ; DEFR14A beneficial ownership (Oct 15, 2025) ; Equity Plan amendment 8‑K (June 16, 2025) .