Pamela Puryear
About Pamela S. Puryear
Pamela S. Puryear, Ph.D. (age 61) is an independent director of Standard Motor Products (SMP), serving since December 2021. She is Chair of the Compensation and Management Development Committee (since May 2023), has been designated an “audit committee financial expert,” and is affirmed independent under NYSE and SEC standards. Dr. Puryear holds a Ph.D. in organizational psychology (California School of Professional Psychology), an MBA from Harvard Business School, and a BA from Yale University, with a 35-year background leading human capital and organizational development in healthcare, retail, and financial services.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walgreens Boots Alliance | Executive Vice President, Global Chief Human Resources Officer | Within 2009–2021 | Led global HR; recognized human capital leader |
| Zimmer Biomet | Senior Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer | Within 2009–2021 | Drove organizational development and operational excellence |
| Pfizer | Senior Vice President, Chief Talent Officer | Within 2009–2021 | Led enterprise talent strategy and development |
| Hospira | Vice President, Organizational Development; Chief Talent Officer | Within 2009–2021 | Organizational design and talent leadership |
| Independent practice | Organizational development consultant (global, multi-industry) | 12 years prior to 2009 | Cross-industry OD consulting; strategy and execution |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Committees | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| SpartanNash Company | Director (current) | Chair, Compensation Committee; Member, Nominating & Corporate Governance (since May 2024); previously Audit (through May 2024) | Current public company directorship; committee leadership |
| NextGen Healthcare, Inc. | Director (former) | — | Former public company board service |
| Rockley Photonics Holdings Ltd. | Director (former) | — | Former public company board service |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments (SMP): Chair, Compensation & Management Development; Member, Audit; Member, Nominating & Corporate Governance; Member, Strategic Planning. SMP’s Audit Committee designated Dr. Puryear as an “audit committee financial expert.”
- Independence: Board determined all directors other than the CEO and COO are independent (Dr. Puryear is independent).
- Attendance and engagement: In 2024, the Board held 13 meetings; all directors attended at least 75% of Board and committee meetings and all attended the 2024 Annual Meeting.
- Governance infrastructure: Independent Presiding Director, committee charters, stock ownership guidelines (with post‑vesting holding periods) for independent directors and executive officers.
Fixed Compensation
| Component (Director) | 2024 Amount | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Cash retainer | $90,000 | Base annual cash retainer |
| Committee chair fee | $15,000 | Compensation Committee Chair retainer |
| Total cash | $105,000 | Matches “Fees Earned or Paid in Cash” for Puryear |
| Equity retainer (common stock) | $65,000 | Issued at fair market value on grant date |
| Restricted stock award | 1,000 shrs; $27.16/sh = $27,160 | One-year vest; grant date FMV $27.16 |
| Total equity | $92,160 | Matches “Stock Awards” for Puryear |
| Total 2024 director compensation (Puryear) | $197,160 | Sum of cash and equity |
- 2025 program update: Cash retainer increases to $95,000; equity changes to a single annual restricted stock award valued at $125,000 (replacing the $65,000 stock retainer + 1,000-share RSA structure).
Performance Compensation
| Equity Award Feature | SMP Policy | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual director equity | Restricted stock valued at $125,000 (from 2025) | Replaces prior mix (stock + RSA) |
| Vesting | One-year vest; earlier of 1-year or next AGM ≥50 weeks from prior AGM | Time-based vesting |
| Dividends on unvested | Prohibited until vesting | Good governance feature |
| Minimum vesting | 1-year minimum (limited exceptions) | Applies to plan awards |
| Annual director comp limit | Total cash + equity ≤ $700,000 per director per fiscal year | Cap with limited exceptions |
| Performance metrics | None for director equity (time-based only) | Director grants are not performance-conditioned |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Topic | Finding |
|---|---|
| SMP Compensation Committee interlocks | None in 2024; all members independent; no SMP executive served on another entity’s comp committee whose executives served on SMP’s Board/Comp Committee. |
| Related-party transactions | 2024–2025 proxy disclosures list related-person items involving others; no item names Dr. Puryear. |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Education and credentials: Ph.D. (organizational psychology, CSPP); MBA (Harvard Business School); BA (Yale). Recognized human capital and ESG thought leader; ELC member; honored by Diversity Woman (Elite 100, 2021) and WomenInc. (Most Influential Women Corporate Board Directors, 2023). Advisory Board member, Human Capital Center at The Conference Board.
- Technical/governance expertise: Audit committee financial expert; deep human capital management, organizational development, and operational excellence background across global enterprises.
Equity Ownership
| Item | Amount/Status |
|---|---|
| Beneficial ownership | 9,336 shares; <1% of outstanding |
| Unvested restricted stock (12/31/2024) | 1,000 shares |
| Options outstanding | None (no director stock options outstanding as of 12/31/2024) |
| Hedging/pledging | Prohibited for directors and employees |
| Stock ownership guidelines | Apply to independent directors; include post‑vesting holding periods |
Governance Assessment
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Strengths
- Independent director; chairs SMP’s Compensation & Management Development Committee with clear mandate over executive pay, succession, and human capital oversight.
- Audit rigor: Designated audit committee financial expert; serves on Audit and Governance committees, enhancing board-level controls and pay oversight.
- Engagement: Board held 13 meetings in 2024; all directors met attendance thresholds and attended the Annual Meeting.
- Pay alignment signals: Company’s 2024 say‑on‑pay passed with 99% approval, indicating strong shareholder support for compensation oversight under her committee’s purview.
- Director pay structure: Time‑based equity with one‑year vesting, dividend prohibition on unvested awards, annual cap, and ownership/holding policies support alignment and mitigate risk.
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Potential risks/flags (none identified specific to Dr. Puryear)
- Related‑party transactions: None disclosed involving Dr. Puryear in 2024–2025 proxy; ongoing monitoring warranted.
- Multi‑board service: She also chairs SpartanNash’s Compensation Committee; SMP disclosed all directors met attendance thresholds in 2024, but continued monitoring of time commitments is prudent.
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Implications for investors
- Board effectiveness: Dr. Puryear’s combination of human capital leadership, ESG fluency, and audit financial expertise is accretive to compensation design, succession planning, and risk oversight.
- Alignment safeguards (ownership guidelines, dividend restrictions, cap, clawback policy) reduce governance risk and support investor confidence.