Jeffrey R. Stephens
About Jeffrey R. Stephens
Jeffrey R. Stephens is Senior General Counsel (since 2017) and Secretary (since 2008) at Security National Financial Corporation (SNFCA). He previously served as General Counsel from 2006 to 2017; he holds a B.A. in Geography (University of Utah) and a J.D. (Brigham Young University), and is a member of the Utah and Washington State Bar Associations . He is 71 years old (as of the 2025 proxy). Company performance context during his tenure shows Total Shareholder Return and Net Income trends below .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Security National Financial Corporation | General Counsel | 2006–2017 | Led company legal function; later advanced to Senior General Counsel and Secretary |
| Security National Financial Corporation | Secretary | 2008–present | Corporate secretary and governance communication point (receives stockholder-Board communications) |
| Security National Financial Corporation | Senior General Counsel | 2017–present | Senior legal leadership for the company |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private legal practice (WA and UT) | Attorney | 1981–2006 | External legal experience prior to joining SNFCA; bar memberships (UT, WA) |
Company Performance Context
| Metric | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Value of initial fixed $100 investment based on TSR | 79 | 123 | 140 |
| Net Income ($USD Millions) | $25.690 | $14.495 | $26.536 |
Fixed Compensation
- Compensation details (base salary, target bonus %, actual bonus paid) for Mr. Stephens are not disclosed in SNFCA’s proxies because he is not a Named Executive Officer; the Summary Compensation Tables list the CEO, CFO, and top three other NEOs only .
Performance Compensation
- Equity award structure: SNFCA grants stock options and equity awards; options generally vest at 25% per quarter over one year after grant (standard plan terms) .
- Executive bonus program philosophy: annual cash incentives are tied to achievement of Company financial performance goals; however, individual bonus metrics/targets for Mr. Stephens are not itemized in the proxy .
Equity Ownership & Alignment
| Metric | 2024 (as of Mar 31, 2024) | 2025 (as of Mar 31, 2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Beneficial ownership (shares) | 179,204 | 161,561 |
| Ownership % of combined classes | Less than 1% | Less than 1% |
| Equity detail | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Options exercisable (Class A) | 40,426 | — |
| Awards granted under 2022 Equity Incentive Plan (cumulative, adjusted for stock dividends) | — | 12,193 |
- Insider trading policy and blackout periods are in place for executives and related insiders .
- Pledging or hedging of company stock by Mr. Stephens is not disclosed in the proxy’s ownership sections .
- Stock ownership guidelines for executives are not disclosed; no compliance status is provided in the proxies .
Employment Terms
- No individual employment agreement, severance, change-of-control, non-compete, or clawback terms are disclosed for Mr. Stephens; the proxy only details CEO Scott M. Quist’s employment agreement terms .
Governance and Related Disclosures
- As Secretary, stockholder communications to the Board are addressed to Mr. Stephens (Senior General Counsel and Secretary), who routes them to appropriate directors .
- Section 16 reporting: the company notes inadvertent late filings by certain insiders in 2024, including one late filing by Jeff Stephens .
Vesting Schedules and Insider Selling Pressure
| Grant Type | Vesting Terms |
|---|---|
| Stock options | 25% of total grant vest each quarter over one year after grant date |
- Option exercise facilitation: SNFCA’s Stock Purchase Plan authorizes the company to purchase up to 60,000 Class A shares per calendar year from officers/directors exercising options to fund their tax obligations, which can mitigate forced selling pressure around exercises .
Compensation Structure and Pay-for-Performance Program
- Components: base salary, annual incentive aligned to Company financial performance, and equity participation via options/awards; program seeks alignment and retention across executives .
- Say-on-pay context: in June 2023, shareholders supported the executive compensation program (38,991,463 for; 539,876 against; 20,682 abstentions); advisory frequency set to every three years .
Compensation and Ownership Trends (Multi-year indicators)
| Indicator | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Company TSR ($100 initial value) | 79 | 123 | 140 | Rising TSR supports equity-aligned incentives |
| Company Net Income ($M) | $25.690 | $14.495 | $26.536 | Volatility in 2023; recovery in 2024 |
| Jeff Stephens beneficial ownership (shares) | — | 179,204 | 161,561 | Point-in-time ownership declined YoY |
Risk Indicators & Red Flags
- Inadvertent late Section 16 filing noted for Mr. Stephens in 2024; no other legal proceedings or SEC investigations are disclosed for him .
- No disclosed pledging or hedging of Mr. Stephens’ holdings; no related party transactions involving Mr. Stephens are indicated in the proxy .
Investment Implications
- Alignment: Mr. Stephens holds meaningful equity (161,561 shares as of 2025) and has cumulative awards under the 2022 plan (12,193 units), plus historically exercisable options (40,426 as of 2024), supporting ongoing alignment with shareholder value creation; no pledging disclosed .
- Selling pressure: Standard one-year vesting cadence for options and the company’s tax-funding Stock Purchase Plan can reduce opportunistic selling pressure at exercise windows, though personal liquidity needs are opaque .
- Dilution and incentive capacity: In 2025, the Board sought to add 3,000,000 shares to the 2022 Plan (up to 500,000 Class C), implying potential Class A dilution of ~12.71% on a fully converted basis; this increases equity incentive capacity but raises overall equity overhang considerations for investors .
- Program governance: Strong shareholder support for say-on-pay (2023) and clear insider trading controls suggest a stable compensation governance environment, albeit with limited disclosure on individual performance metrics for non-NEOs like Mr. Stephens .