Edward Shensky
About Edward Shensky
Edward Shensky, age 73, has served as an independent director of Sow Good Inc. since January 2024 and chairs the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee; he also serves on the Audit Committee . A senior shareholder at Stark & Stark since 2017 (equity holder 2007–2017), he headed the firm’s medical malpractice and personal injury group and expanded its litigation team; he holds a B.A. (1973) and J.D. (1978) from Temple University . The Board cites his legal experience and prior service on a UK-based manufacturing risk management board and a major charitable organization’s Strategic Planning Committee as core credentials .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stark & Stark | Equity holder | 2007–2017 | Headed med. malpractice & personal injury group; expanded litigation team |
| Stark & Stark | Senior shareholder | 2017–present | Senior leadership in litigation |
| UK-based manufacturing company | Risk Management Board member | Not disclosed | Governance and risk oversight |
| Major charitable organization (PA) | Strategic Planning Committee member | Not disclosed | Strategic planning |
External Roles
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Current public company boards | None disclosed |
| Private/non-profit/academic | Strategic Planning Committee (major charitable org); UK risk management board (manufacturing) |
Board Governance
- Independence: The Board determined Shensky is independent under Nasdaq rules .
- Committee assignments: Audit Committee member; Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee chair .
- Board leadership: Executive Chairman is Ira Goldfarb; CEO is Claudia Goldfarb; no lead independent director .
- Attendance: In FY 2024, Board met 6x; Audit 5x; Compensation 4x; Nominating 3x; all directors attended at least 75% of aggregate meetings; all directors attended the 2024 annual meeting .
| Governance Item | Status |
|---|---|
| Independence (Nasdaq) | Independent |
| Audit Committee | Member |
| Nominating & Corporate Governance | Chair |
| Lead Independent Director | None |
| FY2024 Board/Committee meetings | Board 6; Audit 5; Comp 4; NomGov 3 |
| Attendance | ≥75% aggregate for all directors; 2024 annual meeting attended |
Fixed Compensation
| Component | 2024 Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual retainer (cash) | $0 | Non‑employee directors did not receive cash compensation in 2024 |
| Committee/Chair fees (cash) | $0 | Audit chair received additional equity; no specific cash chair fees disclosed for NomGov chair |
| Meeting fees (cash) | $0 | Not paid |
| Equity – annual grants (fair value) | $50,000 | 1,233 shares granted 1/10/2024 ($10,389) and 4,112 shares 2/9/2024 ($39,611) |
| 2024 Director Equity Grants to Shensky | Grant date | Shares | Fair value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual director services | 1/10/2024 | 1,233 | $10,389 |
| Annual director services | 2/9/2024 | 4,112 | $39,611 |
| Total | — | 5,345 | $50,000 |
Performance Compensation
| Metric | 2024 Director Compensation Linkage | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Performance-based cash bonus | None disclosed | Director comp comprised equity; no performance cash linked to director service |
| Equity with performance vesting | None disclosed | Grants appear as fully-issued common stock for services |
The company has executive bonus metrics (revenue and Adjusted EBITDA) for CEO/Executive Chairman, but these do not apply to non-employee directors .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Item | Status |
|---|---|
| Familial or employment interlocks involving Shensky | None disclosed |
| Overlaps with competitors/suppliers/customers | Not disclosed |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Legal and litigation leadership; senior shareholder at Stark & Stark .
- Prior governance roles on risk management board (UK manufacturing) and strategic planning for a major charity .
- Education: B.A. (1973) and J.D. (1978), Temple University .
- Board skills alignment includes governance, risk oversight, and legal acumen .
Equity Ownership
| As-of Date | Shares Beneficially Owned | Ownership % |
|---|---|---|
| April 15, 2025 | 59,269 | <1% |
| April 15, 2024 | 41,348 | <1% |
- Options/warrants: None disclosed for Shensky in footnotes .
- Pledging/hedging: Company policy restricts hedging/monetization transactions when holding MNPI and/or outside trading windows; clawback policy in place per SEC/Nasdaq rules .
Governance Assessment
- Committee leadership: Chairing Nominating & Corporate Governance and serving on Audit places Shensky at the center of director selection, governance guidelines, related-party review, and financial oversight—positive for board effectiveness .
- Independence and attendance: Independent status with strong overall board/committee meeting cadence and director attendance—supportive of engagement .
- Compensation alignment: Director pay is equity-only (no cash), which aligns incentives with shareholder outcomes; however, absence of director ownership guidelines is not disclosed .
- Related parties: Significant insider financings and warrant exercises involve the Executive Chairman, CEO, and Lyle Berman; Shensky is not named in these transactions, mitigating direct conflict risk for him .
- Policy infrastructure: Clawback and insider trading/hedging policies are adopted; no lead independent director, which can weaken independent oversight of a board chaired by an executive and with spousal CEO relationship—ongoing governance risk .
Risk Indicators and Red Flags
- No lead independent director while Executive Chairman and CEO are spouses—oversight risk .
- Extensive related-party financings and convertible note exchanges with insiders (Executive Chairman, CEO, Lyle Berman) increase conflict risk; Audit/Nominating committees oversee per policy, and disinterested directors approved exchanges .
- Section 16 delinquent filings noted for several insiders in 2024—process/control signal; not attributed to Shensky .
- Reverse stock split proposal to maintain Nasdaq listing—a market confidence consideration, board-supported .
Overall, Shensky’s legal and governance background, independence, and committee leadership are positives for board quality. Key board-level risks relate to leadership structure and insider financing practices; continued robust committee oversight and transparent related-party reviews will be important for investor confidence .