John Leavitt
About John C. Leavitt
Independent director at Standard Premium Finance Holdings, Inc. (SPFX) since 2017. Age 63 as disclosed in the 2025 proxy. Leavitt is a Certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and Program Management Professional (PgMP) with 25+ years of management, technical, and engineering experience in U.S. government IT and communications. He has served at NASA since July 2016 in the Office of the Chief Information Officer, and holds a BS in Engineering Technologies (UCF), MBA (Keller), and DBA in Information Systems Management (Walden) .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| NASA (Office of the CIO) | IT/Comms systems oversight; launch support configuration | Jul 2016–present | Ensures mission requirements; prior IT Architect for Commercial Crew Program |
| Altug Consulting | Vice President | Jan 2000–Dec 2016 | Led proposals, engineering studies, project management for large government/commercial firms |
| SPFX | Director | 2017–present | Board believes his project management/government contracting expertise aids strategic planning |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| NASA | Employee | 2016–present | Current principal external employment |
No other public company directorships or committee roles disclosed for Leavitt in SPFX filings reviewed .
Board Governance
- Independence: Board determined Leavitt is independent under Nasdaq rules (Audit Committee membership disclosed as all independent) .
- Tiered board: Leavitt’s term among directors expiring at the 2025 annual meeting; nominee information presented for tiers and future meetings .
- Attendance: Board held 6 meetings in 2021, 3 in 2023, and 5 in 2024; no director attended fewer than 75% in each year .
| Governance Item | FY 2021 | FY 2023 | FY 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Board meetings held | 6 | 3 | 5 |
| Attendance threshold met (≥75%) | Yes (all directors) | Yes (all directors) | Yes (all directors) |
| Committee memberships | Audit Committee member | Audit Committee member | Audit Committee member |
| Audit committee financial expert | Scott Howell, MD | Scott Howell, MD | Scott Howell, MD |
Fixed Compensation
- Director cash retainer: Company had not established an annual fee for independent directors in 2021; limited disclosure of director payments for services (amounts not itemized) .
No current detailed annual cash retainer, committee fees, or meeting fees disclosed for Leavitt specifically in the filings reviewed .
Performance Compensation
No director performance-based compensation metrics (TSR, revenue, EBITDA) disclosed for Leavitt in SPFX filings reviewed .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
No other public company board seats or disclosed interlocks (competitors/suppliers/customers) for Leavitt in SPFX filings reviewed .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Government IT/communications (SATCOM, Commercial RF Systems, telecommunications) .
- Project/program management (PMP, PgMP; PMI methods; NASA best practices) .
- Education: BS-EET (UCF), MBA (Keller), DBA (Walden, IS Management) .
- Thought leadership: Speaker at project management conferences nationwide .
Equity Ownership
| As-of Date | Common Shares Owned | Warrants/Options | Percent of Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 31, 2020 (10-K/10-12G) | 91,500 (incl. exercisables within 60 days) | 25,000 Class W12 warrants @ $12 | 2.4% (common) |
| Mar 15, 2024 (10-K) | 91,500 (incl. exercisables within 60 days) | 25,000 Class W12 warrants @ $12 | 2.2% (common) |
| Mar 10, 2025 (10-K) | 92,500 (incl. exercisables within 60 days) | Not itemized; prior W12 warrants historically disclosed | 2.2% (common) |
- Form 3 initial statement: 66,500 common; W12 warrant for 25,000 shares at $12 (filed Mar–Apr 2021) .
No pledging or hedging of SPFX stock disclosed for Leavitt; no director ownership guideline disclosure specific to SPFX found in reviewed filings .
Governance Assessment
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Strengths:
- Clear independence and active Audit Committee membership across multiple years; audit oversight supported by a designated financial expert (Howell) .
- Consistent attendance above 75% threshold in 2021, 2023, and 2024; supports engagement and board effectiveness .
- Relevant technical and program management background (NASA, government contracting) aligned with risk oversight and operational discipline .
-
Potential gaps/unknowns:
- Limited, non-itemized director compensation disclosure at SPFX; lack of transparent cash/equity mix and committee chair fees reduces clarity on pay-for-performance alignment for directors .
- No explicit disclosure of director stock ownership guidelines or compliance status; alignment is inferred from beneficial ownership but policy frameworks are not described in reviewed filings .
-
Red flags observed:
- None specific to Leavitt: no related-party transactions, pledging/hedging, option repricing, or low attendance issues disclosed in reviewed filings .
-
Implications for investor confidence:
- Audit committee independence and consistent attendance support governance quality.
- Expanded disclosure on director compensation structure and ownership guidelines would enhance transparency and alignment assessment.