Tyler Painter
About Tyler Painter
Tyler Painter, age 53, has served as an independent director of Surf Air Mobility Inc. (SRFM) since July 2023 and is a Class C director with a term expiring at the 2026 annual meeting. He is CFO and COO of Wisk Aero (since April 2022) and previously served as SRFM’s Senior Advisor and acting CFO (Aug 2020–Apr 2022), bringing deep corporate finance and operating experience. He holds a B.S. in business (finance concentration) from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. The Board has affirmatively determined Painter is independent under NYSE rules .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wisk Aero | CFO and COO | Apr 2022–Present | Aerospace operating and finance leadership |
| Surf Air Mobility Inc. | Senior Advisor and acting CFO | Aug 2020–Apr 2022 | Transition finance leadership prior to listing |
| Fair Financial Corporation | CFO | Jan 2018–Oct 2019 | Corporate finance |
| Solazyme / TerraVia | CFO; later CFO & COO | Sep 2007–Oct 2014; Oct 2014–Oct 2017 | TerraVia was acquired via a Section 363 sale in Aug 2017, indicating prior bankruptcy-related proceedings at that company |
| Wind River Systems | Corporate Treasurer; VP Finance & IR | Sep 2000–Apr 2007 | Capital markets, IR, treasury |
| CarsDirect; Gap Inc. | Various finance roles | Earlier career | Foundational finance roles |
External Roles
| Organization | Type | Role | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wisk Aero | Private aerospace | CFO & COO | Operational and financial stewardship in advanced air mobility |
| Other public company boards | Public | None disclosed | No other public directorships disclosed in SRFM proxy |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Painter is not currently a member of SRFM’s standing committees; Audit (Albert, D’Agostino—Chair, Hack), Compensation (Albert—Chair, Hack, Mady), Nominating & Governance (Albert—Chair, D’Agostino, Bland) .
- Independence: Determined independent under NYSE standards; Board majority is independent .
- Attendance: In 2024, the Board met 13 times; Audit 8; Compensation 5; Nominating 4. Each director attended at least 75% of applicable meetings; independent directors meet in regular executive sessions chaired by the independent Chair .
- Tenure and class: Class C director; term expires at 2026 annual meeting .
- Board leadership: Independent Chairman (Carl Albert) and CEO/COO (Deanna White) roles are separated .
Fixed Compensation
| Component (2024) | Amount (USD) |
|---|---|
| Fees Earned or Paid in Cash | $17,500 |
| Committee Fees | $0 (not on standing committees) |
Policy context (for all non-employee directors):
- Annual cash retainer reduced by 30% on Dec 3, 2024 to $35,000; Lead Independent Director retainer $42,000. Committee retainers: Audit Chair $25,000 / Member $12,500; Compensation Chair $20,000 / Member $10,000; Nominating Chair $15,000 / Member $7,500 .
Performance Compensation
| Equity Award (Director) | Grant Date | Shares | Grant Date Fair Value (USD) | Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial RSUs (at listing) | Jul 25, 2023 | 13,409 | Part of $330,000 initial target (see structure) | Vested Jul 2024 (paired with April 2024 tranche) |
| “April 2024 RSUs” (part of initial) | Apr 3, 2024 | 91,353 | $80,519 (shown in 2024 Director Compensation) | Vested Jul 2024 (with July 2023 RSUs) |
| Annual 2024 RSUs | On/around Jun 26, 2025 | Target $165,000 | Will appear in next year’s table | Vests at grant (compensation for 2024 service) |
| Annual RSUs 2025 onward | Annually near meeting | Target $115,500 | Reduced by 30% on Dec 3, 2024 | One-year vest (continued service) |
Performance metrics for director awards:
| Metric Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Performance metrics | None disclosed for director equity; RSUs vest time-based; option grants in 2024 applied only to Albert and Hack, not Painter |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company/Organization | Relationship | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| None disclosed | — | — | No other current public company board seats disclosed for Painter |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Financial and operating expertise across aerospace and technology; prior CFO/COO roles; corporate treasury and investor relations experience supporting capital markets readiness .
- Board qualification: The Nominating & Governance Committee cites extensive corporate finance and operational experience as key attributes .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Shares Beneficially Owned | Percent of Outstanding |
|---|---|---|
| Tyler Painter | 94,198 | * (proxy denotes less than 1%) |
Additional alignment details:
- Outstanding as of Dec 31, 2024: 14,966 RSUs; 0 options .
- Director stock ownership guidelines: Minimum 5x annual cash retainer; five years to comply. As of Apr 1, 2025, all non-employee directors had met or had remaining time .
- Pledging/hedging: Prohibited for insiders (includes directors) .
Governance Assessment
- Board effectiveness: Painter’s finance/operating background is relevant for SRFM’s capital-intensive, operationally complex model; however, he does not currently serve on Audit, Compensation, or Nominating committees, limiting direct committee oversight influence .
- Independence and attendance: Affirmed independent; attendance met at least the 75% threshold, supporting engagement; independent directors hold executive sessions under an independent Chair, bolstering oversight .
- Compensation alignment: Cash retainer and director equity were reduced 30% in Dec 2024, signaling cost discipline; director equity grants are time-based with no disclosed performance metrics, which is typical for directors but offers limited explicit pay-for-performance linkage .
- Ownership: Beneficial ownership of 94,198 shares and outstanding RSUs indicates some skin-in-the-game; policy prohibits pledging/hedging and requires ownership multiples, which supports alignment .
RED FLAGS
- Prior employment ties: Painter previously served as SRFM’s Senior Advisor and acting CFO (2020–2022); while the Board deems him independent, prior executive service can present perceived conflicts depending on involvement in past decisions .
- Bankruptcy-related history: TerraVia (formerly Solazyme) was acquired via a Section 363 sale in Aug 2017, which some investors may view as a risk factor in past track record; assess relevance to current judgment and risk oversight .
Additional context for overall governance environment (Company-level)
- Related party landscape includes significant financing and advisory relationships with entities affiliated with co-founder Liam Fayed (LamVen/LamJam/Park Lane); while not tied to Painter, these transactions elevate overall governance risk monitoring for the board .