Leigh B. Radford
E.W. SCRIPPSAbout Leigh B. Radford
Leigh B. Radford, age 60, has served as an independent director of The E.W. Scripps Company since 2022. She retired in 2022 after a 27-year career at Procter & Gamble, including roles as Senior Vice President and Founder of P&G Ventures (2015–2022), VP/General Manager (2006–2015), Marketing Director (1998–2005), and Brand Manager (1995–1997) . She currently serves on the Nominating & Governance Committee of the Scripps board .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Procter & Gamble | Senior Vice President & Founder, P&G Ventures | 2015–2022 | Built and led new ventures platform; consumer innovation expertise |
| Procter & Gamble | VP/General Manager | 2006–2015 | General management, brand leadership |
| Procter & Gamble | Marketing Director | 1998–2005 | Marketing strategy and execution |
| Procter & Gamble | Brand Manager | 1995–1997 | Brand management |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| FAST Studios | Director | Not disclosed | Private media company role |
| Goodwill Industries International | Director | Not disclosed | Non-profit governance |
| Heaven Hill, Inc. | Director | Not disclosed | Private spirits company board |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Member, Nominating & Governance Committee (chair: John W. Hayden). Committee scope includes director nominations, governance principles, board/committee performance reviews, committee nominations, quarterly ethics reviews, and sustainability oversight; met four times in 2024 .
- Independence: The board determined all directors other than the CEO are independent under Nasdaq standards; audit, compensation & talent management, and nominating & governance committees are fully independent .
- Attendance and engagement: The board held four regular meetings in 2024; all directors attended all board and committee meetings on which they served. Executive sessions of non-management directors were held at each board meeting .
- Controlled company context: Scripps is a “controlled company” due to the Scripps Family Agreement’s voting power but is not relying on Nasdaq’s controlled-company exemptions for independence at present .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount (USD) | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer | $80,000 | Standard retainer for non-employee directors |
| Committee membership retainer | $10,000 | Non-chair committee member annual retainer; Nominating & Governance |
| Total fees earned (2024) | $90,000 | Sum of cash and committee fees |
Performance Compensation
| Equity Component | Grant Value (USD) | Aggregate RSUs Outstanding (#) | Vesting/Payment Triggers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 annual RSU grant | $150,000 (grant program target) | 40,983 | Paid on earlier of first anniversary of grant, termination of board service, or change in control | 2024 stock awards accounting fair value: $182,374 (FASB ASC 718) |
The director equity program is time-based; there are no disclosed performance metrics tied to director RSUs. Annual director grant levels are benchmarked to peer median with advice from an independent consultant; future program authorized up to $175,000 per director subject to plan approval .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Category | Company | Role | Potential Interlock/Conflict Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Non-profit | Goodwill Industries International | Director | No related-party transactions disclosed for 2024 |
| Private company | FAST Studios | Director | No related-party transactions disclosed for 2024 |
| Private company | Heaven Hill, Inc. | Director | No related-party transactions disclosed for 2024 |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Consumer innovation and venture incubation: Led P&G Ventures, bringing a startup mindset and product commercialization discipline relevant to evolving media business models .
- Brand and marketing leadership: Extensive P&G brand stewardship and marketing execution experience, valuable for audience development and content monetization .
- Governance oversight: Active role on Nominating & Governance, overseeing board refreshment, ethics oversight, and sustainability strategy .
Equity Ownership
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Class A shares beneficially owned | 23,171 (less than 1% of class) |
| Common Voting Shares | None |
| RSUs outstanding (director) | 40,983 |
| Shares pledged as collateral | None (company-wide prohibition; none pledged) |
| Hedging/pledging policy | Hedging and pledging prohibited for directors, officers, key employees |
| Director stock ownership guideline | 3x annual cash retainer; target shares 127,660 (based on $1.88 price as of 1/31/2025) |
| Actual ownership vs guideline | Actual: 64,154 shares; compliance deadline May 2, 2027 |
Governance Assessment
- Independence and attendance: Strong governance signals—independent status and full attendance in 2024 board and committee meetings; regular executive sessions reinforce oversight quality .
- Committee effectiveness: Service on Nominating & Governance aligns with her background in talent/leadership and ethics; the committee’s remit includes ethics oversight and sustainability, indicating active governance engagement .
- Ownership alignment: She is tracking toward director ownership guidelines but has not yet met the 3x retainer threshold (64,154 vs 127,660 target) with a compliance deadline of May 2, 2027; this is a watch item but within the required timeframe .
- Compensation structure: 2024 director pay comprised $90,000 cash fees and $182,374 in stock awards (time-based RSUs), aligning director incentives with shareholder value without performance metrics—consistent with market practice and peer benchmarking .
- Conflicts and related-party exposure: No related-party transactions disclosed for 2024; shares are not pledged; hedging/pledging prohibited—no evident conflict or alignment red flags .
Red flags and watch items
- Ownership guideline shortfall (in-progress): Below 3x cash retainer as of 1/31/2025; within compliance window to May 2, 2027 .
- Controlled company context: While Scripps qualifies as a controlled company, it is not relying on independence exemptions; continued monitoring of governance balance between family signatories and independent directors is prudent .