Mark Myers
About Mark Myers
Mark Myers, age 63, is an independent director of Strawberry Fields REIT, Inc. and has served on the Board since December 2024. He has over 30 years of seniors housing and long-term care real estate brokerage experience; he joined SVN Senior Living Advisors in 2025 after serving at Walker & Dunlop from 2019–2025 and previously built one of the first seniors housing brokerage teams at Marcus & Millichap, where he was a top agent for over 20 years. Myers earned a BA in economics from Wheaton College (1983) and an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Business (1991); he was inducted into the Midwest Real Estate Hall of Fame in 2012. The proxy states the Board believes four of six directors are independent and that committees are comprised exclusively of independent directors, indicating Myers’ independence through his committee service .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walker & Dunlop | Seniors housing dispositions broker representing institutions and individuals | 2019–2025 | Led large seniors housing asset dispositions |
| Marcus & Millichap | Co-founder/leader of one of the first seniors housing brokerage teams; perennial top agent | Over 20 years (years not specified) | Built seniors housing brokerage capability; industry awards; Midwest RE Hall of Fame (2012) |
| Various (industry) | Seniors housing and long-term care real estate brokerage | 30+ years | Specialized across assisted living, independent living, memory care, SNFs, CCRCs, age-restricted apartments |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| SVN Senior Living Advisors | Senior living brokerage professional | 2025–present | Co-leads seniors housing dispositions; market coverage across U.S. |
Board Governance
- Committee memberships:
- Compensation Committee (member)
- Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee (member)
- Audit Committee composition (for context): Jack Levine (Chair), Ted Lerman, Stanford Gertz; Myers is not on Audit .
- Independence: Board states four of six directors meet NYSE American and Exchange Act independence requirements; board committees are comprised exclusively of independent directors .
- Attendance: Board held six meetings in 2024; each current director attended at least 75% of Board and committee meetings held while serving .
- Executive sessions: Independent directors meet regularly without management .
- Years of service on STRW Board: Director since December 2024 .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount | Period/Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual retainer (cash) | $60,000 per independent director | Policy level; reimbursed for reasonable meeting expenses |
| 2024 Fees Earned (Myers) | $0 | Appointed December 19, 2024; table shows “—” for 2024 fees for Myers |
Performance Compensation
- No equity grants (RSUs/PSUs/options) or performance-based director compensation disclosed in the proxy; independent directors are compensated via cash retainers .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Category | Detail |
|---|---|
| Current public company boards | Not listed for Myers in the proxy |
| Private/Non-profit boards | Not listed for Myers in the proxy |
| Potential interlocks | None identified for Myers; significant related-party tenant relationships exist with entities affiliated with CEO Moishe Gubin and director Michael Blisko (contextual company-level exposure) . |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Education: BA in Economics (Wheaton College, 1983); MBA (Northwestern Kellogg, 1991) .
- Domain expertise: Seniors housing brokerage across assisted living, independent living, memory care, skilled nursing, CCRCs, age-restricted apartments; national disposition experience .
- Recognition: Midwest Real Estate Hall of Fame (2012) .
- Board qualifications: Serves on Nominating & Corporate Governance and Compensation Committees; Board has at least one audit committee financial expert (Jack Levine) .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Shares Beneficially Owned | % of Common Stock | Pledged Shares |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mark Myers | — (not reported in table) | — (not reported) | No shares of any executive officer or director are pledged as security |
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent director with deep seniors housing transaction expertise aligned to STRW’s asset class; active roles on Compensation and Nominating & Governance Committees support oversight of pay practices and board composition; attendance threshold met; independent director executive sessions occur regularly .
- Alignment considerations: Proxy does not report Myers’ share ownership and STRW provides cash retainers without disclosed equity grants to directors, which may limit direct ownership alignment unless personal share purchases occur outside disclosure; lack of pledged shares is positive .
- Conflicts and red flags (company-level context): Extensive related-party leases with tenants affiliated to the CEO and another director present governance risk that requires robust independent oversight; deposits with OptimumBank (chaired by the CEO) and historical related-party notes add complexity. Myers is not tied to these related-party transactions and sits on committees comprised solely of independent directors, which mitigates but does not eliminate risk .
- Overall investor confidence signal: Myers’ sector expertise and independent status bolster board effectiveness in governance and compensation oversight; continued transparency on director equity ownership and committee processes would further strengthen alignment and oversight credibility .